TOP OF THE SYSTEM
A look at how the current top 10 prospects did today. Note that this list doesn’t include players currently in the majors. Rankings from the 2012 Prospect Guide.
1. Gerrit Cole, RHP (No Stats) – DNP
2. Jameson Taillon, RHP (No Stats) – DNP
3. Starling Marte, CF (.250) – 1-for-4, 3B, RBI
4. Josh Bell, RF (.300) – 2-for-5, RBI, 3 K
5. Luis Heredia, RHP (No Stats) – Extended Spring Training
6. Robbie Grossman, CF (.300) – 1-for-5, 2 K
7. Tony Sanchez, C (.429) – 2-for-4, 2B, RBI
8. Stetson Allie, RHP (0-0, 54.00) – 0.1 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
9. Kyle McPherson, RHP (No Stats) – AAA DL
10. Nick Kingham, RHP (0-0, 27.00) – DNP
DAILY SUMMARY
Top Hitter: Jarek Cunningham, 2B (.444) – 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI
Home Runs: None
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Result: Toledo 5, Indianapolis 1
Starting Pitcher: Justin Wilson, LHP (0-1, 5.40) – 5.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 6 BB, 6 K, 1 HR
Top Hitter: Starling Marte, CF (.250) – 1-for-4, 3B, RBI
Other Notable Performers
Bryan Morris, RHP (0.00) – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K – 2 wild pitches
Jordy Mercer, 2B (.250) – 1-for-4, 2B
Eric Fryer, C (.333) – 1-for-3, 2B
Game Notes: Nancy Zinni’s game story.
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Result: Altoona 4, Erie 2
Starting Pitcher: Nathan Baker, LHP (1-0, 1.80) – 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Jarek Cunningham, 2B (.444) – 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI
Other Notable Performers
Brock Holt, SS (.571) – 2-for-4
Tony Sanchez, C (.429) – 2-for-4, 2B, RBI
Tim Alderson, RHP (0.00) – 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Game Notes: Kristy Robinson’s live game recap.
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Result: St. Lucie 5, Bradenton 1
Starting Pitcher: A.J. Burnett, RHP (0-1, 1.93) – 4.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Gift Ngoepe, SS (.444) – 1-for-4, 3B
Other Notable Performers
Evan Chambers, CF (.167) – 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
Carlos Paulino, C (.333) – 1-for-3, 2B, BB
Tyler Waldron, RHP (10.13) – 2.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 0 HR
Game Notes: My game recap, including a story on Burnett, here.
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: West Virginia 5, Hagerstown 3
Starting Pitcher: Stetson Allie, RHP (54.00) – 0.1 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Alen Hanson, SS (.556) – 2-for-5, 2B, RBI
Other Notable Performers
Dan Gamache, DH (.400) – 1-for-2, 2B, RBI, 2 BB
Josh Bell, RF (.300) – 2-for-5, RBI, 3 K
Mike Jefferson, LHP (1-0, 1.93) – 4.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Emmanuel DeLeon, RHP (0.00) – 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Game Notes: Wilbur Miller’s live game recap.
ORGANIZATIONAL RECORDS
AAA: Indianapolis Indians – 0-1
AA: Altoona Curve – 2-0
A+: Bradenton Marauders – 1-1
A: West Virginia Power – 1-1
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
The best part to me is Grossman. The hamate injury usually saps a player’s power. It’s nice to see that Grossman is hitting at AA but has also hit a homer.
If the Pirates believe they are deep with outfielders, they should probably start looking at Grossman at first base. Presley and Tabata at the majors with McCutchen are the OF of the present. Marte and Bell are the heir apparent in the minors. Gorkys is most likely 4th or 5th OFer depth. Grossman will need a position if he keeps demonstrating offensive production. His athleticism should make him a pretty good first baseman.
I watched parts of that Indy game. Two impressions: Not sure if Wilson is ever gonna control his wildness problems and Bryan Morris had one nasty slider last night. Four K’s in one inn!!
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thats why Wilson should remain a reliever
why? if he stays that wild, he’ll be useless as a reliever, too. He could throw 100 mph, but if he can’t throw strikes, what good is he?
look what he did in spring training as a reliever….i think he could have had a legitamate shot at making the big club as a reliever if they kept him that way, but they decided to go the starter route. it really looks as if Wilson, Morris, Alderson, Victor Black are the future young relievers for the system even though Huntington always does a good job at making solid bullpens it seems
Ross…if memory serves me correctly, he had two wild outings as a reliever. That will get old for a manager (AND us fans). I don’t doubt his stuff or the fact he could be a ‘lights out’ reliever. I doubt his command and control.
Until he harnesses that he’ll be useless to us. Nobody wants a reliever who’ll have two or three dominant outings and then his next appearance walk 3 straight batters.
He’s pitching as a starter, imho, to get more innings so that hopefully he can become more consistent. Hopefully….
It’s only a nano-scale sample size, but Alen Hanson and Gift Ngeope are both giving it a run for the vaunted “Shortstop of the Future” title.