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, which can be purchased here.
1. Gerrit Cole, RHP (1-1, 3.52) – DNP
2. Jameson Taillon, RHP (1-2, 1.76) – 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
3. Starling Marte, CF (.262) – 0-for-5
4. Josh Bell, RF (.274) – Low-A DL
5. Luis Heredia, RHP (No Stats) – Extended Spring Training
6. Robbie Grossman, CF (.210) – 2-for-5
7. Tony Sanchez, C (.268) – 1-for-4
8. Stetson Allie, RHP (0-0, 54.00) – Extended Spring Training
9. Kyle McPherson, RHP (No Stats) – AAA DL
10. Nick Kingham, RHP (1-1, 8.24) – DNP
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DAILY SUMMARY
Top Hitter: Willy Garcia, LF (.240) – 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI
Home Runs: Willy Garcia (5), Carlos Mesa (3)
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Result: Norfolk 10, Indianapolis 5
Starting Pitcher: Justin Wilson, LHP (3.97) – 4.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Anderson Herandez, 2B (.196) – 2-for-4, 4 RBI
Other Notable Performers
Jeff Clement, DH (.310) – 2-for-3
Jordy Mercer, SS (.265) – 1-for-3, 2B
Daniel McCutchen, RHP (2-2, 2.61) – 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Game Notes: After pitching 7.1 innings in a no hitter his last time out, Justin Wilson ran in to trouble tonight. He was fine through two innings, with one hit allowed, no runs, no walks, and two strikeouts. All of his damage came in the next two innings. Last time he threw 107 pitches in 7.1 innings. This time he threw 95 in four innings. Jordy Mercer has a five game hitting streak, and is 11-for-35 (.314) in his last ten games.
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Result: Altoona 8, Richmond 7
Starting Pitcher: Mike Colla, RHP (4.99) – 6.0 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Matt Curry, 1B (.315) – 2-for-4, 2 RBI
Other Notable Performers
Tim Alderson, RHP (1-0, 0.00) – 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 0 HR
Victor Black, RHP (2.13) – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Robbie Grossman, CF (.210) – 2-for-5
Brock Holt, SS (.310) – 2-for-5
Game Notes: Tim Alderson now has 12 shutout innings in Altoona, with eight hits allowed, and a 12:3 K/BB ratio. Victor Black pitched for the first time on back to back nights. Five Altoona hitters had multiple hits. Altoona was dow 6-0 after three and a half innings, but came back thanks to a three run fourth and a four run seventh. Matt Curry had his third multi-hit game in his last six games, with at least one hit in all of those games.
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Result: Tampa 2, Bradenton 0
Starting Pitcher: Jameson Taillon, RHP (1-2, 1.76) – 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Andy Vasquez, 2B (.300) – 1-for-4
Other Notable Performers
Jeff Inman, RHP (0.00) – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 0 HR
Josh Poytress, LHP (0.00) – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 0 HR
Game Notes: Jameson Taillon pitched six innings for the second time in his career, and for his second straight start. He gave up most of his damage in the third, with two runs on a walk and three hits. He responded with just 13 pitches total in the fourth and fifth innings, and added 13 more in the sixth, putting him at 78 on the night. He has a 1.76 ERA on the year in 30.2 innings, with a 33:6 K/BB ratio. Jeff Inman made his season debut after starting the year on the DL. Inman sprained his ankle at the start of Spring Training. Bradenton’s offense only had three hits.
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: West Virginia 8, Asheville 5
Starting Pitcher: Matt Benedict, RHP (2-1, 1.97) – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Willy Garcia, LF (.240) – 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI
Other Notable Performers
Carlos Mesa, RF (.357) – 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI
Jose Osuna, 1B (.310) – 2-for-5, 2B, SB
Game Notes: Willy Garcia hit his fifth homer of the year, and his third in his last four games. Garcia is 13-for-38 (.342) in his last ten games. Carlos Mesa also homered, his third of the year in the eight games he has played for West Virginia. Alen Hanson went 0-for-5, which is just the second time in the last 24 games that he has gone hitless.
ORGANIZATIONAL RECORDS
AAA: Indianapolis Indians – 14-13
AA: Altoona Curve – 11-15
A+: Bradenton Marauders – 12-16
A: West Virginia Power – 11-17
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.
It’s at the point now with Taillon that when I looked at his line last night, I thought “Eh…pretty good” when in actuality that was a very, very good stat line. Taillon has set the bar so high in the early part of this season.
Agree….same thing with Cole. So far, it appears JT is out pitching Cole?
Keeping in mind that I think both are fantastic and on track to be 1-2 in the Pirates’ rotation for years…I still think Cole is pitching better so far. Sounds strange, with the numbers that Taillon is putting up.
I just think that Cole is more suited to AA success right now than Taillon would be. Cole’s FB is 98, Taillon 95 — both are fantastic with good movement, but Taillon’s command of it is not as strong.
Taillon’s CB will just embarass hitters in the A levels, but he may not be as dominating with it at AA. Cole’s CU is better than Taillon’s at this point.
Here’s hoping that Cole can come out and dominate again tonight.
“I just think that Cole is more suited to AA success right now than
Taillon would be. Cole’s FB is 98, Taillon 95 — both are fantastic
with good movement, but Taillon’s command of it is not as strong.”
Taillon’s BB/9 rate is 1.8. Cole’s is 2.7.
“Taillon’s CB will just embarass hitters in the A levels, but he may
not be as dominating with it at AA. Cole’s CU is better than Taillon’s
at this point.”
I recall reading a scout claiming that Taillon may have the best curveball in baseball. In other words, he may have the best curveball when compared to every professional pitcher. I doubt that AA hitters will pine for the day they can face Taillon.
Taillon does have a plus-plus curveball. I’m just saying that his success with it at AA will not be as pronounced as it is right now. There is a better class of hitters, in general, at AA.
As for the walk rates of Cole and Taillon, the numbers don’t always tell the whole story. Control is the raw number of BB/9 and being able to throw pitches for strikes. Command is being able to locate those pitches wherever you want them in the zone.
From watching them in ST, plus listening to the games, and reading the reports, Cole’s ‘command’ is better. His issue right now is overthrowing the ball and elevating it, but when he is right his location is better at the moment than Taillon.
Again, it’s really splitting hairs as both are pitching extremely well right now.