Braxton Ashcraft #67

Braxton Blake Ashcraft... Was a standout high school football player and had multiple offers to play collegiately... Grew up a fan of the Texas Rangers, but cites his favorite player as being Stephen Strasburg... His hobbies include fishing, hunting and golfing...Was ranked as the 58th-best prospect in the draft by Baseball America when the Pirates selected him out of Robinson (Texas) High School…Went 11-1 with 103 strikeouts in 70.1 innings as a senior while also hitting .391 with three home runs and 26 RBI…Had 34 touchdown catches as a sophomore in high school and 37 touchdown receptions with 104 catches and 2090 yards as a junior…Pitched on the Under Armour All-American team in the summer of 2017, where he tossed a perfect inning, which included two strikeouts, in a game at Wrigley Field.

2023

Went a combined 0-3 with a 2.39 ERA (52.2ip/14er), 63 strikeouts, 11 walks, .231 batting average against and 1.08 WHIP in 19 starts between Bradenton, Greensboro, and Altoona…Finished with the 14th-best strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.73) in all of Minor League Baseball out of the 1362 pitchers who threw at least 50.0 innings… Began a rehab assignment with Bradenton on 4/9…Struck out five batters in 3.0 scoreless innings in his season debut on 4/9 vs. Clearwater…Struck out six batters in 3.1 scoreless innings in his final rehab start with Bradenton on 4/15 at Lakeland…Was activated from the seven-day injured list to Greensboro’s roster on 4/21…Struck out six batters in 4.0 scoreless innings in his season debut with Greensboro on 4/21…Spent one week on the development list from 5/9- 16 to manage innings…Was transferred to Altoona’s roster on 6/20…Allowed one unearned run in 3.0 innings in his Double-A debut on 6/21 against Bowie…Tossed 3.0 scoreless innings in his last outing on 8/10 before being placed on the development list for the remainder of the season on 8/11… Was rated as Pittsburgh’s No. 10 prospect according to Baseball America (No. 12 by MLB Pipeline) at the time he was added to the 40-man roster in November.

2022

Missed the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

2021

Spent the entire season with Greensboro…Recorded a 1.65 ERA (16.1ip/3er) in his four starts during May, allowing all three runs on solo homers…Was placed on the 60-day injured list on 7/27 before undergoing Tommy John surgery while missing the remainder of the season.