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 – 1-for-4, BB
2. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
3. Austin Meadows, CF, West Virginia – Disabled List (4/22 Update)
4. Alen Hanson, SS, Altoona – 4-for-7, 2B, RBI
5. Nick Kingham, RHP, Altoona – DNP
6. Reese McGuire, C, West Virginia – 0-for-3, BB, R
7. Josh Bell, RF, Bradenton – 1-for-6, 2B
8. Luis Heredia, RHP, West Virginia Power – Disabled List (4/22 Update)
9. Harold Ramirez, OF, West Virginia – Disabled List (4/14 Update)
10. Andrew Lambo, OF, Indianapolis – 2-for-5, 2 2B, 2 R
11. Joely Rodriguez, LHP, Altoona – DNP
12. Blake Taylor, LHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
13. Cody Dickson, LHP, West Virginia – DNP
14. Barrett Barnes, CF, West Virginia – Disabled List (4/14 Update)
15. JaCoby Jones, SS, West Virginia – 1-for-4, R
16. Michael De La Cruz, OF, Extended Spring Training – DNP
17. Wyatt Mathisen, 3B, West Virginia – 3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI
18. Jin-De Jhang, C, Bradenton – 0-for-3
19. Casey Sadler, RHP, Indianapolis – In Majors
20. Stetson Allie, 1B, Altoona – 1-for-6, BB, RBI
ORDER YOUR 2014 PROSPECT GUIDE
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DAILY SUMMARY
Top Hitter: Mel Rojas Jr., CF – 4-for-7, 2B, 3 RBI
Home Runs: Wyatt Mathisen (2)
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Result: Indianapolis 4, Pawtucket 3
Starting Pitcher: Tyler Waldron, RHP – 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Chris McGuiness, 1B – 1-for-3, 2 RBI, BB, R
Other Notable Performers:
Gregory Polanco, RF – 1-for-4, BB
Andrew Lambo, LF – 2-for-5, 2 2B, 2 R
Game Notes: Tyler Waldron is making the most of his opportunity to start in Indianapolis. Less than a week after he was in Bradenton, Waldron pitched for Altoona, then made a spot start for Indianapolis and allowed one run over four innings. In his second start, he was even better, giving up two hits and no walks in five shutout innings. On the season, he has allowed one run in 19.2 innings and he’s holding batters to a .109 average. Andrew Lambo scored twice and had two doubles, giving him 13 on the season. He is hitting .356 with 18 runs scored and 19 RBIs in 25 games. Matt Hague drew three walks and Chris McGuiness drove in two runs and scored another. Chris Dickerson had two hits and two stolen bases.
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Result: Akron 9, Altoona 7
Starting Pitcher: Tyler Sample, RHP – 3.0 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Mel Rojas Jr, CF – 3-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Alen Hanson, SS – 3-for-4, 2B, RBI
Drew Maggi, DH – 0-for-1, 2 BB, 2 SB, R
Game Notes: Alen Hanson and Mel Rojas Jr. each had three hits in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, as Akron won 9-7 over the Curve. Hanson now has six multi-hit games over his last 11 games played. Rojas had three RBIs, giving him 19 on a season. Keon Broxton reached base in all three plate appearances, getting a triple and two walks. Tyler Sample came into Saturday’s game with a 1.00 ERA and he was one of the toughest starting pitchers to hit in the minors. That early season success didn’t continue, as Sample gave up six runs over three innings. Two of the runs were unearned, although the error that caused them to be unearned was by Sample.
Result: Akron 2, Altoona 1
Starting Pitcher: Brandon Mann, LHP – 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Stetson Allie, 1B – 1-for-3, RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Alen Hanson, SS – 0-for-2, BB, R
Mel Rojas, CF – 1-for-3
Game Notes: After Akron and Altoona combined for 16 runs in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the pitchers took over in game two and allowed just three runs. Altoona’s only run came off the bat of Stetson Allie, who drove in Alen Hanson. Brandon Mann got the start and gave up two runs in four innings. He had some control issues, handing out five walks. Emmanuel De Leon threw two scoreless innings and Ryan Beckman pitched a perfect seventh inning. Drew Maggi stole a base in game two, giving him seven on the season and three on the day.
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Result: Bradenton 3, St Lucie 2
Starting Pitcher: John Kuchno, RHP – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Taylor Lewis, CF – 1-for-3, 2 RBI, BB, SB
Other Notable Performers:
Josh Bell, DH – 1-for-3, 2B
Jin-De Jhang, C – 0-for-3
Game Notes: In his first game of the season, Taylor Lewis drove in two runs in Bradenton’s 3-2 win. He had a single, walk and stole a base. Jonathan Schwind had two hits and scored two runs, while Raul Fortunato had two walks, a run scored and his sixth stolen base. John Kuchno started game one of the doubleheader He had a tough first inning, allowed two runs on two hits, two walks and a hit batter. He then threw four shutout innings, giving up just two hits the rest of the way. Bryton Trepagnier threw two scoreless innings for the win. Jose Osuna left the game after the top of the first and did not play in game two. No reason was given for his departure.
