Forty Man: In, Out & Why + Notes

The Pirates added OF Austin Meadows and RHPs Dario Agrazal/Luis Escobar to the 40-man roster. Gift Ngoepe was traded to the Blue Jays for a PTBNL or cash, leaving the roster at 38 men, not including Jung Ho Kang.

Meadows, 22, couldn't stay on the field last year, suffering from a gimpy hamstring and a nagging oblique injury. His numbers were meh at Indy, slashing .250/.311/.359 with four homers, 36 RBI, 48 runs and 11 steals in 72 AAA games. Agrazal, 22, spend half the season at High Class A Bradenton (Florida State League), where he put up a 5-3/2.91 line and was promoted to Altoona, but only tossed four frames there before going on the DL with a pectoral strain that cost him the remainder of the season. The control/ground ball pitcher projects as a back-end of the rotation or middle-bullpen arm. Escobar, 21, pitched in the Futures Game and posted a 10-7/3.83 line with 168 strikeouts in 131-2/3 innings for Low Class A (Sally League) West Virginia with a mid-nineties heater, curve and change-up toolkit.

Meadows leads the list - 2016 Bowman's Best

MLB.com Top 30 who weren't rostered: RHP Yeudy Garcia (#19); RHP Tyler Eppler (#26); and SS Adrian Valerio (#30). Yuedy struggled at Altoona at age 24 (4-7, 5.25) although he possesses excellent stuff. Eppler, a guy who depends on control rather than nastiness, may just be a victim of minor-league pitching depth, especially among projected relievers. Valerio had a breakout year hitting .273 with 11 HR; the Pirates may be banking on his youth (20 y/o) and level (Low Class A West Virginia) as cover. As for Gift, the bat never came around and the middle infield prospect posse (Kevin Newman, Cole Tucker, Stephen Alemais, Valerio) is closing in.

Notes:

• OF Harold Ramirez was outrighted off Toronto's 40-man roster after clearing waivers. The 22-year-old-hit .266 last year in AA and was part of the much mocked Frankie Liriano deal. His trade partner, C Reese McGuire, 22, was added to the Jays' protected list after playing at three levels last year (he had a knee injury to rehab), topping out at AA where he hit .278 in 34 games.
• RHP Mark Appel, who stiffed the Bucs when he was their 2012 #1 (eighth overall) was DFA'ed by the Phillies.
• Bobblehead giveaways at PNC in 2018: 5/19 (Padres) Throwback uni; 6/23 (D-Backs) Sean Rodriguez walkoff; 7/14 (Brewers) Josh Bell; 8/4 (Cards) Andy Van Slyke; and 9/8 (Marlins) Felipe Rivero.
• Zambelli Fireworks nights at the ballyard: Sat 4/7 (Reds), Sat 4/28 (Cards), Fri 5/18 (Padres), Fri 6/22 (D-Backs), Sat 7/28 (Mets), Sat 8/18 (Cubs) and Fri 9/21 (Brewers).