Pirates promote 8 players, including top prospect Oneil Cruz, to Triple-A Indianapolis

The Pittsburgh Pirates promoted eight players, including top prospect Oneil Cruz, from Double-A Altoona to Triple-A Indianapolis to finish the final 10 games of their minor league season.

The Pirates also transferred the options of infielder Rodolfo Castro, right-handed pitcher Roansy Contreras, first baseman Mason Martin and outfielders Cal Mitchell and Canaan Smith-Njigba — all ranked among their top 30 prospects by MLB Pipeline — as well as right-handers Yerry De Los Santos and Osvaldo Bido.

Altoona’s season ended on Sunday. Indianapolis plays five games from Sept. 22-26 at Omaha and finishes with five at home from Sept. 29-Oct. 3 against Nashville.

IT'S TIME. ????

The @Pirates announced today that six of their top 30 prospects (@MLBPipeline) have been promoted from @AltoonaCurve.

More: https://t.co/3UjVHXtLy4 pic.twitter.com/TJkoyqlFTJ

— Indianapolis Indians (@indyindians) September 20, 2021

Cruz, a 6-foot-7 shortstop ranked the Pirates’ top prospect and No. 19 overall by Baseball America, slashed .292/.346/.536 with 15 doubles, five triples, 12 homers and 40 RBIs in 62 games with the Curve. The 22-year-old missed six weeks with a right forearm strain.

Contreras, acquired from the New York Yankees in the Jameson Taillon trade last January, is 3-2 with a 2.65 ERA and 0.90 WHIP with 76 strikeouts and 12 walks in 54 1/3 innings over 12 starts. He also missed almost two months with a right forearm strain before being activated Sept. 1.

Castro batted only .198 in 31 games with the Pirates but made MLB history when he became the first player in the modern era to have his first five hits all for home runs. He slashed .242/.295/.425 with 14 doubles, 12 homers and 47 RBIs in 72 games in Altoona.

Martin had 29 doubles, 22 home runs and 75 RBIs in 112 games with Altoona, though he batted only .242.

Mitchell finished fourth in hits (107), eighth in batting average (.280) and ninth in RBIs (61) in 108 games for the Curve. He also had a .984 fielding percentage, playing mostly right field.

Smith-Njigba, also acquired from the Yankees in the Taillon trade, batted .274 with an .805 OPS but spent two stints on the injured list with a right thigh injury. He also was strong in the outfield, with a .991 fielding percentage in left.