Result: St Lucie 5, Bradenton 1
Starting Pitcher: Orlando Castro, LHP – 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Jonathan Schwind, LF – 1-for-2, BB, R
Other Notable Performers:
Josh Bell, DH – 0-for-3, 2 K
Game Notes: Orlando Castro had three straight quality starts before his last outing, giving up three runs total over 18 innings. Now he has run into a little trouble in two straight starts, giving up seven runs over his last 9.2 innings. Josh Bell was the DH in both games, going 1-for-6 with a double in the doubleheader. Jonathan Schwind scored the only Marauders run of the game and Jacob Stallings had the only RBI on a sacrifice fly.
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: West Virginia 5, Greensboro 4
Starting Pitcher: Shane Carle, RHP – 6.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Wyatt Mathisen, 3B – 3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI
Other Notable Performers:
JaCoby Jones, SS – 1-for-4, R
Elvis Escobar, CF – 1-for-3
Reese McGuire, DH – 0-for-3, BB, R
Game Notes: Shane Carle looked great through six innings tonight, but going for a seventh inning nearly cost the Power the game. Carle got two outs in the seventh and left with two men on and a 5-2 lead. Two more runs came around to score off reliever Jerry Mulderig, but that was the end of the scoring. Isaac Sanchez got the save with 2.1 scoreless innings. Wyatt Mathisen was the hero at the plate. Following a three-hit game yesterday, Mathisen picked up three hits again, including his second homer in two days. He drove in three runs, giving him 11 RBIs on the year. Reese McGuire returned from the disabled list today, but did not catch. He was the DH for his third game in a row, last catching on April 23rd. McGuire reached base once via walk and scored a run.
John started working at Pirates Prospects in 2009, but his connection to the Pittsburgh Pirates started exactly 100 years earlier when Dots Miller debuted for the 1909 World Series champions. John was born in Kearny, NJ, two blocks from the house where Dots Miller grew up. From that hometown hero connection came a love of Pirates history, as well as the sport of baseball.
When he didn't make it as a lefty pitcher with an 80+ MPH fastball and a slider that needed work, John turned to covering the game, eventually focusing in on the prospects side, where his interest was pushed by the big league team being below .500 for so long. John has covered the minors in some form since the 2002 season, and leads the draft and international coverage on Pirates Prospects. He writes daily on Pittsburgh Baseball History, when he's not covering the entire system daily throughout the entire year on Pirates Prospects.
John, I have a question. I realize it’s an extremely small sample size, but what’s up with Tyler Waldron? Has the light bulb suddenly gone on over his head? Those are some nasty stats.
When Polanco does get called up to Pittsburgh, I think it is time to move Rojas to Indy……he’s playing and hitting well…too bad there is a log jam in the OF, between Pittsburgh and Indy. He does not seem to have much opportunity beyond Indy, barring injury or trade.
R Edwards,I am not so sure a current OPS of around .730 merits a promo to AAA. Especially when it is Jrs. 2nd go in the EL. I am pulling for him, but I’m not sold yet.
Hi John,
I went to the Power game on Sat. evening. Was impressed by Mathisen. He squared the ball up nicely with his three hits and his HR was a hard hit line drive that cleared the fence in left center. He also made a nice play at third later in the game to keep Greensboro from possibly having a big inning. Carle looked pretty good over 6 innings. Was really surprised he came out for the 7th which was when he got into trouble. But through 6 innings he was getting it done. He may have had a little luck on his side. A couple of hard hit liners that were right at OFers. JaCoby Jones also looked decent. The Power had 3 DPs in the game. Not too impressed by Jones’s arm at SS. His throws seemed to get some air under them and were not the lasers you would like to see from a SS. Maybe I am just nitpicking though! What is the consensus about his arm at SS?
I was surprised he came out for the seventh as well. I was following the game online and waited awhile to do the write-up on it because milb.com has a tendency to miss pitching changes, so red flags like a guy coming out for the seventh inning tend to make me think it didn’t actually happen. They did actually credit Carle with one of Mulderig’s walks at first, so I was glad I waited.
As for Jones, most people thought he had the ability to play shortstop because he’s a gifted athlete and his arm was rated above average in college.He just needs reps there and should get them over the next couple years at least. If he lives up to his potential, he could definitely be the Pirates shortstop of the future. If he doesn’t, then he’s a versatile utility player off the bench.
I won’t even begin to describe or explain just how bad Sample looked. But he sure didn’t look like he belongs at the AA level.
If he was a solid prospect, they wouldn’t have been able to pick him up in the minor league portion of the Rule V draft. Yesterday’s game was quite different than the rest of his season though and more in line with the way he has pitched in the past.
John,that is the third start of Sample’s I have seen,and this start was a case of him facing a team that has many more disciplined hitters than those he faced earlier that I had seen. These guys,like Lindor,Bryan LaHair and Ronnie Rodriguez left the high fastballs go,and when he did come in,they were waiting. Besides the 2 to the backstop,multiple walks and one hit batter,he also threw away a perfect DP ball. With the bases loaded and no outs,he had a one hopper hit right back to him,which he then threw to the screen. I truly felt sorry for him, all of his shortcomings were apparent in 3 innings.
I agree leo, Sample was absolutely horrid. No control and I don’t remember him giving up a cheap hit, they were all smoked. That 40′ throw to home on the comebacker wouldn’t suffice in a t-ball game. The only positive I saw from him was that he hit 94 on the gun a couple times.
Bryan, I truly did feel really bad for him. Did you happen to see Nick Kingham’s start yesterday ? ( Sunday )
Thanks for the report.