The third weekend of college baseball is under way and a top-ranked pitcher has been added to our watch list after he shut down a top ranked team on Friday night. For a look at the list of games to watch through early next week, check out our Draft Prospect Watch Schedule. Also, check out the draft preview posted here and the recap of the second week’s action here. Just a reminder, the Pirates pick #9 and #14 in this year’s June amateur draft, so for the duration of the college season, leading up to draft day, we are following the players closely that are ranked in that range.
Sean Manaea and Indiana State tried to take on Eastern Kentucky today, one day after the series opener was snowed out. The 6’5″ left-hander will have to wait another day to make his weekend start. Snow and cold temperatures have canceled today’s game and tomorrow’s doubleheader is now a single afternoon game.
North Carolina third baseman Colin Moran went 2-for-4, with two RBI’s in his team’s 11-5 win over California. He flew out to center fielder in his first AB, then worked a full-count walk in his second plate appearance. After a pop up to shortstop in the fourth, Moran helped break the game open for North Carolina in the fifth, hitting a two-run double. He added a seventh inning single to cap off his day.
San Diego’s Kris Bryant went 1-for-4, with a walk and single during San Diego’s 2-0 ten inning win. He struck out looking in his first AB, then grounded out to 3B in the third inning. In the sixth inning Bryant drew a one out walk. He had a first pitch single in his fourth plate appearance, then in the tenth inning, he flew out to center field.
With a couple pitchers in the top ten struggling, and an injury to Austin Wilson slowing him down, lefty Marco Gonzales of Gonzaga could be making his way up the charts into the Pirates range. On Friday night, he threw a complete game shutout against 2nd ranked Arkansas, allowing eight hits, no walks and he struck out nine. He is 2-1, 2.45, with 22 strikeouts in 22 innings. Gonzales also plays 1B/DH and he is hitting .300 this year through eight games. He was recently ranked 11th overall among draft-eligible college players by Baseball America.
On Friday night, Dominic Smith from Serra HS in California, hit a double and home run. He also started the game on the mound, striking out ten batters in five innings in his team’s 7-1 win. Smith is ranked in the top eight in this year’s draft class by both Baseball America and Perfect Game, though Jonathan Mayo has him ranked #35 overall
Jason Hursh, the sixth round pick in 2010 by the Pirates, pitched six innings on Friday night for Oklahoma State. He picked up the win over UC-Davis, allowing two runs on eight hits and no walks, striking out one batter. Hursh missed all of 2012 due to Tommy John surgery. He is 1-0, 2.37 in three starts this year, picking up 11 strikeouts in 19 innings. Hursh was followed on the mound by Junior Vince Wheeland, who threw three perfect innings, getting five strikeouts and four ground outs.
