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, Indianapolis – [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, Altoona – [insert_php]
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12. Yeudy Garcia, RHP, Bradenton -[insert_php]
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13. Steven Brault, LHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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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 – Bristol – [insert_php]
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27. Adam Frazier, INF/OF, Pirates – In the Majors
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 — Josh Bell can make hitting look easy at times this season.
Don’t let the Pirates’ third-ranked prospect fool you. Bell puts in the necessary work when only coaches and teammates can notice.
And then there are times when only Bell is around.
The temperature was 88 degrees with extreme humidity four hours before the Indians’ afternoon game against Buffalo on Sunday. But Bell was outside taking cuts, working on his swing.
“He was the first one here by a long shot,” Indianapolis manager Dean Treanor said. “It was a long time before anybody else got here. This guy cares about his career. I think we all know that at some point he’s going to play up there. He’s trying get ready. He’s trying to get better.”
Bell’s time may come soon. The Pirates could possibly add a player this week to be used as a designated hitter during their road trip playing American League teams. The two most likely options: Bell or third baseman/designated hitter Jason Rogers.
“I would not be surprised at all [to see such a promotion],” said Treanor, adding he’s not sure who would be the player chosen to fill that role.
Rogers was 3-for-3 against Buffalo, with two doubles and raised his season average to .294. He also has a fair amount of experience at the major league level, with the Pirates and Brewers before that.
But Bell continued to add to an impressive season-long performance, which has only heightened the expectations around the organization’s third-ranked prospect.
Bell went 2-for-4 against Buffalo, which was his 30th multi-hit game of the season. He’s had multiple hits in six of his last 10 games. And he’s in contention for winning the Triple Crown in the International League.
Only once has Bell gone three consecutive games without a hit, but that comes with a caveat. One of those games was just a pinch-hit at-bat in which he struck out. And in another one of those games, he walked twice.
The extra work Bell puts into his game is done to create the consistency he’s shown this season. Only six times has he gone even two games without a hit.
“It’s such a long season it’s all about making sure your downs are as short as possible,” Bell said. “The season are filled with ups and downs, but if I can keep my down periods to a couple of days instead of two-week long skid, then it’s less of a roller-coaster ride of a season. I feel the best way to go about that is by getting your work in, whether that would be in the cages or in the field with defensive work. I have no problem with spending a little extra time.”
Treanor labeled Bell’s work ethic “off the charts” and said it is what will separate him from other players in the long run.
“What nobody ever sees is the early work we do out here,” Treanor said. “We had early work on the road with him. Spring training is always work to try to get better. I can’t say enough about the guy. I guess he’s got protection in the lineup, but they single him out. Very rarely do they give him something good to hit and he’s made the most of it.”
Bell is second in the International League in batting average, trailing former teammate and current Pirate Adam Frazier by 12 points. Bell is second in RBIs with 47, trailing Rochester’s Kennys Vargas by four. Bell is third in home runs with 11, trailing Vargas by four in that category, as well.
Bell and Rogers accounted for half of the Indians’ hits against Buffalo on Sunday, with nobody else having more than one. But Max Moroff did hit his sixth home run of the season in the first inning, while Rogers accounted for the team’s other RBI on a double in the fifth inning.
Indianapolis starter Wilfredo Boscan pitched six innings, allowing nine hits and three earned runs. He walked one and struck out two, throwing 55 of his 89 pitches for a strike.
All three of the runs Boscan allowed came in the third inning. The inning began with two singles and a double off the center field wall. Boscan induced two groundouts, before allowing two more singles. But he got a break when Indianapolis threw out a runner at home on a relay throw on the final hit of the inning.
“You can’t have an inning like that,” Treanor said. “The inning got away from him. The game got away from him. We did a nice job of getting back to tie the game, but if he is going to pitch in the big leagues again for the Pirates, innings like that can’t happen. He made too many hittable pitches. Did not execute. He has to be better than that.”
None of the three relievers Indianapolis used on Sunday — Trey Haley, Rob Scahill, and Justin Masterson — had good performances.
Haley pitched a scoreless inning and didn’t allow a hit, but walked two batters. Scahill allowed two runs on four hits and a walk in the eighth inning. And Masterson allowed two hits in a scoreless ninth inning.
