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 the 2016 prospect guide, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
We’re working on a solution for the PHP stat codes not working in the app.
1. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
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2. Austin Meadows, CF, Altoona – [insert_php]
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3. Josh Bell, 1B, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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4. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Pirates – In the Majors
5. Alen Hanson, 2B, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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6. Harold Ramirez, OF, Altoona -[insert_php]
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7. Reese McGuire, C, Altoona -[insert_php]
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8. Elias Diaz, C, Pirates – Disabled List.
9. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
10. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, West Virginia -[insert_php]
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11. Kevin Newman, SS, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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12. Yeudy Garcia, RHP, Bradenton -[insert_php]
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13. Steven Brault, LHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
14. Stephen Tarpley, LHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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15.Cole Tucker, SS, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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16. Chad Kuhl, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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17. Max Moroff, 2B, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
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18. Mitch Keller, RHP, West Virginia -[insert_php]
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19. Clay Holmes, RHP, Altoona – [insert_php]
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20. Willy Garcia, OF, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
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21. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Altoona – [insert_php]
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22. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Altoona -[insert_php]
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23. Barrett Barnes, OF, Altoona -[insert_php]
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24. Trevor Williams, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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25. Gage Hinsz, RHP, West Virginia – [insert_php]
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26. Adrian Valerio, SS – Extended Spring Training
27. Adam Frazier, INF/OF, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
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28. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Bradenton -[insert_php]
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29. Jordan Luplow, OF/3B, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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30. JT Brubaker, RHP, Bradenton -[insert_php]
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INDIANAPOLIS — Chad Kuhl’s progression from earlier in the season has turned into a digression over the past few weeks.
The right-hander struggled against Pawtucket in an afternoon game on Wednesday. Kuhl allowed five runs, four of which were earned, on nine hits. He needed 84 pitches to make it through four innings, allowing two walks and striking out two.
Indianapolis manager Dean Treanor struggled to find reasons for Kuhl’s struggles after his last outing. And nothing changed after Wednesday’s game.
“No,” Treanor said. “If I had to say something it’s what I said before. Fatigue is starting to set in. Earlier in the year it looked like he had so much more energy on the mound. He’s very deliberate now. There’s just one stretch of three or four pitches where I thought he had good energy.”
That’s the third consecutive subpar outing for Kuhl, who gave up four earned runs in each of his previous two starts. Kuhl allowed eight earned runs over his first 10 starts this season, but has given up 11 earned runs in his last three outings.
As for what will get Kuhl out of this slump, there’s no magic wand to wave.
“You have to battle your way out of it,” Treanor said. “You have to drop anchor and battle your way out of it and tell yourself that enough is enough. I’m waiting for him to get to that point.”
A good portion of Kuhl’s struggles came in the first inning. Pawtucket’s Ryan LaMarre hit an opposite field double on the game’s first pitch. Kuhl then walked Jantzen Witte, despite getting ahead with a 1-2 count. Chris Marrero followed that with an RBI single.
Kuhl nearly got out of that jam with just one run allowed. He struck out Bryce Brentz on an 87 MPH slider. And it appeared he induced a 6-4-3 double play, but second baseman Alen Hanson bobbled the ball as he took it out of his glove to throw to first base.
That led to an RBI single, while another run scored when Kuhl’s throw to first base on a pickoff attempt bounced past Josh Bell. It added up to a lengthy, 24-pitch first inning.
Kuhl’s best inning by far was the second, when he needed opened with a flyout and groundout. LaMarre singled, but was picked off at first. Kuhl threw just 10 pitches in the second inning.
A pair of singles and another throwing error by Kuhl allowed another run to score in the third inning. But Jacob Stallings threw out a runner trying to steal second, which was followed by a groundout and strikeout to end the inning.
“I don’t even know how to describe that (second throwing error on an swinging bunt),” Treanor said. “He’s putting himself in a bind it seems every inning.”
Kuhl’s fourth inning started with mild success, getting the leadoff hitter to line out. But he allowed a double to the next batter, and he reached third on Willy Garcia’s fielding error. Ali Solis hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score a run. Pawtucket then loaded the bases with two outs on a walk and two infield singles. Kuhl got Bryce Brentz to groundout to shortstop Gift Ngoepe to end the inning.
Indianapolis scored 10 runs and had 16 hits in the game with some familiar names again leading the way: most notable Josh Bell and Adam Frazier.
Bell crushed a home run midway up the large pine trees that sit several feet behind the center field wall. Treanor, in his sixth season as manager of the Indians, said he has never seen a home run hit that far in Victory Field.
“Power production wise this last week has been pretty incredible,” Bell said. “…when it comes to the power and production side, this is a good time for me and probably the best of my career.
Bell has nine home runs and 41 RBIs this season, with a batting average of .316 and OPS of .901. He’s already bettered the home run total he had last season.
He’s had multiple hits in four of his last five games and is hitting .556 over the past five games. A new approach this season is leading to better power numbers, Bell said.
