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11 February 2025 By Eric Balnar

By Eric Balnar

- ABL 24/25 - ABL Abroad

Giants pitcher and Team Australia lefty Blake Townsend signs with Pittsburgh Pirates

Team Australia and Adelaide Giants left-handed pitcher Blake Townsend has re-signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The relief pitcher, from Traralgon in Victoria, is coming off a strong ABL season where he posted a 0.60 ERA in 15.0 innings. He struck out 19 batters in that time.

BLAKE TOWNSEND FORCES THE NOBLETIGER TO KEEP THE GIANTS IN THE GAME!!!! 🔥🔥🔥

📺: https://t.co/uPNxsHOKh5 pic.twitter.com/gplwh6IjAJ

— Australian Baseball League (@ABL) January 25, 2025

“I think playing in the ABL helped me get some more exposure,” said Townsend on his ABL season. “Being able to show teams that I’m still ready to go and get outs can only be beneficial. I think being in Adelaide with the staff helped me grow as a pitcher.”

Previously, Townsend spent parts of five seasons with the Seattle Mariners. He was released in July, 2024 but quickly signed with the Pirates. He pitched in the Pirates’ minor leagues for the remainder of August.

“I’m excited to get back to the people in the Pirates organisation. They really welcomed me last year,” he said. “It was hard having limited time in the system so it will be nice having some more time to pick the brains of new people!”

In five minor league seasons, Townsend has a 3.56 ERA across 136.1 innings with a 10.7 strikeout per nine inning ratio.

He allowed two earned runs in nine innings with the Altoona Curve, Pittsburgh’s Double-A affiliate, in the back-half of the 2024 minor league season.

“My goal is to get back and start in Double-A. I got to spend a bit of time there at the end of 2024 and I’m hoping I can prove in Spring Training I deserve to be back there,” he says.

Townsend joins numerous other Australians in the Pirates organisation. Brandan Bidois (Queensland), Solomon Maguire (New South Wales), Robinson Smith (Victoria), Jayden Kim (Victoria), Rubens Romero (Queensland) & Jackson Grounds (Queensland) all have minor league contracts with Pittsburgh.

That makes seven Australians in one organisation – the most of any MLB affiliate.

“It’s a nice change being in and organisation that has so many Australians,” says Townsend.  “It can be daunting going to these new teams/places but having familiar faces of mate around is such an awesome privilege.”

Townsend has pitched for Australia at the Under 23 World Cup, Premier12 and World Baseball Classic.

He will pitch for Australia in the upcoming three-game series vs Hanwha Eagles in Melbourne then head over for Spring Training.

 

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