Double-A Notebook: Orioles, Yankees, Pirates Scouting Reports

For those unfamiliar with my background, I’ve been a season ticket holder at the Altoona Curve (the Double-A of the Pittsburgh Pirates) for about seven seasons now, and scouting my favorite prospects up close and personal each season has been a highlight of this experience for me.

Another highlight for me has been sharing what I’ve noticed when watching these prospects for a week at a time, as you can get a feel for who they are over six games. Before minor league homestands became week-long experiences, it was far harder to get a feel for each prospect that came through in such a small sample size.

The crop of players expected to come through Altoona in 2025 has me more excited than usual, and the first two homestands already delivered some standout performances.

The Somerset Patriots and Bowie Baysox — the Double-A affiliates of the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles — were the first two visiting teams, and they each brought a strong group of talent with them.

Of course, the hometown club has had plenty of intriguing names to track as well.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the players who impressed me the most and break down what stood out to me in the process.

Stats taken prior to play on April 24th.

Somerset Patriots, New York Yankees

Considering the New York Yankees’ “win-now” approach, it comes as no surprise that they currently possess one of the weakest farm systems in all of baseball. In the most recent edition of the Just Baseball Top 100, the club only had one player, Jasson Domínguez, appear on the list.

Given this, I didn’t find it surprising that the Somerset Patriots possessed a less-than-impressive squad in terms of talent. Most of the interesting prospects in the Yankees’ systems are more of projects that still find themselves below Double-A.

When watching this team in Altoona for a full week, three players stood out to me in the end. Of these players, the prospect with the most name recognition is former first-round pick and Vanderbilt superstar Spencer Jones, who has made waves with his mind-boggling power in professional baseball.

In addition to Jones, I was pleasantly surprised by the team’s catcher, Rafael Flores, and one of their starting pitchers, Brendan Beck. If all goes to plan, the Yankees could have three potentially very good minor leaguers currently in Double-A.

Spencer Jones, OF

As I previously mentioned, the player with the most name recognition on this team was outfielder Spencer Jones, who has taken the prospect world by storm over the past few seasons. Jones was a highly touted first-rounder back in 2022, and the Yankees seem to believe they have something very special in Jones.

He’s been asked about by opposing clubs in a few big trades, with the team most notably declining to include him when discussing trades for aces Corbin Burnes and Dylan Cease. However, now in his second season in Double-A, Jones no longer has the prestige he once did as a prospect.

This season was the second time I’ve had a closer look at Jones in person, and I’ve come away with similar takeaways both times I’ve seen him. He’s returned for a second year in Somerset in hopes of improving upon his strikeout rate and plate discipline, but I still haven’t seen much improvement in his plate discipline.

Jones went down on strikes eight times in the six games I saw him play, including one three-strikeout performance on April 19. Not only this, but he regularly showed the tendency to chase out of the zone, be beaten by velocity, as well as put himself in holes early in at-bats with some unimpressive swings.

At times, it appears as though Jones doesn’t have a solid approach at the plate, something he’ll need as he progresses through the system. Because of this, it seemed like pitchers were able to jump on him early in at-bats, giving them a clear upper hand.

Although Jones has slightly improved on the strikeouts (32.9% strikeout rate in 2025 as opposed to 36.8% in 2024), this will certainly plague him as he moves up the system.

I can confirm, though, that the power Jones possesses is legit, and it’s incredibly impressive. He hit three homers in these six games, which included an impressive two-homer game on April 17. He drives the ball with ease, forcefully hitting balls over the wall with authority.

Jones was a little better on the basepaths than expected, as he could occasionally find some decent speed. As a defender, though, he appeared stiff and looked uncomfortable at times, meaning he’ll likely land in a corner as opposed to being a center fielder in the majors.

He’s currently performing extremely well this season, slashing .250/.384/.583 at the plate, with six homers and a 179 wRC+ through 17 games. If this trend continues, he may make his way to Scranton in no time.

Overall, Spencer Jones is an incredibly interesting prospect who possesses all the tools needed to be a good major league hitter. It’ll be important for Jones to refine his approach as well as his discipline if he wants to truly maximize his potential moving forward.

Rafael Flores, C

When checking the rosters ahead of the series, I was intrigued to see Jesus Rodriguez behind the plate. However, due to a promotion the day before the Patriots arrived in Altoona, my focus shifted to another catcher on the roster, Rafael Flores.

During the first game of the series on Tuesday, Flores immediately made a good impression, notching two hits, a walk, and two RBI in the opener. From that moment forward, I was hooked on his at-bats.

