The SeaWolves return to UPMC Park looking to get back on track this season.
It was a tough road trip to Bowie as Erie dropped five of the six games. The ‘Wolves are set to host Harrisburg for six games starting April 14. The two teams play four straight 6:05 p.m. games before back-to-back 1:35 p.m. games over the weekend.
Advertisement
Erie is off to a 2-7 start after winning one game over opening weekend and one game in Bowie. The ‘Wolves are fifth place in the division and sit six games back of first-place Richmond. Harrisburg is 7-2 this season and is in second place behind the Flying Squirrels (8-1).
Pitching woes
The SeaWolves have the ability to score runs in bunches, but it has been a struggle to pull out wins with the pitching staff allowing runs. In Erie’s two wins this season, the pitchers allowed 14 runs (7-6 and 13-8 wins). The pitching staff has allowed four runs or more in every game except for a 2-1 loss to Chesapeake on April 9.
Erie has a staff ERA of 5.87 which is second to last in the Eastern League ahead of Portland (7.10). The ‘Wolves have not announced a pitching rotation for this series as several pitchers have rotated to Toledo and West Michigan.
Advertisement
At the plate
The SeaWolves sit sixth in the Eastern League with a .240 batting average. The biggest bright spot on the team is the aggressive baserunning. Erie is tied with Hartford for first in the Eastern League with 21 stolen bases.
Brett Callahan and Seth Stephenson each have seven stolen bases for the ‘Wolves and seven of the 12 hitters on the roster have at least one. Peyton Graham has played in just five games for Erie but is hitting .333, while Callahan is at .323 and catcher Joe Campagna is hitting .316.
Prospects to watch
Harrisburg, which is the affiliate of the Washington Nationals, brings in several top prospects to keep an eye on. Unfortunately for baseball fans, two of their top pitchers are hurt. No. 2 prospect Travis Sykora and flame-throwing Jarlin Susana (No. 4) are both on the 60-day injured list.
Advertisement
Harrisburg’s top prospect is infielder Seaver King, who is listed as the No. 7 prospect on MiLB.com. King was the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft by the Nationals out of Wake Forest. He was a Division II star at Wingate before a big summer in the Cape Cod League and performance with the U.S. collegiate national team vaulted him to Wake Forest.
The SeaWolves should also see No. 11 prospect Alex Clemmey, a left-handed pitcher. He was taken in the second round of the 2023 draft by Cleveland. Clemmey and two other prospects went to the Nationals in a 2024 trade for Lane Thomas.
Contact Tom Reisenweber at treisenweber@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNreisenweber.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: SeaWolves return to UPMC Park after 2-7 start to the season