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 (Colin Moran, Edgar Santana, Kyle Crick, Max Moroff and Dovydas Neverauskas), 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 our 2018 Prospect Guide, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Mitch Keller, RHP, Altoona – 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
2. Austin Meadows, CF, Pirates – In Majors
3. Cole Tucker, SS, Altoona – 2-for-6, BB, SB
4. Shane Baz, RHP, Bristol – 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 SO
5. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Altoona – DNP
6. Kevin Newman, SS, Indianapolis – 3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI
7. Taylor Hearn, LHP, Altoona – DNP
8. Lolo Sanchez, CF, West Virginia – DNP
9. Bryan Reynolds, OF, Altoona – 4-for-7, 2B, 2 RBI
10. Jordan Luplow, LF, Indianapolis – 2-for-3, BB
11. Luis Escobar, RHP, Bradenton – 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 SO
12. Clay Holmes, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
13. Braeden Ogle, LHP, West Virginia – DNP
14. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO
15. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – 2-for-4, 2B, HR 2 RBI
16. Adrian Valerio, SS, Bradenton – 2-for-4, 2 2B
17. Calvin Mitchell, OF, West Virginia – DNP
18. Oneil Cruz, SS, West Virginia – DNP
19. Nick Burdi, RHP, Pirates (disabled list) – DNP
20. Dario Agrazal, RHP, Altoona – DNP
21. JT Brubaker, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
22. Will Craig, 1B, Altoona – 1-for-7
23. Stephen Alemais, 2B/SS, Altoona – 1-for-4, 2 BB, 2 SB
24. Jason Martin, OF, Altoona – 1-for-7
25. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Indianapolis – DNP
26. Eduardo Vera, RHP, Altoona – DNP
27. Mason Martin, 1B, Bristol – 2-for-6, 3B
28. Conner Uselton, OF, Bristol – 2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI
29. Cody Bolton, RHP, West Virginia – DNP
30. Steven Jennings, RHP, Bristol – DNP
Indianapolis won 8-5 over Norfolk on Wednesday afternoon.
Nick Kingham started, coming off of a game in which he allowed just two singles and no walks in eight shutout innings. He couldn’t match that effort, going six innings, with three runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out six batters. He posted a 6:4 GO/AO ratio and threw 59 of his 90 pitches for strikes. Enny Romero was out next making his his second rehab appearance with Indianapolis and fifth overall. He tossed a shutout inning, then Josh Smoker and Bo Schultz each followed with a shutout frame.
Kevin Newman and Kevin Kramer each drove in two runs. Kramer hit his 11th home run of the season, tying him with Will Craig for most in the system. He also hit his 15th double. Newman had three hits, including his 16th double. Jordan Luplow and Erich Weiss each had two hits. Adam Frazier had a single before being removed so he could make it to Pittsburgh for tonight’s game.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Altoona won 5-1 over Richmond.
Mitch Keller got the start in game one of a doubleheader and pitched great, allowing one unearned run over six innings, on four hits and one walk, with four strikeouts. Keller had a strong 10:2 GO/AO ratio and threw 62 of his 94 pitches for strikes. He now has his ERA down to 3.00 after 78 innings. Montana DuRapau tossed a scoreless seventh.
Bryan Reynolds had three hits, including his seventh double. Jordan George had a single, double and drove in two runs. Cole Tucker had two hits, a walk, a run scored and his 14th stolen base. Christian Kelley hit his first triple and Mitch Keller drove in a run, his first RBI.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
In game two, Sean Keselica got the spot start and recorded just one out before being pulled with 39 pitches. He gave up three hits, three walks and four runs. Bret Helton was out next and threw two shutout innings, followed by one run over two innings from Logan Sendelbach. Geoff Hartlieb threw a scoreless sixth, as Altoona lost 5-1.
Altoona didn’t have much offense left for game two, collecting two hits and walking twice. Bryan Reynolds doubled again, this time driving in the only run. Jin-De Jhang hit his fourth double. Stephen Alemais had both walks, two stolen bases (nine on the season) and scored the lone run.
You can view the season preview here.
Bradenton won 9-1 over Clearwater.
Luis Escobar started and had a very strong game, allowing just two hits and two walks over six shutout innings. He had six strikeouts and a 6:4 GO/AO ratio, while throwing 51 of 77 pitches for strikes. Prior to this game, Escobar had walked at least three batters in each of his previous five starts. Evan Piechota tossed two scoreless frames and Jordan Jess allowed a harmless run in the ninth.
