BRADENTON, Fla. -- For years, the Pirates’ minor-league pitching development was defined more by who got away rather than their successes. And for a team that is waist-deep into a rebuild and banking entirely on the fact that they will grow quality major league pitchers from its farm system, the stink of letting players like Tyler Glasnow and Gerrit Cole go and find another level elsewhere will linger until there are some success stories.
It’s a challenge for the organization’s new player development leaders, including pitching coordinator Josh Hopper, who wasn’t told the stories before he took the job one year ago.