TOP OF THE SYSTEM
A look at how the current top 30 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, 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 30 active prospects on the list. Rankings are from early season update, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Altoona – DNP
2. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
3. Austin Meadows, CF, Bradenton – 0-for-4
4. Josh Bell, 1B, Altoona – 0-for-4
5. Reese McGuire, C, Bradenton – 0-for-4
6. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
7. Alen Hanson, 2B, Indianapolis – 0-for-0 (Pinch Runner)
8. Cole Tucker, SS, West Virginia – 1-for-4, SB
9. Elias Diaz, C, Indianapolis – 1-for-4
10. Mitch Keller, RHP, Extended Spring Training
11. Harold Ramirez, OF, Extended Spring Training
12. Stephen Tarpley, LHP, Extended Spring Training
13. JaCoby Jones, SS, Bradenton – 0-for-4
14. Adrian Sampson, RHP, Indianapolis – 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 0 HR
15. Trey Supak, RHP, Extended Spring Training
16. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Extended Spring Training
17. Barrett Barnes, OF, Extended Spring Training
18. Clay Holmes, RHP, Bradenton – Disabled List
19. Cody Dickson, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
20. Willy Garcia, OF, Altoona – 2-for-5, 2 BB
21. John Holdzkom, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
22. Jordan Luplow, 3B, West Virginia – 1-for-5, 3B, 2 BB
23. Connor Joe, 1B/3B – Extended Spring Training
24. Wyatt Mathisen, 3B, Bradenton – DNP
25. Casey Sadler, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
26. Steven Brault, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
27. Tito Polo, OF, West Virginia – 2-for-6, 2B, BB
28. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Extended Spring Training
29. Luis Heredia, RHP, Extended Spring Training
30. Taylor Gushue, C, West Virginia– 1-for-3, 2 BB
DAILY SUMMARY
Top Hitter: Max Moroff, 2B – 4-for-7, 3 2B, 3B
Home Runs: Gorkys Hernandez (1), Sebastian Valle (1)
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Result: Columbus 5, Indianapolis 4
Starting Pitcher: Adrian Sampson, RHP – 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Gorkys Hernandez, CF – 2-for-4, HR
Other Notable Performers:
Deibinson Romero, 3B – 2-for-3, 2B, BB
Brent Morel, 1B – 2-for-4, 2 2B
Gustavo Nunez, SS – 2-for-3
Game Notes: Adrian Sampson continues to get stronger each time out. He consistently kept the ball down and avoided solid contact most of the night. Sampson also saw improved movement on his pitches as the night went along. He worked in the low 90s with the fastball and mixed in the off speed pitches well to keep the Columbus hitter off-balance.
The bullpen did not hold up for Sampson. Deolis Guerra retired the first two hitters that he faced before allowing four in a row to reach. Bobby LaFromboise relieved Guerra and allowed a grand slam. After allowing the blast, LaFromboise recovered to work a perfect eight inning.
Gustavo Nunez picked up a pair of singles, while Gorkys Hernandez also had a multi-hit contest and drilled a solo home run in the first. Deibinson Romero also added his second straight multi-hit game of the road trip. Brent Morel added two doubles for Indianapolis. – Ryan Palencer
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Result: Harrisburg 6, Altoona 3
Starting Pitcher: Angel Sanchez, RHP – 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
Top Hitter: Max Moroff, 2B – 3-for-4, 2 2B, 3B
Other Notable Performers:
John Kuchno, RHP – 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Willy Garcia, LF – 2-for-3, BB
Stetson Allie, RF – 1-for-4, 2B, 3 K
Game Notes: In the continuation of last night’s game (game notes for the first half can be found in last night’s article), John Kuchno took the hill for the start of the fifth inning. Kuchno breezed through his first two innings getting ground ball outs between two lazy singles and a walk. He got hit hard in the top of the seventh. The runs will go into the box score as unearned; however, he gave up a bomb down the right field line that tailed foul followed by a deep fly to right (which Willy Garcia had an error) then a line drive down the left field line. Kuchno used a curveball that sat between 79-82 as a two strike pitch.