The Marauders scored all of their runs in the second inning. The big hits were a three-run homer from Lucas Tancas and a two-run homer by Alfredo Reyes. Bradenton collected six of their nine hits and two of their four walks in the second, so they were shut down after one big inning. Reyes, Tancas and Adrian Valerio each had two hits. Valerio’s hits were both doubles. Jared Oliva stole his 21st base.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
West Virginia has off for their All-Star break. Calvin Mitchell and Deon Stafford played in the SAL All-Star game on Tuesday night. Mitchell went 1-for-3 with a single and two strikeouts. Stafford went 1-for-2 with a single and a run scored.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Morgantown won 4-3 over Batavia.
Alex Manasa got his second start, coming off a debut in which he allowed one run over six innings. He was nearly as strong in this game, allowing two runs over 6.1 innings, with both runs scoring after he left the game. Manasa allowed four hits, walked three and struck out four batters. He had a terrific 10:3 GO/AO ratio and threw 57 of his 87 pitches for strikes. Miguel Hernandez was out next and allowed two inherited runners to score in the seventh, plus a run of his own. He would throw shutout ball over the final two innings for the save.
Edison Lantigua singled twice and drove in three runs, giving him seven RBIs through six games. Michael de la Cruz didn’t have a hit before today, but he went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. The rest of the lineup went 2-for-25 with two singles and two walks, with no one else reaching base more than once.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bristol won 11-0 over Greeneville.
Shane Baz made his 2018 debut and tossed five shutout innings. It wasn’t the most efficient outing, but it will definitely do for his first start of the year. Baz allowed four hits (all singles) and three walks, while picking up just one strikeout. He threw 45 of his 80 pitches for strikes and posted an 8:2 GO/AO ratio. Argenis Romano was out next and he threw three shutout innings and struck out five batters. Luis Diaz finished off the blowout with a scoreless ninth.
The offense had it’s second straight big night. Eddy Vizcaino had three hits and drove in two runs. Victor Ngoepe, Mason Martin, Sherten Apostel, Mikell Granberry and Conner Uselton each had two hits. Granberry also walked twice, scored three times and had an RBI. Uselton drove in two runs and scored twice. Martin tripled and scored twice. Gabriel Brito had a single, two walks and two RBIs.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
The GCL Pirates lost 8-0 to the Tigers West.
Santiago Florez started and ran into trouble, partially due to poor defense behind him. In 3.1 innings, he allowed six runs (four earned), four hits and two walks, with four strikeouts. Luis Nova was out next. He came over from the DSL this week, where he allowed two runs over 10.2 innings, with 13 strikeouts. In this game, he allowed two runs over 3.2 innings. Jose Marcano pitched a scoreless eighth.
This game was bad on the offensive side for the Pirates and both Ji-Hwan Bae and Jean Eusebio had the day off, although Bae came in late as a defensive replacement at second base and didn’t bat. The Pirates had two hits, singles by Carlos Garcia and Samuel Inoa. Garcia also drew the only walk. The Pirates also committed three errors.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
The DSL Pirates1 won 5-4 over the Cubs
Yandy Vega made his third start and went 4.1 innings, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks, with five strikeouts. Julio Rosario allowed one unearned run over 3.2 innings, then Valentin Linarez struck out three batters around one walk in the ninth for the save.
Yoyner Fajardo, Daniel Rivero, Emilson Rosado and Rayvi Rodriguez each had two hits in the game. Rosado drove in two runs. Fajardo had a double and a triple. Rivero has a .328 average through 14 games.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
The DSL Pirates2 lost 7-4 to the Mariners.
Willy Basil made his fourth start. He came into the day with three runs allowed over 13.1 innings, with 17 strikeouts. Basil went five shutout innings with five strikeouts on Wednesday, giving up four hits and a walk. The Pirates2 had a four-run lead going into the bottom of the seventh, but an unearned run in the seventh, followed by six runs (three each) off of Oliver Mateo and Oscar Echarry in the eighth, cost them the game.
On offense, Mario Jerez hit his first home run. Mariano Dotel had a single, double and a run scored. Bryan Mateo hit a double. Stiwatt Valerio hit a sacrifice fly.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview for both teams here.
