A look at how the current top 30 prospects did today. If a player is in the majors for an extended time, 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 Prospect Guide, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Austin Meadows, CF, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
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2. Mitch Keller, RHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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3. Kevin Newman, SS, Altoona – [insert_php]
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4. Cole Tucker, SS, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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5. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Bradenton -[insert_php]
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6. Will Craig, 3B, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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7. Taylor Hearn, LHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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8. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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9. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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10. Steven Brault, LHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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11. Clay Holmes, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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12. Braeden Ogle, LHP, Bristol – [insert_php]
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13. Max Kranick, RHP, GCL Pirates – [insert_php]
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14. Elias Diaz, C, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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15. Edgar Santana, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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16. Luis Escobar, RHP, West Virginia – [insert_php]
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17. Dovydas Neverauskas, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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18. Yeudy Garcia, RHP, Altoona -[insert_php]
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19. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Altoona -[insert_php]
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20. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
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21. Stephen Alemais, SS, West Virginia – [insert_php]
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22. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Altoona – [insert_php]
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23. Travis MacGregor, RHP, Bristol – [insert_php]
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24. Barrett Barnes, LF, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
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25. Max Moroff, 2B, Pirates -[insert_php]
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26. Eric Wood, 3B, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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27. J.T. Brubaker, RHP, Altoona – [insert_php]
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28. Chris Bostick, INF/OF, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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29. Connor Joe, 3B, Altoona – [insert_php]
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30. Jin-De Jhang, C, Altoona – [insert_php]
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Indianapolis is off until Thursday.
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Altoona is off until Thursday.
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Bradenton lost 7-4 to Clearwater on Wednesday morning, as Cam Vieaux had his first poor outing since being promoted to Bradenton. In four innings, Vieaux allowed five runs on seven hits, a walk and a hit batter. He threw 78 pitches, with 51 strikes, while striking out one batter and posting a 6:3 GO/AO ratio. Vieaux allowed two homers. In his first three starts combined with the Marauders, he allowed a total of three runs.
Gage Hinsz pitched in relief, as the Pirates continued their odd use of starters out of the bullpen. Hinsz was on a roll recently, giving up a total of five runs over his four previous starts combined, while going at least 5.2 innings each time. So of course you want to throw a young starter into the bullpen for a day just to shake things up. It did not go well predictably, other than he got some help from some very poor base running. Hinsz allowed a single and then a very long homer. For some reason, the runner at first base didn’t know what happened on the play and in the confusion, he missed second base and almost got passed on the bases. The Marauders appealed at second, and while the home run stands under baseball rules, the runner on base was out and it turned into a solo homer.
Starling Marte continued his rehab, moving down a couple levels while Indianapolis is on their All-Star break. He went 1-for-4 with a single and a stolen base. He can return to the Pirates on Tuesday. Ke’Bryan Hayes had a single, walk and RBI. Will Craig had a single, walk and run scored. Cole Tucker went 1-for-4 with a single and caught stealing. He is 34-for-46 in steals this season.
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CHARLESTON, WV – Fresh off the Futures Game, Luis Escobar leapt into a pitchers’ duel. The starter battled the Augusta GreenJackets over five innings and, apart from two singles to start the game, subdued the visiting side. The lead-off man scored in the first on a fielder’s choice, but that was the only run allowed by Escobar.
Escobar sat 93-95 and never really deviated from that range. His curveball looked great once he got it down in the zone consistently. His biggest problem was his high pitch count; he left the game having thrown 86 pitches (only 48 strikes). He walked three and got into a bit of trouble in the fifth when a wild pitch moved runners to second and third. Escobar worked a grounder to short to end the inning and keep the score at 1-0.
“His fastball up in the zone was the best I’ve seen it all year,” said Power manager Wyatt Toregas. “He wants to use his curveball to put guys away, but now he’s learn he can blow a pitch by a hitter and then bounce a curve in the dirt the next time.”
The West Virginia offense continues to be streaky. They crushed the ball in the last game of their road trip but couldn’t muster anything tonight. The offensive tribulations have been particularly glaring at home where the Power hold a 16-29 record.
Augusta’s starter, Garrett Williams, pitched into the eighth inning and completely dismantled the Power offense. The West Virginia batters displayed poor plate patience. Only Albert Baur and Garrett Brown worked at-bats of more than five pitches – a six-pitch walk in the first inning and a six-pitch strikeout in the fifth inning, respectively.
Hunter Owen reached base twice. He recorded his third consecutive game with a double and took his 21st HBP of the year.
Owen’s hit by pitch loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth, giving West Virginia their best scoring opportunity. Carlos Munoz grounded to first to end the threat. Munoz left six runners on base and recorded the final out in three innings.
