Pittsburgh Pirates fans waiting for a shot in the arm from the minor leagues might get it Tuesday night.

Former No. 1 pick Gerrit Cole very likely will make his debut.

The Pirates will host the San Francisco Giants at 7:05 p.m.

Cole is 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 12 starts for the Indianapolis Indians. He has 47 strikeouts in 68 innings pitched. He has given up four home runs and 44 hits, while walking 28.

Cole is ranked as a Top 10 prospect in all of the minor leagues by Baseball America entering the season.

I’d like to see a little more dominance at Class AAA, but maybe Cole, 22, is ready.

Back in March, Cole was upset when he didn’t make the major league roster.

It looks like he’ll have a shot to prove it Tuesday.

Here’s coverage from the Post-Gazette and Hardball Talk on NBCSports.

– Rick Green

Check back throughout the night as information and stats will be posted about the draft picks by the Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians. Cleveland will pick at No. 5, Pittsburgh at No. 9 and No. 14 and Detroit at No. 20 and No. 39. The entire first round will also be posted as a list. The draft will begin at 7 p.m.

At No. 58, the Detroit Tigers take pitcher Kevin Ziomek, a 6-3, 200-pound left-handed starting pitcher out of Vanderbilt. He isn’t an overpowering pitcher but mixes his pitches well. He was drafted by Arizona in 2010 but elected to go to college instead. He performed well in the Cape Cod League after a tough sophomore season to see his draft stock rise.

At No. 51, the Pittsburgh Pirates take high school pitcher Blake Taylor, 6-3, 220-pound lefty from Dana Hills High School in California. He created plenty of buzz around the draft as a tall lefty that can touch the mid-90s with his fastball. Scouts say that his curveball is above average and he has the chance to develop a third pitch with a change-up.

At No. 39, the Detroit Tigers take closer Cory Knebel, a 6-3, 210-pound right-handed pitcher from Texas. He could rise through the system quickly with his power arm that can hit 98 mph. There are some off the field issues with Knebel as he was suspended twice with the Longhorns but there is plenty of upside as well.

At No. 20, the Detroit Tigers take Johnathon Crawford, a 6-2, 205-pound right-handed starting pitcher from Florida. Crawford can hit up to 96 mph late into games but needs to develop his offspeed pitches according to scouts. His changeup is solid and Crawford could develop into at least a No. 2 starter down the line.

At No. 14, the Pittsburgh Pirates take Reese McGuire, a 6-1, 190-pound catcher from Kentwood High School in California. McGuire is considered the best catcher on the board because of his defense. He has outstanding arm strength according to scouts with a “smooth, left-handed stroke despite being a righty behind the plate.” He is the highest-drafted catcher since 2008.

At No. 9, the Pittsburgh Pirates take Austin Meadows, a 6-3, 210-pound outfielder from Grayson High School in Georgia. Ironically, he played travel ball with Clint Frazier, the Indians’ pick. He is a left-handed hitter that has a “smooth swing and good power” according to scouts. He hit .535 as a senior and could stay in centerfield or move to a corner outfield position.

At No. 5, the Cleveland Indians take Clint Frazier, a 6-1, 180-pound outfielder from Loganville High School in Georgia. He has been referred to as a smaller Mike Trout by scouts. Frazier is the Gatorade National Player of the Year and is a power hitter. He hit .485 with 17 home runs, 56 runs scored and 45 RBIs as a centerfielder with good speed. He has signed a letter of intent to play at Georgia but is expected to sign with the Indians.

