Weekly Report: USA Advances To Finals, Pre-Arbs Signed, Grapefruit Action, Camp Cut-Down

Camp grindin' on...

Pirates News:

• The Pirates signed all 29 members of their 2026 pre-arb class. Inked to deals: Ps Paul Skenes, Braxton Ashcraft, Hunter Barco, Brandan Bidois, Bubba Chandler, Wilber Dotel, Ryan Harbin, Thomas Harrington, Jared Jones, Antwone Kelly, Isaac Mattson, Carmen Mlodzinski, Mason Montgomery, Endy Rodriguez, Cam Sanders and Evan Sisk. The position players: Jack Brannigan, Tyler Callihan, Billy Cook, Henry Davis, Rafael Flores Jr, Jhostynxon Garcia, Nick Gonzales, Spencer Horwitz, Jake Mangum, Enmanuel Valdez, Esmerlyn Valdez, Jared Triolo and Nick Yorke. The team already agreed to contracts with five other pre-arb guys: P Dennis Santana ($3.5M), CF Oneil Cruz ($3.3M), C Joey Bart ($2.53M), P Justin Lawrence ($1.225M) and P Yohan Ramirez ($825K).

Paul Skenes - 2026 Topps Stars of MLB

• Skene's salary is $1.085M, which would be the MLB's highest pre-arb payout ever (he also added $3,436,343 via his Cy Young bonus and from the league's pre-arb bonus pool), per Sports Illustrated. 

Camp News:

• The Bucs optioned RHPs Brandan Bidois, Wilber Dotel, Thomas Harrington, and Antwone Kelly, along with OF Esmerlyn Valdez, to Indy. C Omar Alfonzo, RHP Khristian Curtis and OF/IF Mitch Jebb were assigned to minor-league camp. A second cut later in the week claimed C Derek Berg, 1B Nick Cimillo, LHP Nick Dombkowski, IF Duce Gourson, 2B Termarr Johnson, LHP Oddanier Mosqueda, IF/OF Ronny Simon and SS/3B Davis Wendzel, who were all assigned to minor league camp. That takes the camp roster down to 46 players.
• Grapefruit Games: The Pirates started the week with a 5-3 win over the NYY; Endy Rodriguez went deep. Tuesday was a day of rest and Wednesday a day of Bird-watching as the O's bombed the Bucs, 7-2, pretty much having their way with the minor-league pitchers Don Kelly threw at them. Starter Noah Davis, who the Bucs signed to a minor deal in January, struck out five in 4-2/3 frames before giving up three runs on a two-out dinger in the fifth. Nick Cimillo homered. Thursday was better - Bubba Chandler struck out eight in five innings of one-run ball as the Bucs whupped the Bravos, 5-2.

Chris Devenski - photo KDKA/The Fan

• Friday's game had a scary moment when Chris Devenski was removed (he was alert & walking after the medico check) after being struck on the side of the head by a hit back to the box; he's being evaluated. The Bucs beat Detroit, 7-5, as Jhostynxon Garcia homered and Mike Clevinger took a step forward. Pittsburgh muscled its way past Baltimore on Saturday, 8-6, with homers from Marcell Ozuna, Billy Cook and Henry Davis. Sunday, Sunday, can't trust that day...The Pirates lost to Tampa Bay, 6-1, as Jose Urquidy was both wild & hit around some, and so the fifth rotation spot is still up for grabs. Konnor Griffin averted the whitewash with a ninth inning homer, his fourth of the spring.

WBC/MLB News:

• WBC Pool: Paul Skenes worked four scoreless innings on Monday, giving up a hit, walk and fanning seven as the USA downed Mexico while Oneil Cruz (who is playing off the bench) bopped his second dinger for the DR as they qualified for the quarter-finals. The Air Force Academy baseball team watched Skenes' outing as Paul and fellow USA pitcher Griffin Jax, who also attended the Academy, coordinated getting game tickets for the Air Force contingent. Italy beat the US, 8-6, so three teams - those two and Mexico - were looking at two qualifier spots which were decided by the Mexico-Italy finale. Italy won big, so it's the USA and Cervy's Bel Paese that advance from the pool to the knockout rounds. 
• One & Done Final Eight: The US beat Canada, 5-1, and the DR whipped Korea 10-0, so they meet in the semis. And yes, Skenes starts. The US won a nailbiter, 2-1. Skenes wasn't brilliant, but he went 4-1/3 IP giving up a run and got the win. David Bednar tossed a scoreless inning, stranding a pair and earned a hold. Mason Miller (Bethel Park HS/Waynesburg U) got the save,  leaving a runner on third. The DR Pirates didn't fare so well; Gregory Sota took the loss and Oneil Cruz bounced out in his only at bat. So it's off to the finals for the USA to meet the winner of the Monday Italy-Venezuela match.

Quinn Preister - 2024 Topps Allen & Ginter

• RHP Quinn Priester, who the Bucs traded to Boston in 2024 for Nick Yorke before blossoming in Milwaukee last season (13-3/3.32) will miss the start of the season with nerve damage to his shoulder.
• Pitt senior OF/DH Lorenzo Carrier was named the Golden Spikes/D1Baseball National Player of the Week, USA Baseball announced. Carrier went 13-for-15 (.867) with 19 RBI, 10 runs, five HRs, two triples & one double for a 3.095 OPS. The Panthers are 14-4 and have won 10-of-12 as of Monday.