Flores battled at the dish all week, as he’d go on to record a trio of two-hit performances throughout the week, driving the ball with authority at every opportunity. He possesses a sweet, right-handed swing that allows him to stay on plane with the ball, something that’ll help his power in a big way.

He typically finishes with one hand, often giving off a similar look to Yankees legend Alex Rodriguez at the plate.

Similarly to Spencer Jones, Flores does tend to become a free swinger at times. He registered a strikeout rate of just under 34% in the early part of 2025, which is a concerning spike from his 26.7% strikeout rate in Double-A last season.

He also notched eight strikeouts during the week, although his at-bats seemed more competitive at times than Jones’.

Flores only put one ball out of the ballpark during this six-game stretch, but it made a lasting impression on me. It hit off the Altoona scoreboard in left-center, making it a truly impressive shot. Flores did have plenty of hard-contact result in outs during the week, showing his pop as well.

Flores is a below-average runner and was less-than-stellar behind the plate at times throughout the week. He had moments where he looked impressive, showcasing a pretty solid arm for a bat-first catcher. 

Flores is having a pretty impressive year overall, as he’s currently posted a 119 wRC+ alongside three homers in the 17 games he’s played. If his pop continues to show through, Flores may not last much longer in Somerset before a promotion comes his way.

Brendan Beck, RHP

Former highly touted second-round pick Brendan Beck has battled injuries throughout practically his entire professional career. He’s only made 23 starts in his minor league career thus far. Despite not pitching since 2023, Beck dazzled in his Tuesday start.

The right-hander pitched an electric, six no-hit innings, with five of these frames being perfect in the process. Beck was incredibly impressive, striking out five batters in this start as well. He did this in a repulsive game-time condition, as the temperature was only in the low 40s with steady rain throughout his entire start.

Although his stuff may not be the most impressive on the surface, it certainly looked good versus the Altoona lineup. His fastball sat between 91-93 but still possessed the effectiveness and control needed to take opposing hitters down and record plenty of swings and misses.

Not only this, but his curveball was the pitch that stood out to me the most, as it showed an extremely impressive 12-6 break. He controlled the pitch well, using it across all parts of the strike zone. The pitch generated a lot of swings and misses as well, with most of his strikeouts coming on the curveball.

Beck also utilized a particularly impressive slider, which showed to be an effective offering to right-handed hitters. He also appeared to mix in a changeup, although it wasn’t as notable as the rest of his arsenal.

His curveball may have been the best pitch he threw, but each of his four pitches helps him in a big way. He uses them at appropriate times, allowing for more deceptiveness in his arsenal. His release point also allows for a solid tunnel to form for all four of his pitches, which could be why his curveball was so effective.

Beck has only thrown 15 innings to this point in the 2025 season, but he has yet to allow a run. He’s also done a tremendous job at avoiding free passes, with Beck issuing just two walks in these 15 innings. 

While he may not light up the radar gun with a triple-digit heater, Beck was extremely impressive during his start in Altoona. Beck could easily become a solid starter at the big league level if his stuff continues to be as effective as it has this season.

Chesapeake Baysox, Baltimore Orioles

Over the past few seasons, the Baltimore Orioles have consistently had one of the best farm systems in the league, meaning their Double-A affiliate was usually filled with talent. However, with much of this talent beginning to reach the major leagues, this year’s Chesapeake Baysox roster was one of the weakest I’ve seen recently.

When watching this team for three games to open the season, only one player really jumped out to me: former 2023 first-round pick Enrique Bradfield Jr. Funny enough, Bradfield is the second former Vanderbilt star to stand out to me this season, joining Spencer Jones in this same group.

Another player I did consider highlighting in this section was right-hander Alex Pham, but I opted not to go into him as deeply since this is his second season in Double-A. However, Pham has pitched to an ERA under 3.80 so far this season, and I’ve found his starts impressive each time I’ve watched him throw in person.

Now, let’s take a closer look at what I took away from three games of Bradfield and what stood out when watching him on the field.

Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF

As I previously mentioned, Bradfield was a former first-rounder back in 2023, which has led to some pretty hefty expectations being put on him early in his career. However, through his first few seasons in professional baseball, he has shone, becoming a very solid prospect.

Bradfield is currently ranked at No. 74 on Just Baseball’s Top 100, and to this point, he’s proven just how deserving this ranking is for him. I saw Bradfield during his first taste of Double-A last season, and I can confidently say that he’s improved since I saw him last.