Round 1
1. Houston Astros – RHP Mark Appel, Stanford
2. Chicago Cubs – 3B/OF Kris Bryant, San Diego
3. Colorado Rockies – RHP Jonathan Gray, Oklahoma
4. Minnesota Twins – RHP Kohl Stewart, St. Pius X High School (Texas)
5. Cleveland Indians – OF Clint Frazier, Loganville High School (Georgia)
6. Miami Marlins – 3B Colin Moran, North Carolina
7. Boston Red Sox – LHP Trey Ball, New Castle High School (Indiana)
8. Kansas City Royals – SS Hunter Dozier, Stephen F. Austin
9. Pittsburgh Pirates – OF Austin Meadows, Grayson High School (Georgia)
10. Toronto Blue Jays – RHP Phillip Bickford, Oaks Christian High School (California)
11. New York Mets – 1B/OF Dominic Smith, Serra High School (California)
12. Seattle – 3B D.J. Peterson, New Mexico
13. San Diego – OF Hunter Renfroe, Mississippi State
14. Pittsburgh – C Reese McGuire, Kentwood High School (California)
15. Arizona – RHP Braden Shipley, Nevada
16. Philadelphia – SS J.P. Crawford, Lakewood High School (California)
17. Chicago White Sox – SS Tim Anderson, East Central C.C.
18. Los Angeles Dodgers – RHP Chris Anderson, Jacksonville
19. St. Louis – LHP Marco Gonzales, Gonzaga
20. Detroit – RHP Johnathon Crawford, Florida
21. Tampa Bay – C Nick Ciuffo, Lexington High School (South Carolina)
22. Baltimore – RHP Hunter Harvey, Bandys High School (North Carolina)
23. Texas – RHP Alex Gonzalez, Oral Roberts
24. Oakland – OF Billy McKinney, Plano West High School (Texas)
25. San Francisco – SS Christian Arroyo, Hernando High School (Florida)
26. New York Yankees – 3B Eric Jagielo, Notre Dame
27. Cincinnati – OF Phillip Ervin, Samford
28. St. Louis – LHP Rob Kaminsky, St. Joseph Regional (New Jersey)
29. Tampa Bay – RHP Ryne Stanek, Arkansas
30. Texas – SS Travis Demeritte, Winder Barrow High School (Georgia)
31. Atlanta – RHP Jason Hursh, Oklahoma State
32. New York Yankees – OF Aaron Judge, Fresno State
33. New York Yankees – LHP Ian Clarkin, James Madison High School (Florida)
Competitive Balance Round A
34. Kansas City – LHP Sean Manaea, Indiana State
35. Miami – LHP Matt Krook, St. Ignatius College Prep (California)
36. Arizona – RHP Aaron Blair, Marshall
37. Baltimore – OF Josh Hart, Parkview High School (Georgia)
38. Cincinnati – RHP Michael Lorenzen, Cal State-Fullerton
39. Detroit – RHP Corey Knebel, Texas
Round 2
40. Houston – RHP Andrew Thurman, California-Irvine
41. Chicago Cubs – LHP Rob Zastryzny, Missouri
42. Colorado – 3B Ryan McMahon, Mater Dei High School (California)
43. Minnesota – RHP Ryan Eades, LSU
44. Miami – RHP Trevor Williams, Arizona State
45. Boston – RHP Teddy Stankiewicz, Seminole State
46. Kansas City – LHP Cody Reed, Northwester Mississippi C.C.
47. Toronto – RHP Clinton Hollon, Woodford County High School (Kentucky)
48. New York Mets – RHP Andrew Church, Basic High School (Nevada)
49. Seattle – OF Austin Wilson, Stanford
50. San Diego – SS Dustin Peterson, Gilbert High School (Arizona)
51. Pittsburgh – LHP Blake Taylor, Dana Hills High School (California)
52. Arizona – SS Justin Williams, Terrebonne High School (Arizona)
53. Philadelphia – C Andrew Knapp, California
54. Milwaukee – RHP Devin Williams, Hazelwood West High School (Missouri)
55. Chicago White Sox – RHP Tyler Danish, Durant High School (Florida)
56. Los Angeles Dodgers – LHP Tom Windle, Minnesota
57. St. Louis – SS Oscar Mercado, Vivian Gaither High School (Florida)
58. Detroit – LHP Kevin Ziomek, Vanderbilt
59. Los Angeles Angels – LHP Hunter Green, Warren East High School (Kentucky)
60. Tampa Bay – SS Riley Unroe, Desert Ridge High School (Arizona)
61. Baltimore – C Chance Sisco, Santiago High School (California)
62. Texas – RHP Akeem Bostwick, West Florence High School (South Carolina)
63. Oakland – LHP Dillon Overton, Oklahoma
64. San Francisco – 3B Ryder Jones, Watauga High School (North Carolina)
65. Atlanta – C Victor Caratini, Miami Dade C.C. South
66. New York Yankees – 2B Gosuke Katoh, Rancho Bernardo High School (California)
67. Cincinnati – 3B Kevin Franklin, Gahr High School (California)
68. Washington – RHP Jake Johansen, Dallas Baptist
Competitive Balance Round B
69. San Diego – OF Jordan Paroubeck, Serra High School (California)
70. Colorado – RHP Alex Balog, San Francisco
71. Oakland – SS Chad Pinder, Virginia Tech
72. Milwaukee – SS Tucker Neuhaus, Wharton High School (Florida)
73. Miami – RHP Colby Suggs, Arkansas

