Here's the latest from the Arizona Fall League, the top offseason league for Major League Baseball prospects. The Mesa Solar Sox, which feature seven Pirates prospects, lost to Salt River 4-3 on Friday. Robbie Grossman went 1-for-4 with a stolen base, while infielder Jarek Cunningham (who had started the AFL season very slowly) went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer.
↵None of the Pirates' pitching prospects made an appearance, but Nate Baker will start for Mesa Saturday night. Baker, 23, pitched 148.1 innings for Class A+ Bradenton in 2011, striking out 105 batters and posting an ERA of 3.34.
↵There's still no mention of when Gerrit Cole will make his pro debut in the AFL, and that's what Pirates fans are really waiting for. Cole, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft, will be playing against very advanced competition, and it will be interesting to see how he fares.
↵For more on the Pirates, check out Bucs Dugout.
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