To put it simply, Bradfield has a very good hit tool, something that stands out immediately when watching him play. His bat-to-ball skills are tremendous, as he rarely chases or swings and misses. He had a hit in each of the three games I saw him play to open the season, showing this ability.

In addition to his bat-to-ball skills, his eye is very good. Aram Leighton noted in his write-up on Bradfield for the Just Baseball Top 100 that Bradfield maintained a chase rate of just 15%, and this was present when he was in Altoona. Bradfield walked just as much as he struck out, including a two-three performance in the season opener. 

While he may not contain the same power as a player like Jones, Bradfield can occasionally find a solid barrel at the plate. When he gets ahold of a ball in the gap, his speed can easily allow him the ability to get extra-base hits.

While I may not have seen Bradfield get a chance to steal a base during this three-game set, his speed was still on full display. He legged out a double in the third game of the season, and he made every play at first extremely close.

Bradfield has already swiped over 100 bases in the minor leagues, which is a mind-boggling number. When he gets running, there’s almost nobody faster in professional baseball.

Aside from his contact-oriented approach with a good eye at the plate, Bradfield projects as a 70-grade fielder with ease. He made a really nice diving play during the week and regularly chased down almost any ball hit in the gap. Due to this, almost anything that was hit his way was caught, creating a true no-fly zone.

Bradfield was struck with an injury after just six games this season, but through this span, his numbers were incredible. He posted a walk and strikeout rate of 14.3% while slashing .389/.476/.556 with a 192 wRC+.

While the Chesapeake Baysox may have had just one player worth noting on their roster, Enrique Bradfield Jr. was an extremely impressive prospect. Although he may not have the ceiling of other players around the sport, he could easily become one of the best leadoff hitters in baseball someday in the near future.

Altoona Curve, Pittsburgh Pirates

Now that we’ve gone over the teams that visited Altoona for two of the first few series of the year, it’s time to dive into the hometown Altoona Curve and the talents they bring to the table.

The Curve is following the trend set by the Pittsburgh Pirates over the last few seasons, prioritizing pitching over hitting. However, the team does possess some solid bats as well. They may not have the most eye-popping roster, but three of their prospects have really impressed me this season.

These players include another former first-rounder in second baseman Termarr Johnson, as well as two highly regarded left-handed pitching prospects, Anthony Solometo and Hunter Barco. The pitchers on the roster have been incredible to open the season, and all signs point towards this trend continuing.

With the current state of the Pirates, they need all the help they can get, and all three of these players in Double-A should give them some much-needed stability in the near future.

Hunter Barco, LHP

While Barco may not be as flashy as some of the other top pitching prospects in the Pirates system over the last few seasons, he still has just as much potential as any of them. Barco was highly regarded when he was selected in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft, and he’s shown why this was the case in 2025.

He underwent Tommy John surgery during his draft year and has since bounced back in a big way, showing the health of his arm. During a few spring training outings, Barco was up to 97 MPH on the radar, a huge jump from his 88-90 MPH fastball velocity during his draft year.

I’ve seen Barco make two starts in Altoona so far this season, and he’s dazzled in both. Between these two starts, Barco went nine innings without allowing a run, allowing just four hits while striking out nine batters. In fact, through five starts this season as a whole, Barco has yet to allow a run.

Barco’s fastball plays a lot more like a sinker, getting lots of late drops. This has allowed him to pitch to weaker contact with ease, inducing plenty of weak ground balls.

Aside from his new and improved fastball, Barco’s secondaries have been electric early this season. His slider has been his go-to strikeout pitch, as it’s played very well off of his fastball. It sits in the low 80s and garners plenty of whiffs.

Barco mixes in a splitter, which he mixed in instead of the below-average changeup he had been throwing previously. While it’s been obvious when watching him that the pitch is still fresh, it can be very deceptive given the nature of his fastball.

Through five starts so far this season, Barco is currently pitching to a 0.00 ERA, a 33.8% strikeout rate, and a walk rate of 6.2%, with opponents hitting just .138 against him. 

Although the Pirates have produced plenty of pitchers over the last few seasons, there have been very few left-handers come through the system. However, Barco is changing this trend, as he looks like one of the best arms in the system, easily coming in as the top left-hander as well.

Anthony Solometo, LHP

In addition to Barco, the Altoona Curve has had one more left-hander look very solid in the beginning of the 2025 season: Anthony Solometo. Just two seasons ago, Solometo had a very encouraging campaign, leading many to consider him a top-75 prospect in the sport. But, after a rough 2024 season, this was short-lived.

