Around the Curve | Curve in the Majors - Vol. 1
CURVE, PA. – Altoona has been a pipeline to the Major Leagues for nearly 26 years, with the current alumni count at 213 players achieving their dreams of becoming a big leaguer. This season, we want to look at some of the exciting accomplishments our alumni are achieving at the
CURVE, PA. – Altoona has been a pipeline to the Major Leagues for nearly 26 years, with the current alumni count at 213 players achieving their dreams of becoming a big leaguer. This season, we want to look at some of the exciting accomplishments our alumni are achieving at the Major League level. Every week, we will spotlight a handful of players who are succeeding at the next level and reflect on their time with the Curve, here on the Around the Curve Blog! Here is the first edition of: “Curve in the Majors.”
1. INF/OF Cole Tucker – Los Angeles Angels
Season Stats: 8 games, .227 batting average, 2 doubles, 1 RBI, 3 SB
Most Curve fans will remember the smiling face of Cole Tucker, who won an Eastern League Championship with the Curve in 2017 and played a combined total of 175 games in Altoona from 2017-2018. Tucker, a former first-round pick by the Pirates in 2014, has bounced around organizations in the last few seasons after he was designated for assignment by the Pirates in 2022. Since his time in Pittsburgh, Tucker has played with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners, and Los Angeles Angels organizations.
Tucker signed a minor league contract with the Mariners in Spring Training but was released in March and was offered a position to become a coach. Instead, he signed with the Angels early in April and was recently promoted to the big-league roster in Anaheim. This past week, Tucker traveled back to Pittsburgh to play against the Pirates for the first time, where he was able to reunite with dozens of former teammates such as Mitch Keller, Ke’Bryan Hayes, and Bryan Reynolds.
2. RHP Osvaldo Bido – Oakland Athletics
Season Stats (Triple-A): 4-1, 2.59 ERA, 6 games (5 starts), 31.1 IP, 13 BB, 39 K
Osvaldo Bido was a member of Altoona’s starting rotation in 2021, where he made 19 starts and pitched to a 5.09 ERA with 91 strikeouts in 93.2 innings. Bido made his Major League debut on June 14, 2023 with the Pirates, going 2-5 with a 5.86 ERA in 16 games with nine starts. Bido elected free agency after the season and was signed by the Athletics in November, where he was sent to Triple-A Las Vegas. Bido was recalled by the Athletics on May 8 to make a start in game two of a doubleheader against the Texas Rangers, where he was opposed by Rangers RHP Jack Leiter. This season at Triple-A, his strikeout rate has been higher than it ever has in his career at 30%, or 11.20 K/9 innings. He was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week for April 29 – May 5.
3. OF Andrew McCutchen – Pittsburgh Pirates
Season Stats: .184, 28 games, 3 doubles, 3 HR, 7 RBI
Okay, it’s hard to have an alumni report without including Altoona’s most popular alum. On April 14, in the ninth inning of an afternoon game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Andrew McCutchen drove a slider into the left-field seats for his first home run of the season. It was the 300th of his storied career.
McCutchen became the fourth player to hit his 300th home run in a Pirates uniform, joining Ralph Kiner (1953), Willie Stargell (1973), and Jeromy Burnitz (2006). It was his 216th home run as a Pirate, leaving him 24 shy of catching Roberto Clemente for third-most in franchise history.
McCutchen played 138 games for the Curve from 2006-2007, and to this day he is still the youngest player to take the field for Altoona, making his Double-A debut on August 15, 2006 at 19 years, 10 months, and five days old. The 11th overall pick in the 2005 MLB Draft played in the final 20 games of the 2006 season en route to being named the Pirates Minor League Player of the Year. When he returned in 2007, he was the Pirates No. 1 prospect per Baseball America, but his numbers cooled off. He finished his Curve tenure with a .265 batting average, 13 home runs and 60 RBIs in 138 games.
4. RHP Clay Holmes – New York Yankees
Season Stats: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 16 games, 16.1 IP, 1 BB, 18 K, 11 Saves
Clay Holmes made his Major League debut with the Pirates in April of 2018, spending four seasons with Pittsburgh before being traded to the New York Yankees in 2021. This season, Holmes has shown himself to be one of the best closers in baseball. The right-handed reliever has converted 11 of 12 saves for the Yankees, tied for the second-most in the Major Leagues. Perhaps more impressive is that he has not allowed an earned run in 16 appearances and has only walked one batter with 18 strikeouts.
Holmes pitched for the Curve primarily in 2016 where he was used as a starter, making 26 starts and finishing the season 10-9 with a 4.22 ERA in 136.1 IP. He returned to Altoona on rehab in 2019, throwing in two games in relief.
5. RHP Gerrit Cole – New York Yankees
Season Stats: Has not Pitched.
Gerrit Cole rivals McCutchen for the most notable Curve alum in recent years, and rightfully so. The former Pirates No. 1 overall draft selection in 2011 is a six-time All-Star and the reining AL Cy Young Award winner.