Brent Gibbs looked very weak behind the plate, whiffing on two of Escobar’s curveballs and allowing runners to advance. Manager Wyatt Toregas replaced Gibbs with Arden Pabst after Gibbs allowed a pitch through his legs in the fifth inning. Pabst fared much better and caught a runner stealing in the ninth.
Toregas wasn’t too upset about Gibbs’s struggles after the game. “It’s hard to simulate in-game experience, especially with a guy like Escobar who can be unpredictable,” he said.
Coming off an 11-run outing on Monday, this was a disappointing loss, which spoiled a strong start by Luis Escobar. After tonight’s 2-0 loss, the Power have been shut out by Augusta three times this season. – Abigail Miskowiec
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Morgantown won a pitching duel by a 2-1 score in ten innings over Hudson Valley. The game was delayed at the start by about 90 minutes and they bats for both sides failed to show up. Ike Schlabach started and the only run he allowed in six innings was after a grounder went between the legs of Dylan Busby and a runner from first base came around to score. Schlabach allowed just four hits, with no walks and four strikeouts, but he also had one of the worst fly ball games you’ll see. He posted a 3:9 GO/AO ratio. He now has a 2.08 ERA in 26 innings and hasn’t allowed more than four hits in any of his five starts.
Three relievers followed Schlabach and combined for four shutout innings. Adam Oller got the win, though his defense made it interesting. With two outs, Raul Siri couldn’t handle a ground ball, which put runners on the corners. Oller then picked up his third strikeout to end the game.
Morgantown had just five hits on the night. They tied the score in the eighth on a Tristan Gray triple, followed by an RBI ground out. In the tenth, Busby reached on an infield single, then moved to second on a single by Gray. Bligh Madris tried to bunt the runners up, but a wild pitch did that for him. Then he brought home the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly.
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Bristol starter Hunter Stratton allowed a one-out single in the first inning on Wednesday night. That would end up being the only hit surrendered by Bristol pitchers, as they won 5-0 over Johnson City. Stratton pitched well in his 4.2 innings, though his high pitch count kept him from earning the win. He walked three batters and had five strikeouts. He threw 47 of his 77 pitches for strikes and posted a 6:2 GO/AO ratio.
Alex Manasa, the 11th round pick, threw 2.1 shutout frames, retiring seven of the eight batters he faced. The only runner to reach was on an error. It was a nice comeback from two tough outings in a row, games in which he allowed five earned runs on nine hits and two walks in just 3.1 innings combined. Miguel Hernandez and Eddie Muhl finished the game off with one inning each.
Bristol had three players hit their first home run of the season. Fourth round pick Jason Delay hit a solo homer in the third inning. Johan De Jesus hit a two-run shot the next inning, followed by a solo home run from Ryen Peurifoy in the eighth inning. Peurifoy had three hits, while De Jesus and Matt Diorio each had two base hits. Neither Yondry Contreras nor Edison Lantigua played in this game.
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The GCL Pirates won four the second day in a row, improving their record to 4-11 on the season, which gets them out of the GCL basement. Steven Jennings, the 42nd overall pick this season, made his second pro start and extended himself to three innings. He allowed an unearned run on four hits and two walks, with two strikeouts. Jennings threw two scoreless innings in his debut last week. He had a 4:1 GO/AO ratio today, as did Austin Shields, who followed him on the mound. I mentioned yesterday that Shields had a minor skin infection, which caused him not to throw for five days, so he was limited to two innings today instead of a five inning start yesterday. He allowed a run on two hits and two walks, while striking out one batter.
The Pirates got some strong hitting on this day from two players. Kevin “Lolo” Sanchez had four hits and scored three runs. He hit his fourth double and stole two bases to give him seven steals on the season. Sanchez has a .346/.404/.519 slash line in 13 games. Gabriel Brito had four hits and drove in three runs off of the bench. Rodolfo Castro was originally the DH, but he was benched after not running out a fly ball in the first inning. Brito replaced him and had a perfect day at the plate.
Stephen Alemais went 1-for-4 with a double, walk, RBI and two runs scored. He also committed his second error during his rehab outing. Calvin Mitchell went 0-for-3 with a walk.
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The DSL Pirates lost a tough 10-3 game to the Indians. All three runs for the Pirates scored on wild pitches, with one in the third inning and two in the fourth. After the fourth inning, the Pirates had four base runners, two on walks and two on errors. Singles by Sherten Apostel, Williams Calderon and Ruben Gonzalez were the only hits. Jean Eusebio went 0-for-4, reaching on a fielder’s choice. He stole his sixth base and scored a run. Calderon was the only player to reach base twice, also drawing a walk.
Starter Noe Toribio had a tough day made worse by the defense. He allowed seven runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks in 3.1 innings. The Indians scored four runs in the second inning and another five in the fourth frame. Reliever Julio Rosario allowed three runs of his own in 1.2 innings and another two inherited runs scored off of him. He has been extremely wild and that led to four walks in this game and 19 walks in 9.2 innings this season.
