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 (Austin Meadows, Colin Moran, Nick Kingham, 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, Indianapolis – DNP
2. Cole Tucker, SS, Altoona – 0-for-1, 2 BB, SB
3. Shane Baz, RHP, Bristol – DNP
4. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Altoona – 0-for-2, BB, HBP
5. Kevin Newman, SS, Indianapolis – 0-for-4, BB
6. Taylor Hearn, LHP, Altoona – 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
7. Lolo Sanchez, CF, West Virginia – 0-for-2, BB
8. Bryan Reynolds, OF, Altoona – 0-for-4
9. Jordan Luplow, LF, Pirates – In Majors
10. Luis Escobar, RHP, Altoona – DNP
11. Clay Holmes, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
12. Braeden Ogle, LHP, West Virginia – DNP
13. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – 3-for-4, RBI
14. Adrian Valerio, SS, Bradenton – 2-for-5, 2B
15. Calvin Mitchell, OF, West Virginia – 0-for-4
16. Oneil Cruz, SS, West Virginia – 1-for-4
17. Nick Burdi, RHP, Bradenton – 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO
18. Dario Agrazal, RHP, Altoona – DNP
19. JT Brubaker, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
20. Will Craig, 1B, Altoona – 0-for-3, RBI
21. Stephen Alemais, 2B/SS, Altoona – 1-for-1, 2B, 2 BB, RBI, SB
22. Jason Martin, OF, Indianapolis – 1-for-4, RBI
23. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Indianapolis – DNP
24. Eduardo Vera, RHP, Altoona – DNP
25. Mason Martin, 1B, Bristol – 2-for-2, 3 BB
26. Conner Uselton, OF, Bristol – 3-for-5, RBI
27. Cody Bolton, RHP, West Virginia – DNP
28. Steven Jennings, RHP, Bristol – 5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO
29. Max Kranick, RHP, West Virginia – 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO
30. Domingo Robles, LHP, West Virginia – DNP
Indianapolis lost 4-3 to Gwinnett.
Tyler Eppler got the start and went seven innings, allowing four runs on ten hits, with no walks and three strikeouts. He threw 62 of 88 pitches for strikes on a night that Indianapolis was desperate for innings from their starter. They had to use Ryan Lavarnway on the mound yesterday and their bullpen is missing two arms with Tanner Anderson in the majors and Bo Schultz on the DL. Jesus Liranzo made quick work in the eighth inning.
Indianapolis had plenty of chances to score, but they couldn’t overcome a 4-1 deficit after three innings. Kevin Kramer had three hits and an RBI. Adam Frazier reached base four times on a single, double, walk and hit-by-pitch. He had an RBI and a run scored. Jose Osuna had a single and his 22nd double. Jason Martin had a single and an RBI ground out.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Altoona lost 5-2 to Bowie.
Taylor Hearn made his first start since getting the opening assignment in the Eastern League All-Star game. He gave up just one run on five hits and two walks over six innings, but it wasn’t your typical night for Hearn. He struck out two batters, which is his lowest strikeout total this season and a number he finished with once last year. He threw 61 of 98 pitches for strikes and his 8:5 GO/AO ratio is much better than his season average (0.67). Sean Keselica had the seventh and he breezed through two innings. He tried to get the save in the ninth, but ended up giving up four runs, including two on a home run.
Ke’Bryan Hayes returned from his All-Star/Futures Game week and went 0-for-2 with a walk and hit-by-pitch. Cole Tucker had two walks, a run scored and his 21st stolen base. Will Craig picked up his 66th RBI on a sacrifice fly. Stephen Alemais had an RBI double, two walks and his 12th stolen base.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bradenton lost 9-2 to Jupiter.
Nick Burdi made his first rehab appearance with the Pirates and dominated in his lone inning, striking out the side on 13 pitches. For more details on Burdi, check out our article from earlier. Oddy Nunez was the scheduled starter for today and he took over in the second inning. His night didn’t go well, but he managed to battle through five innings. He gave up six runs on six hits (five were extra-base hits), three walks and three hit batters. Adam Oller took over next and gave up a three-run homer in the seventh. Deivy Mendez had the eighth and Jake Brentz pitched the ninth.
