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. If a player is out for the season (Jameson Taillon #1, 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 mid-season top 20 update, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
2. Austin Meadows, CF, West Virginia – 3-for-5
3. Reese McGuire, C, West Virginia – 2-for-4
4. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
5. Alen Hanson, SS, Altoona – DNP
6. Josh Bell, RF, Altoona – DNP (Promoted to Altoona)
7. Harold Ramirez, OF, West Virginia – Disabled List (7/7 Update)
8. Cole Tucker, SS, GCL Pirates – 1-for-3, 2B, 2 BB
9. Luis Heredia, RHP, West Virginia – DNP
10. Mitch Keller, RHP, GCL Pirates – DNP
11. Adrian Sampson, RHP, Altoona – DNP
12. JaCoby Jones, SS, West Virginia – 1-for-4, BB
13. Casey Sadler, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
14. Andrew Lambo, OF, Jamestown – DNP
15. Joely Rodriguez, LHP, Altoona – DNP
16. Michael De La Cruz, OF, GCL Pirates – DNP
17. Trey Supak, RHP, GCL Pirates – DNP
18. Buddy Borden, RHP, West Virginia – DNP
19. Stetson Allie, 1B, Altoona – DNP
20. Gage Hinsz, RHP, GCL Pirates – DNP
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DAILY SUMMARY
Top Hitter: Michael Fransoso, RF – 1-for-2, HR, 3 BB
Home Runs: Michael Fransoso (3)
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Indianapolis was off today.
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Altoona was off today.
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Bradenton was off today.
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: Hagerstown 8, West Virginia 4
Starting Pitcher: Justin Topa, RHP – 5.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Michael Fransoso, RF – 1-for-2, HR, 3 BB
Other Notable Performers:
Austin Meadows, CF – 3-for-5
Reese McGuire, C – 2-for-4
Edwin Espinal, DH – 1-for-4, 2B
JaCoby Jones, SS – 1-for-4, BB
Game Notes: Michael Fransoso hit his third homer of the year, and his second in his last five games. He has hits in all five of those games. Austin Meadows picked up three hits tonight, and is now 4-for-13 in his first three games with West Virginia. Edwin Espinal hit his 19th double of the year. JaCoby Jones picked up a single, extending his hitting streak to 16 games.
A-: JAMESTOWN JAMMERS
Jamestown was off today.
RK: BRISTOL PIRATES
Bristol was off today.
RK: GCL PIRATES
Result: Astros 6, Pirates 5
Starting Pitcher: Nick Hutchings, RHP – 4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Tito Polo, RF – 2-for-3, 2B
Other Notable Performers:
Cole Tucker, SS – 1-for-3, 2B, 2 BB
Carlos Munoz, 1B – 2-for-4, BB
Game Notes: Tito Polo extended his hitting streak to seven games. He’s off to a great start this year, with a .339/.425/.548 line in 62 at-bats. Polo doesn’t turn 20 for another month, so seeing him off to such a good start at this age is encouraging. Carlos Munoz went 2-for-4 with a walk. He now has a nine game hitting streak. Munoz is an on-base machine, with 17 walks in 19 games, and just six strikeouts. He has a .462 OBP this season. Cole Tucker has also been good at getting on base. He only has a .265 average, but has a .429 OBP, with a 13:13 K/BB ratio.
RK: DSL PIRATES
Result: Pirates 8, Marlins 6
Starting Pitcher: Richard Mitchell, RHP – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Victor Fernandez, CF – 4-for-4, 2B, BB
Other Notable Performers:
Raul Siri, 2B – 2-for-4, BB
Jeremias Portorreal, RF – 2-for-5, 2B
PAtrick Reyes, C – 2-for-5
Game Notes: Richard Mitchell didn’t have his best outing on Tuesday, but he was still able to win his fourth straight start, helping the Pirates to an 8-6 victory. Mitchell gave up three runs on seven hits over five innings. He didn’t allow a single walk for the second straight appearance and in his last four appearances he has given up just two walks. Mitchell surpassed his innings from last year when he recorded his last out on Tuesday. In 38.1 innings, he hasn’t allowed a home run. The offense was led by Victor Fernandez, who reached base five times and scored two runs. He had four hits, a walk and drove in a run. Jeremias Portorreal had his second straight two-hit game. The top prospect hit his fourth double of the season. Raul Siri had two hits, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. Along with Fernandez, Siri, Luis Perez and Patrick Reyes each scored two runs, with the four players accounting for all eight Pirates’ runs. – John Dreker
You can check out the DSL Pirates week six recap here.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
Got to the GCL game yesterday at Pirate City. This was the second game I’ve been able to see. Cole Tucker, while very young, has a very slow release for a shortstop. Every ground ball hit his way seems to be a challenge and I found myself questioning whether any play would be made. In a few cases it was not. Munoz has a very good bat, hits the ball hard most times. Polo and Henrry Roserio are impressive. Most have not heard of Roserio, but he is quite good despite being very small. Cristian Mota pitched an inning and touched 93, but he is so small I don’t see much there. It was max effort with no secondary pitches shown. Julio Vivas was impressive in his 2 inning stint. Spot on control at a consistent 90 mph with decent secondary stuff.
Joe….Cole may have a slow release, but how good was his arm strength?
What was he like at the plate? Good bat speed?
Thx
Tucker certainly does NOT have a gun. My opinion is that his arm strength is average. As far as bat speed, and I qualify this with the disclaimer of age, I saw as average. Got pounded in yesterday and didn’t have a chance in two of his AB’s. You’ve got to remember that I’ve just seen two games and I plan to see more (going today), and that baseball is a marathon and not a sprint.
Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, but I would rate Jacoby Jones as a higher-rated prospect than Tucker.
Jacoby Jones was 22 in May. Cole Tucker turned 18 on July 3. Not a fair comparison.
I think we’ll know a lot more about Jones a year from now. His K rate is still a major issue IMO. If he can keep it what it is into AA I’ll be a lot more confident in saying that he is a legitimate prospect.
I think the factor of the unknown may have some relevance here with Cole. I love what Jacoby has been doing this season, but I think in terms of value, I’d give it to Cole
Not to make excuses but didn’t Cole recently come back from an injury, maybe a lingering affect. That said, at age 17, he still has plenty of time to develop and grow into his body. His OBP is definitely a positive sign for someone so young.