Pittsburgh Pirates Cut Top Pick Gerrit Cole From Camp

Published: 8^th Mar 12 12:02 pm

Troy Pfaff
Troy Pfaff

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Brad Barr-US PRESSWIRE

Pirates Prospects reports the Pittsburgh Pirates have cut right-handed pitcher Gerrit Cole from their big league camp and reassigned him to the team’s minor league camp.

The first overall pick in the 2011 draft was a non-roster invitee to the team’s camp, but general manager Neal Huntington says the team doesn’t have enough innings to spread around to make Cole’s time worthwhile.

Huntington from the Pirates Prospects article:

“We’re just out of innings for him. We’ve got these other guys who are in a legitimate competition to make the club we’re trying to weed through. Even those decisions are going to be difficult. You get nine innings a day and we want to make sure we’re keeping Gerrit on track, get him stretched out, get him down with his pitching coach, and get him in a position to have a great season.”

While Cole didn’t see any Grapefruit League action, he pitched an inning of relief in the team’s intrasquad game on Friday. Cole allowed a hit and two walks in his inning.

Widely considered the team’s top prospect, the 21-year-old will now workout in the team’s minor league camp and prepare for an assignment to high-A Bradenton or AA Altoona to begin the 2012 season.

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