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 – DNP
2. Austin Meadows, CF, Pirates – In Majors
3. Cole Tucker, SS, Altoona – DNP
4. Shane Baz, RHP, Bristol – DNP
5. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Altoona – DNP
6. Kevin Newman, SS, Indianapolis – 1-for-4, 2B
7. Taylor Hearn, LHP, Altoona – DNP
8. Lolo Sanchez, CF, West Virginia – DNP
9. Bryan Reynolds, OF, Altoona – DNP
10. Jordan Luplow, LF, Indianapolis – 1-for-4
11. Luis Escobar, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
12. Clay Holmes, RHP, Indianapolis – 7.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO
13. Braeden Ogle, LHP, West Virginia – DNP
14. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
15. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – 0-for-3
16. Adrian Valerio, SS, Bradenton – 1-for-4, 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 – DNP
23. Stephen Alemais, 2B/SS, Altoona – DNP
24. Jason Martin, OF, Altoona – DNP
25. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Indianapolis – DNP
26. Eduardo Vera, RHP, Altoona – DNP
27. Mason Martin, 1B, Bristol – 1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB
28. Conner Uselton, OF, Bristol – 2-for-6
29. Cody Bolton, RHP, West Virginia – DNP
30. Steven Jennings, RHP, Bristol – 4.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO
Indianapolis won 4-2 over Norfolk.
Clay Holmes continued his recent streak of success by allowing one run over 7.1 innings on Tuesday. He allowed five hits, no walks and he struck out eight batters, while posting an insane 12:1 GO/AO ratio. In his last four starts combined, he’s gone 25.1 innings, allowing two runs, with a 28:4 GO/AO ratio. He has a 3.39 ERA now after beginning June with a 5.05 ERA. Tanner Anderson finished the eighth and stranded an inherited runner, while Johnny Hellweg allowed a run in the ninth, but got his 11th save.
Jung Ho Kang had a big game, going 3-for-4 while driving in three runs. Adam Frazier had a single, double and scored two runs. Kevin Newman hit his 15th double and Jacob Stallings returned from Pittsburgh to hit his 14th double. Pablo Reyes had an RBI single to drive in the fourth run.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Altoona had their game rained out. They will play a doubleheader tomorrow.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bradenton lost 5-3 to Clearwater.
Oddy Nunez tossed six shutout innings, working around some traffic on the bases. He allowed just three hits, but walked four batters and hit another. Nunez struck out three batters and threw 47 of his 83 pitches for strikes. The game got a little out of hand after Nunez left, with both Adam Oller and Jake Brentz allowing multiple runs in their inning of work. Angel German tossed shutout ball in the ninth.
Bradenton had just six hits, but four of them went for extra bases. Arden Pabst hit his sixth home run, while Jared Oliva, Albert Baur and Adrian Valerio each hit doubles. Oliva also had a walk, an RBI and an outfield assist. Baur also had a single and an RBI. Bligh Madris had a single and a walk.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
West Virginia has off for their All-Star break.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Morgantown won 7-6 over Batavia.
This was not a pretty game and Morgantown did their best to lose it, committing six errors, two passed balls, a caught stealing and three runners thrown out on the bases, all by the same outfielder. The 3-5 hitters carried the lineup to victory. Edison Lantigua had three hits, two runs and an RBI. Luke Mangieri had two hits, two runs and an RBI. Jhoan Herrera had three hits, which included two doubles and a homer. He drove in three runs.
Pirates eighth round pick Zach Spears made his pro debut and it was a strong one, with one hit and one walk over three scoreless innings. He failed to strike out a batter, but he had a nice 6:3 GO/AO ratio, while throwing 20 of his 34 pitches for strikes. Michael LoPresti, the 18th round pick, was out next for his debut and he gave up three runs (two earned) in two innings. Connor Loeprich and John Pomeroy had scoreless outings. Ryan Valdes got Pomeroy out of a jam in the eighth, but Logan Stoelke couldn’t do the same for Valdes, allowing two runs to score. The good part for Valdes was that the three runs he allowed were all unearned.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bristol won 10-2 over Greeneville.
Steven Jennings, the 42nd overall pick in last year’s draft, got the start tonight. He was strong through four innings, then got roughed up a bit in the fifth. He finished with 4.1 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks, with four strikeouts. He got a little help from Vince Deyzel, who stranded an inherited runner in the fifth, then added another two shutout innings. Austin Shields finished the game with two scoreless innings.
The entire lineup contributed in this one, mostly due to wild pitchers on the other side. The Pirates had 16 walks and a hit batter, to go along with nine hits. Starting from the top, Victor Ngoepe had a double and two walks. Yondry Contreras had a single, double, walk, HBP and scored three runs. Mason Martin had a homer, three walks and three RBIs. Sherten Apostel had three walks. Mikell Granberry had a triple and two walks. Conner Uselton had two singles. Jeremias Portorreal had a single and three walks. Gabriel Brito had a single and a walk. Ninth place hitter Francisco Mepris had a walk and run scored.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
The GCL Pirates lost 7-1 to the Braves.
Ji-Hwan Bae was at second base today instead of shortstop, switching spot’s with Francisco Acuna, who started at second yesterday. Bae would switch back to shortstop late in the game when Acuna had to leave early. Bae went 0-for-4 in the game. The Pirates had just six hits, with Larry Alcime and Williams Calderon each picking up two singles. Jean Eusebio had a triple, a walk and scored the only run.
Luis Arrieta got the start after putting up a 2.56 ERA in 52.2 innings last year in the DSL. He allowed two runs over three innings, then gave way to Kleiner Machado, who tossed three shutout frames. Hai-Cheng Gong, the young pitcher from China signed last May, made his pro debut and it did not go well. He allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits in 1.1 innings. Saul de la Cruz retired the last four batters, three by strikeouts.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
The DSL Pirates1 won 9-6 over the Cubs1
Arlinthon De Dios made his fourth start and this was his roughest outing. He went 2.2 innings, allowing four runs on four hits and four walks, with one strikeout. He walked four batters in his first three starts combined. Yoelvis Reyes was out next and he helped De Dios by stranding three inherited runners. Reyes would give up two runs over 4.1 innings and Miguel Diaz would get the save with two shutout innings.
On offense, Shendrik Apostel, Daniel Rivero, Jommer Hernandez and Rayvi Rodriguez each drove in two runs. Apostel hit his second homer. Juan Pie went 1-for-5, but his lone hit was his fourth triple and he now has ten extra-base hits in 13 games. Yoyner Fajardo had a single, triple, two walks and two runs scored. Randy Romero had a single, walk, RBI, two runs scored and his third stolen base.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
The DSL Pirates2 won 3-1 over the Mariners.
Angel Suero had a strong outing with one unearned run on four hits and a walk in four innings. He struck out seven batters, and now has 18 strikeouts in 16.1 innings over four starts. Xavier Concepcion tossed four no-hit innings with three walks and five strikeouts. Eddison Polonia got his first save.
The Pirates2 scored all of their runs in the third inning. Edgar Barrios had an RBI single, then after a Germin Lopez double, an error on a grounder led to two more runs scoring. Barrios and Bryan Mateo each had two hits. Matthew Mercedes hit his third double and walked. Fleury Nova stole two bases, giving him four steals on the year.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview for both teams here.
