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 (Stolmy Pimentel #13). 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. If a player is out for the season (Jameson Taillon #2, Clay Holmes #12), he will be removed and everyone below him will move up a spot. Removing these guys doesn’t mean they have lost prospect status. It is just an attempt to get 20 active prospects on the list. Rankings are from the 2014 Prospect Guide, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Gregory Polanco, CF, Indianapolis – 2-for-5
2. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Bradenton – Disabled List (4/14 Update)
3. Austin Meadows, CF, West Virginia – Disabled List (4/2 Update)
4. Alen Hanson, SS, Altoona – 2-for-5
5. Nick Kingham, RHP, Altoona – DNP
6. Reese McGuire, C, West Virginia – 3-for-5, 3B
7. Josh Bell, RF, Bradenton – 0-for-3, SB
8. Luis Heredia, RHP, West Virginia Power – Disabled List (4/14 Update)
9. Harold Ramirez, OF, West Virginia – Disabled List (4/14 Update)
10. Tony Sanchez, C, Indianapolis – 2-for-5, 2B
11. Andrew Lambo, OF, Indianapolis – 1-for-1
12. Joely Rodriguez, LHP, Altoona – DNP
13. Blake Taylor, LHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
14. Cody Dickson, LHP, West Virginia – DNP
15. Barrett Barnes, CF, West Virginia – Disabled List (4/14 Update)
16. JaCoby Jones, SS, West Virginia – 0-for-3
17. Michael De La Cruz, OF, Extended Spring Training – DNP
18. Wyatt Mathisen, 3B, West Virginia – 0-for-4
19. Jin-De Jhang, C, Bradenton – DNP
20. Brandon Cumpton, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
ORDER YOUR 2014 PROSPECT GUIDE
The 2014 Prospect Guide is now available, and is the perfect resource to follow the minor league system during the 2014 season. You can order your copy on the products page of the site.
DAILY SUMMARY
Top Hitter: Elias Diaz, C – 4-for-5
Home Runs: None
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Result: Indianapolis 6, Louisville 5
Starting Pitcher: Jeff Locke, LHP – 6 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 2 HR
Top Hitter: Tony Sanchez, C – 2-for-5, 2B
Other Notable Performers:
Gregory Polanco, RF – 2-for-5
Matt Hague, 3B – 1-for-2, 2B
Chris Dickerson, CF – 2-for-4
Game Notes: In his second start of the season, Jeff Locke had a déjà vu moment from last week in Louisville. He was done in by the long ball in a single inning. In Louisville, it was a grand slam. Monday night, it was back-to-back home runs in the sixth. However, Locke did earn a no decision, as he was consistently hitting low 90s on the gun.
Tony Sanchez picked up his first hit of his Triple-A season, and it was a big one. Sanchez singled in two in the sixth inning to tie the game up. Sanchez added a double in the 11th before scoring the winning run on a walk off hit by Adalberto Santos.
Gregory Polanco rebounded from a short 1-for-7 slump over the past two games with another multi-hit game. – Ryan Palencer
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Result: Altoona 10, Harrisburg 1
Starting Pitcher: Brandon Mann, LHP – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Elias Diaz, C – 4-for-5
Other Notable Performers:
Alen Hanson, SS – 2-for-5
Stetson Allie, 1B – 1-for-3, 2B, BB
Willy Garcia, RF – 2-for-4, 2B
Joan Montero, RHP – 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Game Notes: Altoona had a huge night on offense, scoring four runs in the first, two in the third, and four in the eighth inning. Alen Hanson picked up multiple hits, as did Willy Garcia and Elias Diaz. The biggest performance of the night came from Diaz, who picked up four hits. He now has a .474/.500/.553 line in 38 at-bats during the young season, including five multi-hit games in his last eight games. Diaz was one of the top hitting performers last week, and I talked earlier today about how he is adding some offense to his already solid defense behind the plate.
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Result: Bradenton 2, Charlotte 1
Starting Pitcher: Pat Ludwig, RHP – 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Walker Gourley, LF – 2-for-3
Other Notable Performers:
Jeff Roy, CF – 2-for-4
Jacob Stallings, C – 2-for-3
Game Notes: Pat Ludwig continued an unreal run of starts from the Bradenton rotation. In their last nine games, the Marauders’ rotation has combined for an 0.36 ERA in 50.2 innings of work. Ludwig has been a big part of that, throwing 11 innings with only one unearned run during that stretch. On the season, he has an 0.50 ERA in 18 innings, with a 17:5 K/BB ratio. The Marauders are 8-1 during this stretch, and will look for John Kuchno to continue things tomorrow. Kuchno threw six shutout innings in his last start.
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: Kannapolis 11, West Virginia 4
Starting Pitcher: Dovydas Neverauskas, RHP – 2.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Reese McGuire, C – 3-for-5, 3B
Other Notable Performers:
Danny Collins, RF – 1-for-4, BB, SB
Game Notes: West Virginia’s pitching staff had a rough night all around. Neverauskas was bounced early, giving up two runs in two innings. Henry Hirsch came on and gave up two runs in three innings. Justin Topa followed with three runs in three innings of work, and Clario Perez finished the game with four runs in one inning, with three earned. Reese McGuire had the biggest day for the offense, going 3-for-5 with his first triple. That’s the second three hit game for McGuire, and the triple was his second extra-base hit of the season.