Keon Broxton and Stetson Allie both struck out three times in the game with both of them looking very uncomfortable at the plate. Broxton currently has a 27% strikeout rate (26% last year), while Allie is hitting at a 35.7% strikeout rate (26% last year). Remember that the Curve have started the year playing some cold weather baseball, but the results for Allie in this young season are not promising so far.
Max Moroff has looked strong for the Curve in the last three games with eight hits, including a double and triple today. Josh Bell went 0-4 from the plate with multiple easily hit ground balls. – Sean McCool
Result: Altoona 2, Harrisburg 1
Starting Pitcher: Jason Creasy, RHP – 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Sebastian Valle, C – 1-for-1, HR, BB
Other Notable Performers:
Max Moroff, 2B – 1-for-3, 2B
Game Notes: Jason Creasy settled down after a giving up his first earned run of the year in the first inning and threw a gem for 6.0 IP in Altoona tonight. After a base hit and stolen base, Harrisburg’s Kevin Keyes doubled down the left field line to score. Otherwise, pitching coach Justin Meccage said it was the best he’s seen Creasy throw in three years working with him.
Creasy worked both a two-seam and four-seam fastball in the 88-93 range on a chilly night in Altoona, as well as a curve and changeup. Creasy worked the corners of the plate well and didn’t seem to miss down the middle. Creasy did not walk anyone and struck out five.
Bats were dead for the Curve tonight, but Sebastian Valle took advantage of a missed pitch down the middle from Harrisburg’s Paolo Espino by putting it in the left field bleachers. Max Moroff also doubled over the right fielder’s head as he continued to impress with the bat over the past four games. Moroff has worked on his timing and rhythm from the plate over the past week which has resulted in him going 9-for-16 in the past four games. – Sean McCool
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Result: Charlotte 8, Bradenton 3
Starting Pitcher: Frank Duncan, RHP – 6.0 IP, 10 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Jin-De Jhang, C – 3-for-3, 2B
Other Notable Performers:
Erich Weiss, 2B – 1-for-3, BB
Game Notes: Austin Meadows entered tonight’s game with a seven game hitting streak, a ten game on-base streak, and hits in nine of his ten games this season. That ended when he went 0-for-4 for the first time this season. Jin-De Jhang had a hit in his fifth straight game, and his third three-hit game in his last seven games. Jhang was seen as a prospect to watch prior to last year, due to his abilities at the plate. That didn’t show up last season, but he’s off to a great start this year, going 14-for-27 with three doubles, three walks, and no strikeouts. Justin Sellers continued his rehab assignment with Bradenton, playing seven innings.
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: West Virginia 5, Kannapolis 3
Starting Pitcher: John Sever, LHP – 4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Top Hitter: Jordan Luplow, 3B – 1-for-2, 3B, 2 BB
Other Notable Performers:
Pablo Reyes, 2B – 1-for-4, 2B
Elvis Escobar, LF – 2-for-3, 2B
Cole Tucker, SS – 1-for-4, SB
Tito Polo, CF – 1-for-3, BB
Game Notes: West Virginia had a strong offense in game one, with seven of their nine hitters picking up at least one hit. Jordan Luplow led the way with a triple and two walks. Cole Tucker had a single and stole his fifth base of the season. Tito Polo reached base twice with a single and a walk. That helped make up for a poor outing by John Sever, who gave up three runs on five hits and three walks in four innings. Sever entered the contest with six shutout innings, eight strikeouts, and one walk.
Result: Kannapolis 2, West Virginia 1
Starting Pitcher: Jose Regalado, RHP – 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Chase Simpson, 1B – 2-for-3
Other Notable Performers:
Tito Polo, LF – 1-for-3, 2B
Jake Burnette, RHP – 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 0 HR
Game Notes: In their last combined outing, Jake Burnette, Jose Regalado, and Eric Dorsch combined for a seven inning no-hitter in a game which West Virginia lost. This time around Regalado got the start, and had a decent appearance. Burnette struggled once again to make it out of his first inning of work, reaching a high pitch count and only getting two outs. Dorsch gave up one hit in 1.1 innings. West Virginia’s offense wasn’t as productive in this game, with Chase Simpson leading the way with two hits, and Tito Polo adding a double. After these two games, Polo has a .345/.424/.414 line.