However, just one season later, Solometo appears to be back on track to becoming one of the top lefties in the minor leagues. He was the first pick in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft, so seeing him get back on track has been very important for the Pirates.

The main thing that stands out when watching Solometo throw is his unorthodox motion, one that’s reminiscent of Madison Bumgarner’s delivery, or any other funky lefty. Because of this, Solometo creates plenty of deception, making his at-bats a nightmare for opposing hitters.

One of the main reasons Solometo ran into trouble last year was the collapse of his fastball, which saw itself go from sitting around 93-94 MPH to around 90 MPH. Early on this season, he’s built his fastball velocity back up a considerable amount, now sitting around 92 MPH, with the ability to reach back for more when needed.

Due to his arm slot and release point, Solometo’s fastball doesn’t need to light up the radar gun for it to be successful, but it does need to be reliable. Seeing him find this consistency in his fastball again has been a key part of his success early this year.

In addition to his four-seamer, Solometo possesses a devastating slider. This is arguably his best pitch, as it’s incredibly difficult for both lefties and righties. It gets a lot of sweeping motion, and once again, because of his arm slot, it’s even more difficult to barrel up. It gets a lot of whiffs, especially from left-handed batters.

His changeup is a good tertiary pitch, giving him another pitch for hitters to have to be aware of when facing him. It’s done a good job at inducing some swings and misses, really killing spin in the process.

The key for Solometo will be limiting free passes, as he does have the tendency to get a little wild and allow plenty of walks. If he can cut down on this and throw more strikes, he’ll be in a good position to succeed overall.

Solometo went down with an injury after just two starts to open the season, but in those two starts, he looked very good. His ERA sits at 0.90, and he’s pitched to a 1.75 K/BB. Although the walk numbers are still a little high, they’ve drastically improved from 2024.

Overall, if Anthony Solometo can continue to maximize his arsenal and avoid walks, he could join Hunter Barco as one of the best left-handers in the system once again.

Termarr Johnson, 2B

The final player on the Curve that’s stood out to me so far this season is yet another former first-round pick, second baseman Termarr Johnson. Johnson was the fourth name called in the 2022 MLB Draft, signing for a huge bonus of over $7.2 million.

Since making his way into professional baseball, it’s been clear that Johnson is one of the more talented second basemen in the minors. Despite his 5-foot-8, 190-pound frame, Johnson’s power is unreal at times.

Johnson returned to Double-A after finishing the 2024 season with the Curve, and he’s been fairly impressive during the time I’ve seen him play. The power is legit, as the ball sounds so much louder when he barrels the baseball as opposed to the average player. 

He’s hit a few tape-measure shots in Altoona, reaching distances I haven’t seen a player for the Curve reach since Oneil Cruz was on the team, really speaking to his pop. His power also shines through on extra-base hits, as he’s hit a few loud doubles.

The only real concerning thing I’ve noticed when watching Johnson’s at-bats is that he has the tendency to chase a lot. This has been especially present when he sees breaking balls, as he regularly chases them into the right-handed batter’s box. 

Unlike most hitters who chase often, Johnson is different in the sense that he makes contact a decent amount of the time when chasing. Unfortunately, this has led to weak contact in the infield early in at-bats, limiting the damage he can do with his electric power.

If he can learn to lay off these breaking balls and other pitches outside of the zone, he could become a really dangerous hitter. Especially if he can force hitters to throw him more fastballs in the zone, giving him more opportunities to maximize his power.

Despite chasing often, Johnson has maintained good on-base numbers and walk rates throughout his minor league career. He’s currently walking just under 14% of the time as opposed to a strikeout rate slightly above 22%, which is a better split than most hitters with this type of issue.

In the field, Johnson has looked slick, as he projects to be a solid fielder overall. He doesn’t have the glove of someone like Bradfield, but he is certainly not a bad fielder by any means.

His speed has also been better than I expected, as I feel like he’s a better runner than he’s often given the credit for. Because of this, Johnson has been able to get to more balls in the holes around second base, giving him more upside as a second baseman.

Currently, Johnson has hit three homers and slashed .257/.358/.414 with a .361 wOBA and a 129 wRC+. These are extremely solid numbers, and as he does more damage in the minors, these could easily climb with time. 

Johnson still has a long way to go when it comes to refining his approach at the plate, but all things considered, he looks like a very good hitter. He needs to avoid chasing and force pitchers to give him more pitches to hit. 

If he can do this, look out, as his raw power will begin to really shine through.