“In the past I’ve been more of a read and react guy, kind of recognize the pitch first,” Bell said. “And then this year, at least of late, I’ve been more focusing on a zone and focusing on pitches on occasion. When I get those and I barrel it up, then it seems to go a lot further than just reacting to it and slapping the ball around like I’ve done in the past.”
Frazier went 4-for-5 and raised his average to .342, and is again the International League leader. Willy Garcia also continued his hot hitting streak, going 3-for-5 against Pawtucket. His average is .277 and he has a 12-game hitting streak. – Brian Peloza
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Bradenton won 9-7 behind the bats of two players who were just activated off the disabled list. Kevin Newman and Wyatt Mathisen each picked up four hits on the day. Newman had a single last night in his return from an eye injury caused by a hit-by-pitch in late May. In Wednesday’s game, he had four hits, including a solo home run. He also drew a walk and scored three runs. Newman now has a .360 batting average. Mathisen had four hits in his first game back, including a two-run single in the first inning that gave the Marauders an early 2-0 lead. He scored two runs. Mathisen had a sore shoulder that shut him down near the end of Spring Training, so he has been in Extended Spring Training getting into shape for the regular season.
Cole Tucker had three hits, including his second double since joining Bradenton. Elvis Escobar had two hits and drove in three runs. Jordan Luplow continued his recent success, with a single and a walk, scoring twice and driving in a run on a sacrifice fly. He has a 1.041 OPS in 11 June games.
Colten Brewer started the game and allowed two runs over six innings. He had seven strikeouts and a 7:4 GO/AO ratio. Reliever Junior Lopez made the game interesting in the ninth by allowing four runs, but Luis Heredia came in to get the final out and the save. Heredia lowered his ERA to 0.67 through 27 innings. He’s been getting great results, but he has seen very limited mound time, throwing a total of 4.1 innings in the last 20 days.
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Mitch Keller didn’t have his best outing on Wednesday, but he set the bar high early in the season. He went five innings in this game, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk, with seven strikeouts. Keller threw 60 of his 85 pitches for strikes, and that was with the umpire squeezing the zone on the left-handed batter box side. He was throwing a lot of fastballs, as his curve wasn’t finding the zone. The fastball was solid, with excellent command and thrown on a downward plane, with most pitches ending up in the bottom half of the zone. The velocity seemed down, but the announcer only gave three pitch speeds (89-92) while he was on the mound, so it was tough to tell. The 89 could have been a changeup, or the Lexington gun is slow, as Keller is mostly 92-95, hitting 96 MPH.
The first run off Keller scored on a strange looking play. With a man on first base after a walk, the next batter lined a ball down the left field line. The announcer called the ball foul off the bat, and left fielder Logan Hill looked like he didn’t chase the ball right away. Also, no one went out to be a cut-off man. The announcer said it was very windy there, and the ball looked foul off the bat, but it hit off the top of the wall about 5-10 feet fair near the corner. It ended up scoring the runner from first base and it was the only hit Keller allowed until one out in the fourth inning. The second run scored in the fourth, with two singles and a wild pitch bringing in the run.
The Power won 12-4, pounding out 13 hits and drawing nine walks. Mitchell Tolman and Carlos Munoz each reached base four times, with two hits and two walks. Tolman collected his first triple, scored three times and drove in two runs. Logan Ratledge started in place of Tito Polo, playing center field and batting lead-off. He had three hits, scored three runs, and two of his hits were doubles. Danny Arribas had two hits and a walk. Tyler Filliben, starting at third base in place of Ke’Bryan Hayes, was the only Power hitter not to reach base, though he did manage to drive in two runs.
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The DSL Pirates lost 3-1 on Wednesday, as a couple of their big signings from last year continued to slump. Joel Cesar started his second game and again had control issues. He made news during the off-season when he supposedly hit 100 MPH with his fastball. Our reports had him topping out at 97 during Spring Training in the Dominican, and he hit 96 in his last start. I’ll point out that he was a reliever then, so the fastball should play up in shorter outings, but the Pirates are giving him extra innings to develop him as a pitcher. He probably won’t end up as a starter down the line. Cesar went 3.2 innings, allowing one run on three hits and four walks, throwing two wild pitches.
The Pirates’ only run gave them a 1-0 lead in the fourth. They got a lead-off walk, followed by a sacrifice bunt and then a single from Christopher Perez brought home the run. Perez also doubled in the game, as did Rudy Guzman. The Pirates had four hits total, with fourth-year player Ramy Perez collecting a single for the other hit.
Third baseman Sherten Apostel and right fielder Larry Alcime were two of the bigger signings for the Pirates last year, getting two of the four biggest bonuses handed out last July 2nd. Both were described as raw hitters, and they are both only 17 years old. However, they have been off to a really bad start this season. Apostel is now 1-for-25, but at least he has drawn seven walks and has “only” nine strikeouts. Alcime is 1-for-22 with 13 strikeouts and no walks.
