A look at how the current top 30 prospects did today. If a player is in the majors for an extended time (Max Moroff), or loses his prospect eligibility, he will be removed from this list. 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 more active prospects on the list. Rankings are from the 2017 Mid-Season Update, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Mitch Keller, RHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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2. Austin Meadows, CF, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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3. Shane Baz, RHP, GCL Pirates – [insert_php]
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4. Cole Tucker, SS, Altoona – [insert_php]
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5. Kevin Newman, SS, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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6. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Bradenton -[insert_php]
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7. Will Craig, 3B, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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8. Elias Diaz, C, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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9. Taylor Hearn, LHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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10. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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11. Calvin Mitchell, OF, GCL Pirates – [insert_php]
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12. Braeden Ogle, LHP, Bristol – [insert_php]
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13. Edgar Santana, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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14. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Altoona -[insert_php]
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15. Steven Brault, LHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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16. Clay Holmes, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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17. Jordan Luplow, LF, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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18. Luis Escobar, RHP, West Virginia – [insert_php]
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19. Max Kranick, RHP, GCL Pirates – [insert_php]
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20. Steven Jennings, RHP, GCL Pirates – [insert_php]
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21. Adrian Valerio, SS, West Virginia – [insert_php]
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22. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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23. Conner Uselton, OF, GCL Pirates – Disabled List
24. Dovydas Neverauskas, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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25. Eric Wood, 3B, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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26. Eduardo Vera, RHP, West Virginia – [insert_php]
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27. Logan Hill, LF, Altoona – [insert_php]
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28. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
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29. Lolo Sanchez, CF, GCL Pirates – [insert_php]
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30. Dario Agrazal, RHP, Altoona – [insert_php]
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Indianapolis won big on Thursday, collecting 17 hits in an 11-1 win over Gwinnett. Tyler Glasnow started the game and went six innings, allowing one run on four hits and five walks, while picking up 11 strikeouts. He was hitting 97-98 consistently early on and the only run he allowed was on a home run from the first batter of the game. He threw 101 pitches, with 61 going for strikes, and posted a 6:1 GO/AO ratio. I watched most of the outing (missed two of the walks) and he wasn’t really wild, so the five walks aren’t as bad as they seem. He’s clearly a better pitcher now than he was in Triple-A last year and in the majors this season. His fastball looked nice and the curve was effective.
Indianapolis put up six runs in the first inning, with the first seven batters all collecting hits. Jordan Luplow continued his assault on Triple-A pitching by going 3-for-5 with his fifth homer for Indianapolis, 21st home run this season. He is batting .345 through his first 16 games. Eric Wood hit his 14th home run of the season, then left the game right after the homer, getting replaced on defense in the bottom of the fifth. No reason was given, but it may have had to do with the 9-1 score and just getting a regular some time off. Phil Gosselin had three hits and drove in two runs.
Kevin Newman had a better day defensively than the other two shortstops who moved up, just because he didn’t commit an error. He went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, although all three hits didn’t leave the infield and both outs were grounders, so he didn’t exactly hit the ball well on a night the Indianapolis bats were on fire.
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Altoona lost 7-6 on a walk-off walk in the ninth inning. Luis Heredia issued an intentional walk to load the bases with two outs, then walked the next batter to take the loss. Alex McRae started and gave up five runs in six innings, but only one of those runs was earned. He allowed six hits, three walks and hit a batter. Altoona committed four errors on the night, two by Cole Tucker who had a horrible first game with his new team. From the lead-off spot, he went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts. Elvis Escobar batting second also had an 0-for-5, two strikeout night.
The Curve put six runs on the board with half of them coming in the fifth inning on Jin-De Jhang’s first home run of the season. Edwin Espinal added a solo shot in the fourth inning, his 14th home run of the season. Both Espinal and Logan Hill had RBI singles during a five-run fifth inning. Wyatt Mathisen had two hits, including his 14th double. Pablo Reyes stole his tenth base, which is tops on the team.
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Mitch Keller started for Bradenton tonight, coming off two outings in which he allowed ten runs on 12 hits and nine walks in just 9.1 total innings. He turned things around in this game, but his night had a bad ending. Keller allowed one unearned run on one hit and two walks through six innings. He had four strikeouts and a 9:5 GO/AO ratio. In the seventh inning, with 85 pitches already, he took a line drive off of his shin from the lead-off batter. Keller picked the ball up and threw it away for an error. That was the end of his night though, as he couldn’t continue.
Bradenton won 4-1, as Daniel Zamora tossed two scoreless and Seth McGarry got the save in the ninth. Stephen Alemais had a nice debut at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. He also committed a throwing error, as did Keller and Ke’Bryan Hayes. Will Craig had a single, double and a sacrifice fly. Kevin Krause had two hits and an RBI. Jordan George extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a single.
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West Virginia won 6-5 on Monday night, as starter Eduardo Vera allowed three runs over 5.2 innings. Vera continues to build on his career high inning total in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. He has now thrown 82.2 innings, which is 22.2 more than what he put up during the 2013 season. Vera now has a 3.16 ERA this season, with a 68:9 SO/BB ratio, a 1.14 WHIP and a 1.42 GO/AO ratio.
