Pirates Put Top Prospect On Injured List
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates recently saw one of their top prospects suffer a setback.
Second baseman Nick Yorke, who is currently with the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, is on the seven-day Injured List back on April 4, according to the transactions page.
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington spoke to the media and said that Yorke still has soreness in his right shoulder, a problem he's had since the end of Spring Training. Cherington also expects this as a short stint for Yorke and that he'll be back soon.
The Pirates landed Yorke in a trade with the Boston Red Sox on July 29, as they sent 2020 First Round Draft Pick in right-handed pitcher Quinn Priester in exchange.
He spent most of 2024 in the minor leagues, slashing .251/.325/.366 in 45 games with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. He had 44 hits, eight doubles, four home runs, 27 RBIs, 18 walks and eight stolen bases.
The Red Sox then brought him up to Triple-A, where he hit .310 with 45 hits in 145 at-bats, eight doubles, six home runs and 19 RBI and 24 walks to 36 strikeouts in 38 games for the Worcester Woo Dogs before the trade.
Yorke played in 40 games for the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians after the trade and played even better. He slashed .355/.431/.507, finished with an OPS of .938 and had 54 hits, 17 doubles, two home runs, 26 RBIs, 18 walks and seven stolen bases.
The Pirates selected Yorke's contract on Sept. 16, and he would play in 11 games. He had eight hits in 37 at-bats, batting .216, added four walks for a .286 on-base percentage, slugged .378 and hit two home runs and two RBIs.
Yorke had five hits in 15-at bats in four games for Indianapolis, along with three doubles, one RBI and two walks. He also had a .412 on-base percentage and a .533 slugging percentage for an OPS of .945.
MLB Pipeline ranks Yorke as the fifth best prospect in the Pirates system. He is also the second best second baseman, behind 2022 First Round Pick Termarr Johnson, and the third best infielder, behind 2024 First Round Pick Konnor Griffin.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.