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Prospect Watch: Poor Rehab Starts From Morton and McDonald

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TOP OF THE SYSTEM

A look at how the current top 20 prospects did today.  Note that this list doesn’t include players currently in the majors. If a player is in the majors, he will be removed, everyone below him will be shifted up a spot, and a new player will be added to the bottom of the list. Rankings are from the pre-season rankings, and links to each prospect writeup can be found by clicking the player names below. Players who weren’t in the original top 20 are linked to their player page on the site.

1. Gerrit Cole, RHP, Indianapolis (3-3, 3.67) – DNP

2. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Altoona (3-5, 2.91) – DNP

3. Gregory Polanco, CF, Bradenton (.310) – DNP

4. Alen Hanson, SS, Bradenton (.290) –  DNP

5. Luis Heredia, RHP, Extended Spring Training (Luis Heredia Close to Joining West Virginia)

6. Josh Bell, RF, West Virginia (.280) – 2-for-4, 2B

7. Barrett Barnes, CF, West Virginia (.220) – Low-A DL

8. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, West Virginia (3-0, 2.31) – DNP

9. Kyle McPherson, RHP, Indianapolis (0-1, 19.29) – Triple-A DL

10. Nick Kingham, RHP, Bradenton (6-2, 3.21) – DNP

11. Clay Holmes, RHP, West Virginia (1-4, 5.60) – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 0 HR

12. Dilson Herrera, 2B, West Virginia (.302) – 0-for-4

13. Tony Sanchez, C, Indianapolis (.290) – 0-for-3, 3 K

14. Wyatt Mathisen, C, West Virginia (.185) – Low-A DL

15. Adrian Sampson, RHP, Bradenton (2-1, 6.10) – DNP

16. Vic Black, RHP, Indianapolis (0-2, 2.63) – Triple-A DL

17. Andy Oliver, LHP, Indianapolis (3-2, 2.87) – DNP

18. Jin-De Jhang, C, Extended Spring Training

19. Stolmy Pimentel, RHP, Altoona (2-3, 3.70) – DNP

20. Jordy Mercer, SS, Indianapolis (.333) – In Majors

 

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DAILY SUMMARY

Top Pitcher: Clay Holmes, RHP (1-4, 5.60) – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Mel Rojas, CF (.247) – 3-for-5, RBI

Home Runs: None

 

AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS  

Box Score

Result: Pawtucket 9, Indianapolis 1

Starting Pitcher: Charlie Morton, RHP (0-1, 4.50) – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Jerry Sands, RF (.190) – 1-for-3

Other Notable Performers:

Duke Welker, RHP (3.80) – 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 0 HR

Game Notes: Indianapolis only had four hits on the day, going up against top Red Sox prospect Rubby De La Rosa. One of the two hits off De La Rosa came from Jerry Sands, who is 11-for-33 in his last ten games. Charlie Morton made a rehab start, throwing 88 pitches and 56 strikes over five innings. Morton should have one more rehab start after this, throwing 100 pitches the next time out. Duke Welker has given up ten earned runs in 6.2 innings over his last five appearances.

 

AA: ALTOONA CURVE   

Box Score

Result: Richmond 13, Altoona 2

Starting Pitcher: James McDonald, RHP (0-1, 40.50) – 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 0 K, 1 HR

Top Hitter: Mel Rojas, CF (.247) – 3-for-5, RBI

Other Notable Performers:

Andrew Lambo, LF (.287) – 1-for-4, 3B

Game Notes: James McDonald made his first rehab start, but it didn’t go so well. He threw 33 pitches with 14 strikes in the first inning and was removed from the game. According to Cory Giger, McDonald chalked the outing up to a blister on his right-middle finger.

Mel Rojas picked up three hits, and is now hitting for a .316/.386/.526 line in 38 at-bats over his last ten games. Adalberto Santos walked twice and stole his fifth base of the year. Andrew Lambo hit his fourth triple of the season.

 

A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS  

Bradenton was off today.

 

Clay Holmes has done better with his K/BB ratio the last three starts.
Clay Holmes has done better with his K/BB ratio the last three starts.

A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER

Box Score

Result: Greensboro 3, West Virginia 0

Starting Pitcher: Clay Holmes, RHP (1-4, 5.60) – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Josh Bell, RF (.280) – 2-for-4, 2B

Other Notable Performers:

Jason Creasy, RHP (3.63) – 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 0 HR

Max Moroff, SS (.231) – 1-for-4

Stetson Allie, 1B (.340) – 0-for-3, 2 K

Game Notes: For the second time in his last three starts, Clay Holmes gave up on earned run in five innings of work. He looks to be making some positive strides lately in the K/BB ratio department, with a 14:7 K/BB ratio in his last 14 innings. That has all come since the Pirates gave him a few extra days of rest, throwing him on nine days rest after walking 25 in his first 31 innings. Jason Creasy has been pitching well this month, with a 2.41 ERA in 18.2 innings, along with a 23:5 K/BB ratio and a 1.75 GO/AO ratio. He switched to a slider over the off-season, aimed at getting more ground balls and more strikeouts. It looks like it’s starting to work.

Tim Williams
Tim Williams
Tim is the owner, producer, editor, and lead writer of PiratesProspects.com. He has been running Pirates Prospects since 2009, becoming the first new media reporter and outlet covering the Pirates at the MLB level in 2011 and 2012. His work can also be found in Baseball America, where he has been a contributor since 2014 and the Pirates' correspondent since 2019.

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