The Power put up three runs late in this game then had to go to the bullpen to hold the lead. Matt Eckelman pitched the ninth and gave up two runs. He was pulled with the tying run on base and two outs. Julio Eusebio stranded that runner by picking up the strikeout and earned a save in the process.
Adrian Valerio left yesterday’s game early, which turned out to be a non-injury related removal. He was back in the lineup tonight and went 1-for-4 with a single from the lead-off spot. Yoel Gonzalez had two hits, including his first homer with the Power. Carlos Munoz had a single, three walks and an RBI.
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Morgantown won 8-2 over State College, as Bligh Madris had himself quite the night. The ninth round draft pick homered for the first time as a pro yesterday. On Thursday night, he homered two more times, plus he collected two singles on a 4-for-4 night. He scored three runs and both homers were solo shots. Jared Oliva had two singles and a triple from the lead-off spot. He stole two bases to give him eight on the season. Oliva also had a run scored and an RBI. Connor Joe played his first rehab game, coming back from a dislocated finger he suffered last month. He went 1-for-4 with a run scored and played the entire game at first base.
Speaking of rehab, Brandon Waddell went four innings in this game. He made his first rehab start in the GCL over the weekend, throwing three shutout innings. On Thursday, he allowed one run on four hits and a walk, with four strikeouts. The run was on a homer. Waddell threw 60 pitches, with 41 going for strikes. Yoandy Fernandez followed him and also allowed one run on four hits and a walk in four innings. The difference between Waddell’s night being that Fernandez struck out seven batters. He has 28 strikeouts in 21 innings.
Deon Stafford was 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Dylan Busby was 0-for-3 with a walk.
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Bristol dropped to 8-20 on the season with a 7-1 loss to Elizabethton. Braeden Ogle started and gave up five runs (four earned) in five innings. He allowed seven hits, which included four doubles. Ogle walked one, struck out two batters and threw 51 of 80 pitches for strikes. Bristol played poor defense on this night, committing four errors, with one extending an inning for Ogle and another by Kyle Watson led to the unearned run. In limited time, Watson has committed eight errors already, many of which have resulted in unearned runs. He was removed for a defensive replacement in the fifth inning.
Alex Manasa followed Ogle and allowed just one earned run in his three innings, but he also surrendered seven hits. Batters were hitting .304 against him prior to this game. The 11th round pick was considered to be a raw pitcher, still just 19 years old, even though he had a year of college ball.
Bristol had six hits on the night, along with one walk and 12 strikeouts. Jason Delay was the offense. He had two hits, including a double, which was the only extra-base hit. He also had the only walk and drove in the lone run. Yondry Contreras was 1-for-4 with a single and an outfield assist. Edison Lantigua left yesterday’s game due to illness and remained out on Thursday.
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The GCL Pirates won an 11-6 contest in 11 innings over the Blue Jays. Shane Baz made his fourth pro start and ran into a little trouble in this one, but managed to limit the damage. In three innings of work, he gave up one run on five hits and two walks, while striking out three batters. Baz allowed four singles in the third inning, but some poor base running by the Blue Jays led to two outs on the bases. He now has a 2.08 ERA in 8.2 innings, with eight hits, six walks and eight strikeouts. Baz should increase to four innings in his next start. Yeudry Manzanillo followed him and allowed one run over four innings, on four hits, no walks and five strikeouts.
Mason Martin had himself quite a day. He homered twice, giving him a share of the GCL lead with four homers. He also had a single and was walked intentionally in his final two plate appearances. After a slow start, he is 9-for-14 with four homers, two doubles and four walks in his last four games.
The big hit in this game was from Jeremias Portorreal, who hit a grand slam in the 11th inning for his second homer of the season. He also added two singles and two runs scored. Rodolfo Castro had four hits in the game. Lolo Sanchez had two hits, including his fifth double. He scored twice and had an RBI. The boxscore has some errors, but should be updated at some point. Everything here is correct.
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The DSL Pirates had a crazy game against the Astros Orange on Thursday. The Pirates had just five hits, went 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position, left seven runners on base and they were 0-for-2 in stolen base attempts. All of those poor offensive numbers and yet they won 13-2. The reason they won is because the Astros Orange really couldn’t find the strike zone. The Pirates walked 18 times…yes, 18 times, and they didn’t even bat in the ninth. There was also a hit-by-pitch and nine wild pitches. Strictly for comparison sake, the National League record (since 1876) is 17 walks in a nine inning game.
Santiago Florez started for the Pirates and threw five shutout innings. His line doesn’t look bad compared to the rest of the game, but he walked five batters and had just one strikeout. Kleiner Machado threw the last four innings for the save.
On offense, which is most just walks for each batter, Jean Eusebio had three walks and two runs scored. He has 23 walks and 21 strikeouts this year. Samuel Inoa hit his tenth double, and added two walks and three runs scored. Sherten Apostel had three walks, a run scored and an RBI. He has 38 RBIs and 24 walks in 35 games. Kyle Simmons was 1-for-1 with three walks and three runs scored. Francisco Acuna somehow didn’t draw a walk, but he had a single, scored twice and picked up an RBI.
