Pittsburg, PA
MLB Names Pirates Hitting Prospect of the Year
It didn’t take long for Jhonny Severino to make a strong impression on the Pittsburgh Pirates and talent evaluators.
Severino, a third baseman/shortstop and the No. 19 overall prospect for Pittsburgh by MLB Pipeline was named the franchise’s hitting prospect of the year for his performance in 2024. Severino was acquired in the Pirates’ trade with the Milwaukee Brewers for Carlos Santana at the 2023 trade deadline and played his first full season in Pittsburgh’s minor league system in 2024.
“Acquired by the Pirates from the Brewers in the 2023 Carlos Santana trade, Severino made it out of the complex league and to full-season ball for the first time, finishing with a .528 SLG and .869 OPS, 16 homers and 16 steals. He had a .257 ISO and 131 wRC+,” MLB.com wrote.
Across his season in the Florida Complex League and Single-A Bradenton, Severino hit 16 home runs, had 58 RBIs and slashed .271/.341/.528 in 84 games. The No. 19 prospect in the Pirates system also flashed impressive speed, stealing 16 bases.
In the FCL, Severino, 19, played in 56 games, hit 10 home runs, drove in 41 runs and slashed .291/.373/.545. Upon being called up to Bradenton, he hit six home runs, had 17 RBIs and slashed .237/285/.500. He also struck out 37 times, which surpassed his 35 strikeouts in the FCL despite playing half of the games in Single-A.
Severino was a part of the Brewers’ 2022 international signing class and signed for $1.23 million out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Pirates prospect entered the pro ranks primarily as a shortstop but has seen much more time at third base. Given his play, MLB Pipeline believes he’s more than capable of sticking at the hot corner.
“Even when he signed, there were questions about whether Severino could stay at shortstop, and he had played only third base with the Brewers in the ACL before he got hurt,” MLB Pipeline writes. “He’s gotten more physical and slowed down, so the time for him to play up the middle could be at an end. The good news is, he has the arm and the offensive upside to profile at the hot corner.”
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Pittsburgh Regional Transit has started to install its ReadyFare vending machines as the agency prepares to roll out its new fare payment system.
PRT said it’s working to roll out its new ReadyFare system and has started to install the new machine at some of its light-rail stations.
The new machines recently were installed at PRT’s Gateway station in Downtown Pittsburgh.
PRT said that as it prepares to roll out the new system, current ConnectCard holders will receive a card in the mail with instructions on how to request a ReadyFare card.
The new ReadyFare cards will be able to be purchased at the new machines for $1.
PRT said that riders will be able to transfer any balances they have on a ConnectCard to the new ReadyFare cards using an online balance transfer form.
Pittsburg, PA
About 5 pounds of bees removed from Acrisure Stadium scaffolding ahead of Morgan Wallen concerts
Acrisure Stadium is buzzing with excitement ahead of the back-to-back Morgan Wallen concerts. Except it’s not the fans generating all the excitement — it’s about 5 pounds of honeybees.
The Fine Family Apiary in Monongahela said it was contacted on Wednesday about a swarm of bees clustered on the stage scaffolding. The apiary put the swarm in a “nuc box” and took them home before moving the bees into full-size equipment.
Owner Al Fine estimates the swarm weighed about 4 to 5 pounds and consisted of 12,000 to 15,000 bees. All said, it took less than two hours to get the job done.
Why do bees swarm?
Swarming is how honeybees propagate, Fine explained. According to Penn State Extension, during swarming, the queen and about half the workers leave their home to establish a new nest. The bees will form a temporary cluster, hanging out while scouts search the surrounding area for a more permanent home in hollow spaces like tree cavities or, occasionally, the walls of a home.
Swarms can stick around for several hours or days until they’re ready to move, Penn State Extension says. Meanwhile, the colony left behind is temporarily without a leader until a new queen is established.
With the swarm at Acrisure Stadium removed, Morgan Wallen’s show is ready to go on. The country music megastar will bring his I’m The Problem Tour to Pittsburgh on June 5 and June 6, along with multiple acts like Brooks & Dunn and Ella Langley.
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