Pirates' Malcom Nunez: Back with Pittsburgh as NRI
Rotowire
The Pirates re-signed Nunez to a minor-league contract Friday with an invitation to spring training, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.
Nunez, who turns 24 in March, slashed .250/.310/.365 with 11 home runs over 128 games this season for Triple-A Indianapolis. He'll be with the Pirates in spring training but is likely headed back to Indianapolis to begin 2025.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Malcom Nunez: Struggling since IL return
Rotowire
Nunez (shoulder) is slashing .195/.272/.305 with two home runs and eight RBI in 24 games since Triple-A Indianapolis reinstated him from its 7-day injured list Aug. 8.
Nunez was placed on the IL on May 27 with a right shoulder impingement and was cleared to begin a rehab assignment shortly after the All-Star break. He spent nearly three weeks in the lower rungs of the minors, appearing in games in the rookie-level Florida Complex League and for Single-A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro before getting the green light to rejoin the Indianapolis lineup. The 22-year-old has struggled at the dish since making his return from the IL and is maintaining a .233/.313/.345 slash line in 252 plate appearances overall for Indianapolis this season.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Malcom Nunez: Cleared for rehab games
Rotowire
Nunez (shoulder) was cleared Saturday to begin a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
If all goes well, he should be able to return from the injured list at Triple-A Indianapolis before the end of July. The 22-year-old had caught fire just prior to injuring his right shoulder in May, but he carries an underwhelming .260/.351/.377 overall batting line in 160 plate appearances this season in the International League.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Malcom Nunez: Nears throwing workouts
Rotowire
Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk indicated Thursday that Nunez (shoulder) is expected to resume throwing next week, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Nunez has been on the injured list at Triple-A Indianapolis since late May because of a right shoulder impingement, but he's responded well to a lengthy period of rest and treatment and could potentially return to minor-league games around mid-to-late July. The 22-year-old corner infielder was heating up on the farm just prior to the injury with a 1.014 OPS during May.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Malcom Nunez: Shelved with shoulder issue
Rotowire
Triple-A Indianapolis placed Nunez on the 7-day injured list Saturday with a right shoulder impingement, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
He'll likely be barred from throwing and hitting for at least a week while recovering from the shoulder issue before he resumes training. The shoulder injury disrupted what had been a productive run at the plate for the the 22-year-old corner infielder, who finished May with a .357/.478/.536 slash line.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Malcom Nunez: Reassigned to minors camp
Rotowire
Nunez was reassigned Tuesday to the minor-league side of Pirates camp.
Liover Peguero, Kyle Nicolas and Jared Jones were the other reassigned players in this round of cuts. Nunez should push to make his MLB debut at some point in 2023 after posting an .833 OPS with 23 home runs and 88 RBI in 119 games last year between Double-A and Triple-A.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Malcom Nunez: Gets bump to Triple-A
Rotowire
Nunez was promoted from Double-A Altoona to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.
Nunez's dynasty-league stock improved following the Jose Quintana trade that sent him from a crowded situation in St. Louis to a playing time free-for-all in Pittsburgh. The 21-year-old played 22 games at first base, five games at designated hitter and two games at third base after the trade while slashing .286/.381/.476 with five home runs and a 27:17 K:BB in 29 games.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Malcom Nunez: Included in Quintana trade
Rotowire
The Pirates acquired Nunez and right-hander Johan Oviedo from the Cardinals on Monday in exchange for left-hander Jose Quintana and right-hander Chris Stratton.
Nunez had spent all of the 2022 season at Double-A Springfield, churning out a .255/.360/.463 slash line to go with 17 home runs, 66 RBI, 51 runs scored and four stolen bases in 85 games. The Pirates will likely have the 21-year-old first baseman report to Double-A Altoona to begin his time in the organization.
... See More... See Less
Cardinals' Malcom Nunez: Joins 60-player pool
Rotowire
Nunez was added to the Cardinals' 60-player roster pool and will report to the alternate training site in Springfield, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Nunez finished the 2019 season at Low-A Peoria but struggled with a .444 OPS in 21 games. The 19-year-old isn't expected to see the majors in 2020, but it'll be a good developmental experience with the minor-league season cancelled.
... See More... See Less
Cardinals' Malcom Nunez: Not ready for Low-A
Rotowire
Nunez will open the year in extended spring training before being assigned to a short-season affiliate in June, Mike Rosenbaum of MLB.com reports.
He was the best hitter in affiliated baseball last year, logging a 238 wRC+ as a 17-year-old in the Dominican Summer League, but he will need to wait for short-season leagues to open before setting out to prove it was not a small-sample blip against extremely raw teenage pitchers. He will likely go to either the Gulf Coast League or the Appalachian League in mid-June.
