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 – 5-for-6, 2 R, RBI
4. Josh Bell, 1B, Altoona – 1-for-4, BB, 2 RBI
5. Reese McGuire, C, Bradenton – 2-for-6, RBI
6. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
7. Alen Hanson, 2B, Indianapolis – 2-for-2, BB
8. Cole Tucker, SS, West Virginia – 2-for-7, 2B, RBI
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-5, RBI
14. Adrian Sampson, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
15. Trey Supak, RHP, Extended Spring Training
16. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Extended Spring Training
17. Barrett Barnes, OF, Bradenton – DNP
18. Clay Holmes, RHP, Bradenton – Disabled List
19. Cody Dickson, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
20. Willy Garcia, OF, Altoona – 1-for-4
21. John Holdzkom, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
22. Jordan Luplow, 3B, West Virginia – 1-for-5, 2 BB
23. Connor Joe, 1B/3B, West Virginia – 0-for-4
24. Wyatt Mathisen, 3B, Bradenton – 2-for-5, 2 R
25. Casey Sadler, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
26. Steven Brault, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
27. Tito Polo, OF, West Virginia – 0-for-3
28. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Extended Spring Training
29. Luis Heredia, RHP, Extended Spring Training
30. Taylor Gushue, C, West Virginia – 1-for-4
DAILY SUMMARY
Top Pitcher: Yeudy Garcia, RHP – 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Austin Meadows, CF – 5-for-6, 2 R, RBI
Home Runs: Stetson Allie (6),
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Result: Indianapolis 3, Norfolk 2
Starting Pitcher: Charlie Morton, RHP – 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Alen Hanson, 2B – 2-for-2, R, BB
Other Notable Performers:
Jose Tabata, RF – 2-for-3, BB
Game Notes: Making his second rehab start after a poor Spring Training landed him on the disabled list(hip surgery), Charlie Morton’s stuff was pretty sharp on Thursday, but not nearly as good as his outing in Altoona last week. He spread out 11 hits and was hurt by some suspect defense early. Morton worked around it and struck out eight hitters. The fastball was between 90 and 92, and had nice sink that allowed him to get nine ground ball outs. Morton threw 96 pitches, 68 for strikes.
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Result: Altoona 5, Akron 4
Starting Pitcher: Jason Creasy, RHP – 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
Top Hitter: Stetson Allie, RF – 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Gift Ngoepe, SS – 1-for-2, 2B, BB
Keon Broxton, CF – 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB, SB
Game Notes: Stetson Allie hit a line drive home run in the bottom of the first to open up the game early. His swing looked like it was mostly arms, and he simply muscled the ball out without much effort. The ball looked like it was still carrying when it hit the grass. An easy comparison to his swing would be Pedro Alvarez when it looked like he doesn’t get all of it but simply uses his upper body to turn on a ball. Allie hit the ball deep and made solid contact through the night. He has hit four home runs in his last eight games.
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Result: Bradenton 7, Brevard County 6
Starting Pitcher: Steven Brault, LHP – 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Austin Meadows, CF – 5-for-6, 2 R, RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Reese McGuire, DH – 2-for-6, RBI
Jose Osuna, RF – 2-for-5
Wyatt Mathisen, 3B – 2-for-5, 2 R
Game Notes: Austin Meadows has had plenty of three-hit games in his first three seasons of pro ball, but before Thursday, he never reached four hits in one game. He not only reached four, he surpassed it with an RBI single in the 12th inning, giving him five hits. He raised his average 25 points in the game to .336, and his 43 hits puts him just outside the top spot in the FSL. Wyatt Mathisen had two hits, which makes this his fifth straight multi-hit game. He is 11-for-21 during this stretch. Despite the good hitting recently, Mathisen is still looking for his first double of the year, now 94 at-bats into the season.
Steven Brault has pitched much better lately after a few tough starts to begin his season. In his last four starts combined, he has allowed five earned runs. He had no walks and five strikeouts on Thursday, which is his best performance in those areas this year. It’s the third time he has struck out five batters this year and the first time he did it without walking a batter. He has seen his strikeout rate go down with the move to the Pirates’ system from the Orioles. Brault topped this year’s single game strikeout total 11 times last year in 24 starts.
The Marauders were facing Wei-Chung Wang, a former prospect for the Pirates, who was taken in the Rule 5 draft in December 2013 by the Milwaukee Brewers. After spending 2014 in the big league bullpen, he is now being stretched out as a starting pitcher. Wang has not pitched well this season and the Marauders scored five runs off him, leaving him with a 5.88 ERA.
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: West Virginia 3, Hagerstown 0
Starting Pitcher: Yeudy Garcia, RHP – 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Michael Suchy, RF – 2-for-3, BB, SB, 3B, R
Other Notable Performers:
Pablo Reyes, 2B – 1-for-3, 2B, BB, SB, RBI
Cole Tucker, SS – 2-for-4, 2B, RBI
Jordan Luplow, 3B – 1-for-3, BB
Game Notes: Yeudy Garcia got his first start of the season and he made it count. He threw five shutout innings, facing one over the minimum. Garcia was a starting pitcher in the DSL last year, then jumped over three levels to get to Low-A this season. He has been working his way up to a five innings by pitching in long relief all season. Garcia threw four shutout innings last time out and that outing followed back-to-back three shutout inning performances. He now has a 2.30 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 27.1 innings.
Michael Suchy led the offense with two hits, a walk, a stolen base and a run scored. Pablo Reyes hit his seventh double and stole his eighth base of the season. Cole Tucker hit his fourth double and drove in a run. Connor Joe played his second pro game and went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. He batted second and played first base.
Result: Hagerstown 3, West Virginia 0
Starting Pitcher: Jose Regalado, RHP – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Chase Simpson, 1B – 2-for-3
Other Notable Performers:
Tito Polo, CF – 0-for-3
Cole Tucker, DH – 0-for-3
Game Notes: West Virginia lost game two to split the doubleheader, losing by the same 3-0 score from the first game. They had just five base runners in the game, with three singles and two walks. Chase Simpson had two of the hits, while Tyler Filliben had the other. Filliben made two errors, giving him four miscues over his last three games. Jose Regalado took the loss, though he did get five strikeouts without walking a batter. That gives him a 1:20 BB/SO ratio in 25.2 innings.