–Tom Reisenweber

The Pirates’ Garrett Jones hit a monster home run Sunday afternoon estimated at 463 feet.

It wasn’t the longest in the majors this season.

Actually, it doesn’t make the top 10.

Check out the home run tracker for the best blasts.

The Angels’ Mark Trumbo and the Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo have the longest homers this season. Rizzo and Trumbo each have hit one 475 feet.

– Rick Green

Want to see a clutch hit?

Here’s Garrett Jones’ two-run shot in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie Sunday’s game against the Reds at 4.

The homer landed in the Allegheny River on the fly. It’s the first one from a Pirates player to do so and just the second ever. Jones’ homer was estimated at 463 feet. The Astros’ Daryle Ward hit a homer into the river in July 2002.

The Pirates won the game 5-4 in the 11th.

– Rick Green

It’s the end of May, and the Pittsburgh Pirates have nine shutouts already.

They had 10 all of last season.

They’ve been really hot of late — at least on the mound — winning four 1-0 games in the past two weeks:

• May 19 against the Astros.
• May 22 against the Cubs.
• Tuesday against the Tigers in 11.
• Again Thursday against the Tigers in 11.

What’s been surprising is all four have been combined shutouts. The Pirates used three pitchers against the Cubs and Astros, four in Tuesday’s blanking of the Tigers and six in Thursday’s victory.

On final note, Jeff Locke was the winning pitching pitcher against the Astros and got a no-decision against the Tigers Thursday. Locke has a shutout streak of 18.1 innings.

– Rick Green

The Pittsburgh Pirates are supposed to beat the lowly Houston Astros.

For a while, it didn’t look like it would happen.

Then, Pedro Alvarez stepped to the plate with one on in the bottom of the eighth inning. To tie it at 4.

The Bucs won it in the ninth.

Here’s his blast (estimated at 462 feet):

– Rick Green

The Pittsburgh Pirates got a big boost from Travis Snider against the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday night.

Here’s a clip of his big home run:

– Rick Green

Want to know how much money a team is paying players on the disabled list?

The New York Times has an online graphic that can tell you.

Check it out at http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/05/13/sports/baseball/money-on-the-bench.html?ref=sports&_r=3&

It’s a pretty slick running calculation.

For example, the Yankees have, as of this posting, have paid $399,454 to players on the disabled list on Thursday alone. The Pirates, by comparison, paid $44,400 and the Indians paid $46, 930.

– Rick Green

Andrew McCutchen was Mr. Clutch for the Pirates late Tuesday night.

McCutchen hit a solo homer in the bottom of the 12th to give the Pirates a much-needed win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Here’s the blast:

– Rick Green

The Pirates got the bounce — and break — they needed to beat the Mets Sunday night.

Here’s a clip of the play made by second baseman Brandon Inge after Lucas Duda hit a hard grounder down the first-base line. The ball hit the bag at first and caromed into the air. Inge fielded it and fired to first to retire the Mets, who had runners on second and third.

If the Mets score two, the Pirates likely lose.

Like they say, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

– Rick Green