However, this season Cole has yet to take the mound after dealing with elbow inflammation at Spring Training. He was placed on the 60-Day IL with fears of Tommy John Surgery in his future, but the most recent news has been promising.
Cole has begun throwing lightly once again, and New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone has said that everything has gone well so far. There is still some way to go, but it seems that there is a chance a healthy Cole will take the mound later this summer for the Yankees.
Cole pitched for the Curve in 2012, making 12 starts with a 3-6 record and a 2.90 ERA in 59.0 IP.
Other Notes:
- Paul Skenes has continued his dominant ways in Triple-A Indianapolis this season, striking out 45 batters in 27.1 innings across his first seven starts. Skenes has a 0.99 ERA with only three earned runs allowed and will make his Major League debut with the Pirates on Saturday.
- Nick Gonzales is having statistically his best season in the Minor Leagues, hitting .358 through 30 games with Triple-A Indianapolis with 14 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 19 RBI. Gonzales made his Major League debut last summer and may hit his way back onto the Pirates roster very soon.
- The American Association begins play this week, one of many independent ball leagues. INF Josh Bissonette, who was released by the Pirates in Spring Training, is on the Kansas City Monarchs roster, along with former Triple-A teammate Travis Swaggerty. RHP Tahnaj Thomas will also start his season in the American Association with the Milwaukee Milkmen.
Stay tuned all season long for more exciting content on the Around the Curve Blog!
Bullpen Dominates Rumble Ponies in 4-1 Win
BINGHAMTON, NY – Altoona broke a six-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies on Saturday night at Morabito Stadium. Blake Townsend earned the win with 3.1 scoreless innings of relief. Townsend scattered three hits and lowered his ERA to 1.23 with Altoona. In 29.1 innings
Bowen Reaches Three Times in 6-3 Defeat
BINGHAMTON, NY – Altoona’s offense was held without a baserunner for the first four innings and Binghamton’s Jett Williams hit two homers in a 6-3 loss for the Curve on Friday night at Morabito Stadium. The Curve have dropped six straight games, including all four of their week-long series with
Kelly K’s Career-High 9, Curve Drop Fifth Straight
BINGHAMTON, NY – Starter Antwone Kelly picked up a career-high nine strikeouts in 4.2 innings, but Altoona dropped a 2-1 decision to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies on Thursday night at Mirabito Stadium. With the loss, Altoona has dropped five in a row since their 9-1 start to the second half,
Ercolani Fires Five Strong in Wednesday Defeat
BINGHAMTON, NY – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies took their second straight game from the Curve to start the week-long series, 3-0, on Wednesday night at Mirabito Stadium. Alessandro Ercolani fired five scoreless frames, scattering four baserunners in his outing, and struck out three on a tidy 60 pitches for Altoona.
Binghamton Rumbles to Series Opening Win over Curve
BINGHAMTON, NY – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies banged out 16 runs on 19 hits and defeated the Curve 16-3 on Tuesday night at Mirabito Stadium. Starter Po-Yu Chen had his most challenging outing of the season, as the Rumble Ponies racked up nine runs on 11 hits in the first
Senators Bullpen Shuts Out Curve on Sunday
HARRISBURG, Pa. - Altoona’s offense was held to just three hits and two walks in a 2-0 defeat to the Harrisburg Senators on Sunday afternoon at FNB Field. Altoona wrapped up their series with Harrisburg winning four-of-six games played. Blake Townsend pitched well as he started a bullpen day again
Alfonzo Homers Again in 4-1 Defeat
CURVE, Pa. – Omar Alfonzo slugged a solo homer in the seventh, however, the Curve fell 4-1 on Saturday night at FNB Field. The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for Altoona. Altoona’s bats were held to just one hit and three walks in the first six innings of the
Alfonzo’s Two Hits Lead Curve to Sixth Straight Win
CURVE, Pa. – The Curve picked up another close win, their sixth in a row, on Friday night at FNB Field in Harrisburg. Altoona defeated Harrisburg 5-1 and improved to 9-1 to begin the second half. Altoona earned their 1,800th regular season win in franchise history thanks to a pair
Cimillo Hits Walk-off Bomb in Front of 9,165 at PNG Field
CURVE, Pa. – Playing in front of the 3rd-largest crowd in franchise history, 9,165 fans, Nick Cimillo hit a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the 11th to send the Curve to a 4-2 win over the Harrisburg Senators on Thursday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Altoona’s bullpen
Pichardo Drives in Three in 8-5 Win
CURVE, Pa. – The Curve picked up their seventh win in eight games to start the second half of the season, earning an 8-5 win over the Harrisburg Senators on Wednesday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Mitch Jebb, Kervin Pichardo and Esmerlyn Valdez each recorded multi-hit games to lead