Tyler Glasnow starts for Indianapolis on Monday. As if there isn’t enough indications floating around, the organization is promoting his start heavily. Almost with a feeling that fans in Indianapolis may want to come out sooner than later if they want to see Glasnow in person. – Brian Peloza
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Altoona got strong pitching from Alex McRae and a three-run homer from Edwin Espinal in their 5-2 win on Sunday. McRae had two horrible outings to begin with Double-A career, but he bounced back nicely in his last start, then really stepped up in this game. He went seven innings, giving up two runs on four hits and no walks, with five strikeouts. McRae had a 10:5 GO/AO ratio and threw 54 of his 79 pitches for strikes.
Espinal had two hits, including his fifth home run of the season, a three-run shot in the first which gave the Curve all the runs they would need. His .326 batting average is two points higher than the league leader, though Espinal still needs about 10-11 more plate appearances to show up among the leaders.
Erich Weiss went 2-for-5 with two runs and his 13th double of the season. Barrett Barnes had two hits, including his ninth double. Eric Wood belted his ninth home run of the year, tops on the team in that category. The Curve moved into first place with a win in this game, the first time all season that they have held the top spot.
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Bradenton has their game suspended with them trailing by a 4-0 score in the fourth inning. The game will be completed on July 7th.
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West Virginia won 6-3 on Sunday, with Gage Hinsz getting a no decision in the victory. Hinsz had a tough first inning, allowing two runs on three hits, including a bunt to lead-off the game. From then on, he allowed one run on four hits and a walk in four innings. Hinsz didn’t have any clean innings and got some help from two caught stealing by catcher Christian Kelley. Hinsz struck out two batters and had a 6:5 GO/AO ratio. He now has a 4.44 ERA in five starts.
The offense was led by light-hitting shortstop Alfredo Reyes in the ninth hole. You will see some odd games in Asheville, which is the best hitter’s park in the South Atlantic League. Reyes was hitting .211 with two homers coming into today. He had three hits, including his third homer, driving in three runs. Carlos Munoz also hit a home run, his fourth of the season. He had 12 home runs last season in 12 less at-bats than he has this year. Logan Ratledge and Christian Kelley each had two hits. Kelley scored two runs.
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Luis Escobar had rough command in his first game, but that looked like a great outing compared to his second start. After issuing four walks and throwing 50% of his pitches for strikes on Tuesday night, he couldn’t even make it out of the first inning on Sunday due to his pitch count. Escobar reached his 30 pitch limit with two outs in the first and he had thrown just ten strikes. He ended up allowing three runs on one hit, two walks and a hit batter. He has the potential to be a top pitcher with a fastball that hits 95 MPH and a curve that looks plus at times, but the 20-year-old righty doesn’t have any control early on this season.
Morgantown lost 3-1, getting 8.1 shutout innings from their bullpen. The offense failed to show up this game, with seven hits and two walks, plus an 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Kevin Krause was the only player with two hits, while Clark Eagan’s double was the only extra-base hit. Will Craig went 0-for-3 with a walk. He’s hitting .148 through eight games, though he has a .368 OBP thanks to five walks and five HBP.
The bullpen was led by four shutout innings from Scooter Hightower. Brandon Bingel had 2.1 scoreless frames and Julio Vivas kept State College off the board for the last two innings. This is the fourth straight loss for Morgantown after winning their first six games.
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Bristol won 6-5 on Sunday night by scoring three runs in the ninth, then getting a walk-off sacrifice fly in the tenth to end the game. Victor Fernandez and Adrian Valerio at the top of the order had big games for the second day in a row. Fernandez went 3-for-5 with a walk and scored two runs. Valerio also went 3-for-5, driving in three runs, including the sacrifice fly to score pinch-runner Michael de la Cruz to end the game. Jhoan Herrera had two hits, including his third double of season. Garrett Brown had two hits and a walk, scoring one run. He also picked up an outfield assist.
Fifth round draft pick Blake Cederlind made his pro debut and had a rough outing, allowing four runs on five hits in three innings. He surrendered two home runs. Nick Hutchings followed him and gave up one run over three innings, with that run coming on a solo homer. Three 2016 late round draft picks then closed out the game, with Jordan Jess getting the win for two scoreless innings and Pasquale Mazzocoli striking out the side in his only inning.
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The GCL Pirates have off today. Check out the season preview here with information on the top ten prospects, as well as a few other players of interest on the team.
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The DSL Pirates have off today.
