Manhattan University Athletics

Sean Brennan (The Riverdale Press)

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Joe Jacques didn't know what to expect as he prepared for his first professional spring training last February. What he got was his most fervent wish — and more.

Jacques — a former Manhattan College pitcher who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2018 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft — spent the 2018 season splitting time between the Pirates' minor league affiliates in Bristol, Virginia, of the Rookie League, and West Virginia of the New York-Penn League.

So when spring training came around again, Jacques tried to keep his hopes at realistic levels. A promotion to Class A Greensboro in the South Atlantic League, provided he turned in a solid spring training, was what he hoped for. And when he opened eyes and turned heads in spring training, he received that golden ticket to North Carolina.

"Even before I got to spring training I was hoping for Greensboro, and then when I got to spring training, I pretty much dominated," said Jacques, a lefty pitcher.

At Greensboro, Jacques dominated once again. He posted an 0-1 record, but boosted that with a sterling 2.96 ERA while striking out 20 batters in 24.1 innings of work. He also held opposing batters to an anemic .176 average.

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