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 – 3-for-5, HR, SB
2. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Bradenton – Disabled List (4/14 Update)
3. Austin Meadows, CF, West Virginia – Disabled List (4/22 Update)
4. Alen Hanson, SS, Altoona – 3-for-5, 3B
5. Nick Kingham, RHP, Altoona – DNP
6. Reese McGuire, C, West Virginia – DNP
7. Josh Bell, RF, Bradenton – 1-for-4, 3 K
8. Luis Heredia, RHP, West Virginia Power – Disabled List (4/22 Update)
9. Harold Ramirez, OF, West Virginia – Disabled List (4/14 Update)
10. Tony Sanchez, C, Indianapolis – DNP
11. Andrew Lambo, OF, Indianapolis – 3-for-5, 2 2B
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-5, SB
17. Michael De La Cruz, OF, Extended Spring Training – DNP
18. Wyatt Mathisen, 3B, West Virginia – 3-for-4
19. Jin-De Jhang, C, Bradenton – 0-for-4, 3 K
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: Gregory Polanco, RF – 3-for-5, HR, SB
Home Runs: Gregory Polanco (3), Matt Hague (1), Stetson Allie (3)
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Result: Indianapolis 11, Toledo 6
Starting Pitcher: Casey Sadler, RHP – 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K
Top Hitter: Gregory Polanco, RF – 3-for-5, HR, SB
Other Notable Performers:
Andrew Lambo, DH — 3-for-5, 2 2B
Matt Hague, 3B – 1-for-5, HR
Blake Davis, 2B – 2-for-5, 3B
Game Notes: Casey Sadler put together his third quality start of the season and picked up his third win. He also struck out a season high six hitters. Sadler was efficient, throwing 64 strikes in 97 pitches. Phil Irwin had a rough outing from the bullpen, allowing five earned runs on three hits, while only getting two outs. Gregory Polanco continues to dazzle, as he got three more hits and crushed solo home run in the seventh. Andrew Lambo also broke out of a 3-for-16 slump with a pair of doubles. – Ryan Palencer
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Result: Altoona 7, Harrisburg 0
Starting Pitcher: Adrian Sampson, RHP – 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Stetson Allie, 1B – 3-for-5, HR
Other Notable Performers:
Alen Hanson, SS – 3-for-5, 3B
Gift Ngoepe, 2B – 2-for-3, 2B, BB
Mel Rojas, CF – 2-for-5
Drew Maggi, LF – 2-for-3, BB
Game Notes: Altoona put seven runs on the board tonight, one night after scoring ten runs in a game. Stetson Allie hit his third homer of the year, and picked up three hits on the night. Allie is 12-for-39 with four doubles and two homers in his last ten games. Alen Hanson is also breaking out of his early season slump. He went 3-for-5 tonight, and is now hitting for a .295/.340/.386 line in 44 at-bats over his last ten games. Gift Ngoepe has been hitting well early in the season, with a .271/.438/.396 line in 48 at-bats. His strikeout rate is still around 30%, but he has more walks than strikeouts. With his defense, all he needs to do is get on base at a strong rate to have a shot at the majors. Adrian Sampson had another great outing, throwing six shutout innings, with seven strikeouts. Sampson now has a 1.17 ERA in 23 innings this year, with a 23:6 K/BB ratio.
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Result: Charlotte 7, Bradenton 1
Starting Pitcher: John Kuchno, RHP – 1.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Eric Wood, 3B – 2-for-3, 2B, BB
Other Notable Performers:
Raul Fortunato, CF – 2-for-4
Adam Frazier, SS – 2-for-5
Ryan Hafner, RHP – 2.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 1 HR
Game Notes: The Marauders had some horrible control tonight, giving up a combined nine walks against Charlotte. John Kuchno only allowed one walk, but didn’t have command of his fastball in his second inning of work, and was pulled from his start early after reaching his single inning pitch count. Kuchno was working 88-92 MPH with his fastball. Ryan Hafner came on in relief, and did well until the fifth inning. He walked two and didn’t get any strikeouts in his 2.2 innings of work. The big blow was when Patrick Leonard hit a no-doubt two run homer in the fifth, causing most of the damage against Hafner. On the offensive side, Eric Wood had a hard hit ball off the wall for a double in the ninth inning. Raul Fortunato had two well-hit balls through the infield for his multi-hit night. Other than that, the bats were quiet. Josh Bell and Jin-De Jhang combined to go 1-for-8 with six strikeouts.
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: Kannapolis 8, West Virginia 6
Starting Pitcher: Shane Carle, RHP – 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 1 HR
Top Hitter: Wyatt Mathisen, 3B – 3-for-4
Other Notable Performers:
Francisco Diaz, C – 2-for-5, 2B
Danny Collins, RF – 2-for-5
Edwin Espinal, 1B – 2-for-4, 2B
Game Notes: The West Virginia pitching staff has struggled the last two nights against Kannapolis. Shane Carle didn’t have a bad outing tonight, giving up two earned runs in five innings, with seven strikeouts. So far this season he has a 3.24 ERA in 16.2 innings, with a 19:1 K/BB ratio. The long ball has been the big issue, as he has given up three homers, including a two run homer in the first inning tonight. Wyatt Mathisen had a three hit night, breaking a cold streak where he was 1-for-21 in his last seven games. Edwin Espinal and Danny Collins each extended their hitting streaks to five games.