Curve Walk Through Senate, Earn 6-5 Win
CURVE, Pa. – Altoona used eight walks and six hits to secure a 6-5 win over the Harrisburg Senators in front of 5,022 fans on Tuesday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Trailing 1-0 in the third, Altoona used two hit batsmen, an RBI double from Termarr Johnson, a sacrifice
Curve Bullpen Shuts out Baysox for Fifth Win of the Week
BOWIE, Md. – Mike Jarvis knocked two doubles and brought home three RBI on Sunday afternoon as the Curve defeated the Chesapeake Baysox, 6-4, for their fifth win of the week at Prince George’s Stadium. With the Curve trailing 2-0, Trace Bright walked the bases loaded in the third inning
All-Around Effort Lifts Curve to Series-Clinching Victory
BOWIE, Md. – Termarr Johnson knocked his team-leading eighth home run of the season in a three-hit game as the Curve picked up their fourth win of the week over the Chesapeake Baysox, 4-2, on Saturday night at Prince George’s Stadium. It was the second three-hit game of the season
Curve Tremble at Trimble Extra-Inning Walk-Off
BOWIE, Md. – With Altoona trailing 3-2 in the ninth inning, Nick Cimillo knocked a game-tying home run for the Curve before the Chesapeake Baysox walked it off in the 10th inning, 4-3, on Friday night at Prince George’s Stadium. Cimillo led off the ninth inning with his fifth home
Jarvis Throws Out Tying Run at Home to Secure 3-2 Win
BOWIE, Md. – With the bases loaded and one out in the ninth inning, Altoona’s right fielder Mike Jarvis threw out the potential game-tying run at the plate for a game-ending double play to take a 3-2 win for the Curve on Thursday night at Prince George’s Stadium. Altoona has
Cimillo’s Clutch Knock Leads Late Win
BOWIE, Md. – With the game tied at two in the eighth inning, Nick Cimillo doubled home two, and Altoona’s bullpen carried all nine innings of a 4-2 win over the Chesapeake Baysox on Wednesday night at Prince George’s Stadium. After two quick outs to start the eighth inning by
Bullpen, Bowen Carry Series Opening Win, 6-3, Over Chesapeake
BOWIE, Md. – Trailing 3-2 after six innings, the Curve rallied for a 6-3 win over the Chesapeake Baysox on Tuesday night to open the second half of the season at Prince George’s Stadium. Mitch Jebb singled home the game-tying run in the seventh inning off Nate Webb and Termarr
Flying Squirrels Take Series with Sunday Win Over Curve
CURVE, Pa. – Nick Cimillo knocked his 11th double of the season in the ninth inning on Sunday to score Altoona’s only run in a 2-1 loss to the Richmond Flying Squirrels at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Opening a bullpen day, Emmanuel Chapman tossed three innings to begin the game.
Bullpen Spins Nine Scoreless Frames Saturday Night
CURVE, Pa. – Four Altoona arms combined on a 1-0 shutout over the Richmond Flying Squirrels in front of 6,054 fans on Saturday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Opening a bullpen day, lefty Blake Townsend tossed three hitless innings to begin the game. Townsend holds a 1.13 ERA in
Curve Drop Two With Richmond Friday
CURVE, Pa. – Altoona dropped both ends of their Friday night matchup with the Richmond Flying Squirrels at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Wrapping up a suspended game Richmond earned a 2-1 win in the opener and took the finale 7-4 on a night in which the Curve welcomed 4,570 fans
Rain Suspends Squirrels and Curve on Thursday Night
CURVE, Pa. – Altoona and Richmond were suspended after two innings in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader on Thursday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The game will resume tomorrow evening at 5:00 p.m. with a seven-inning game to follow. Game two of tonight’s doubleheader, the scheduled make-up
Dotel K’s 8 in Series Opening Win
CURVE, Pa. – Altoona scored a pair of early runs and used excellent pitching to secure a 2-1 win over the Richmond Flying Squirrels on Wednesday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Altoona built an early 2-0 lead, using four first inning hits to score the first two runs of
Curve and Flying Squirrels Postponed Tuesday
CURVE, Pa. – Altoona and Richmond’s series opener at Peoples Natural Gas Field was postponed due to inclement weather on Tuesday night. The game will be made up with a doubleheader on Thursday with a pair of 7-inning games beginning at 5:00 p.m. Fans holding tickets to Tuesday’s game can
Bullpen Twirls a Gem in 7-1 Win
CURVE, Pa. – Altoona’s bullpen covered all nine innings in their 7-1 win over the Erie SeaWolves on Sunday night in front of 5,372 fans at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Making his second start of the week, lefty Blake Townsend tossed four scoreless innings in the start. He allowed just
Pichardo Stays Hot in 7-2 Loss
CURVE, Pa. – Kervin Pichardo homered and tripled in a run, but Altoona dropped a 7-2 decision to the Erie SeaWolves on Saturday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field in front of 4,536 patrons. Following an hour and 57 minute rain delay to begin the game, Erie plated two runs