Episode 299 of Bucco Bantr is here from Pirates Spring Training in Bradenton, Florida. We start the day at Pirate City where Jared Jones threw a live batting practice session as he continues to ramp back up after missing the 2025 season. Jones looked sharp and the velocity and command are starting to come back as he prepares for the year ahead.
The star of the day though was Seth Hernandez. Scott and Adam break down why the Pirates’ first round pick might already be one of the most impressive arms they’ve ever seen at the complex. The stuff, the presence, and the potential are all there — and it’s easy to see why the Pirates are so excited about the young right-hander.
After Pirate City, we head over to LECOM Park to watch Braxton Ashcraft take the mound against the Philadelphia Phillies in spring training action. We recap Ashcraft’s outing and discuss what we saw from the Pirates arms and lineup.
The Pirates ultimately dropped their matchup with the Phillies and also fell to the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin, but there were still plenty of takeaways from another full day covering the Bucs in camp.
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