Adrian Valerio had two hits, including his 20th double of the season. Mitchell Tolman went 3-or-3 with his eighth double, his fifth stolen base, a walk and a run scored. Hunter Owen hit his 12th home run of the season, a solo shot in the eighth. Garrett Brown had an RBI single to drive in the other run.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
West Virginia lost 4-1 to Delmarva
Max Kranick got the start, trying to bounce back from a rough game last time out. He came out of the gate strong, striking out the side in the first inning. He ran into a little bit of trouble at the very end of his outing, but it was an overall great performance. Kranick went 5.1 innings, allowing one run on four hits and a walk, while setting a career high with nine strikeouts. He threw 64 of 88 pitches for strikes. Beau Sulser followed and allowed an unearned run in his 1.2 innings, which handed him the loss. The run scored due to Oneil Cruz’s 28th error. Elvis Escobar took the final two innings and gave up two runs.
The Power had just three hits on the night. They walked three times and struck out 13 times. Deon Stafford hit his 13th double and scored the only run. Jesse Medrano drove him in with a single. He also picked up one of the walks. Oneil Cruz singled for the only other hit.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Morgantown lost 6-3 to Staten Island
Aaron Shortridge had an outstanding performance during a rare morning game for Morgantown. In five innings, he allowed one run on three hits, with no walks and nine strikeouts. He threw 51 of his 70 pitches for strikes. Shortridge now has a 3.52 ERA in 23 innings, with 30 strikeouts. Nicolas Economos tossed two shutout frames before Conner Loeprich gave up five runs while recording just one out in the eighth. Cody Smith came out to get the final two outs.
The big hit for Morgantown in this game was a two-run double by Brett Kinneman, his fourth double of the season. Unfortunately for the Black Bears, it came with two outs in the ninth and the game ended on the next batter. They picked up just five hits as a team, with Travis Swaggerty collecting a single, double and two runs scored. The first run of the game scored on an error after Swaggerty’s double.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bristol won 10-3 over Greeneville.
Steven Jennings got the start, coming off of a career high nine strikeouts in his last outing. He gave up three runs over five innings in that game and matched those numbers tonight, but he finished with just one strikeout. Jennings allowed six hits, three walks and he hit a batter. He threw 49 of 82 pitches for strikes and he had a 6:4 GO/AO ratio. John O’Reilly followed him and threw two shutout frames. Joe Jacques handled the eighth and Will Gardner took care of the ninth.
On offense, Bristol reached base 20 times and half of those runners scored. Mason Martin had two single, three walks and scored four runs. Conner Uselton had three hits, an RBI and a run scored. Sherten Apostel hit his second home run and drove in two runs. He also had a single and a walk. Gabriel Brito drove in four runs on two singles and two sacrifice flies. Jonah Davis hit his eighth double, giving him 16 extra-base hits in 18 games. Dean Lockery hit his first pro home run.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
The GCL Pirates lost 4-0 to the Tigers West.
Starter Santiago Florez could not follow up his six no-hit innings performance from last week. He went three innings in this game, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks, with three strikeouts. Wilmer Contreras followed and allowed one run over three innings, with four strikeouts. It was the first earned run he has given up this season in 13.1 innings. Andres Arrieta started pitching in the bottom of the seventh, but rains came before the first batter was finished and the game never resumed.
Christopher Bostick played his first rehab game in his return from appendicitis, which landed him on the disabled list on June 27th. He played center field and went 1-for-2 with a single, stolen base and a walk. The only other hit for the Pirates was a double by Rafelin Lorenzo, who is also in the GCL on rehab. A third rehab player, Dylan Busby, went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. In six games he is 2-for-18 with nine strikeouts. Patrick Dorrian and Fernando Villegas each had two walks.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
The DSL Pirates1 won 4-0 over the Rangers1
In the first game of a doubleheader, Jesus Valles dominated for six innings, giving up just three hits and a walk. He had two strikeouts and an 8:4 GO/AO ratio. Valles has a 3.10 ERA through his first 40.2 innings. Valentin Linarez retired the side in order in the seventh to wrap up the game.
Emilson Rosado went 3-for-3 with his sixth double, a run scored and an RBI. Carlos Arroyo and Yoyner Fajardo each went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Norkis Marcos had a single, run scored and his third stolen base.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
In game two, Bryan Torres warmed up to make the start, but the game went into a rain delay in the top of the first, so he didn’t get a chance to pitch. When it resumed, Enrique Santana got the starting nod and allowed three runs (two earned) over two innings. Jose Amaya then allowed two runs over 1.2 innings, before Wander Romero made his pro debut and recorded the final out of the fourth. After the Pirates were retired in the top of the fifth, the game went into a second delay and was called after a short time, giving a 5-0 win to the Rangers1.
The offense had three singles, a walk and nine strikeouts in 18 plate appearances. Juan Pie walked, but he was thrown out stealing and his error led to an unearned run. Jommer Hernandez, Emilson Rosado and Ruben Gonzalez each had one hit.
The DSL Pirates2 had their game suspended with a 1-1 score in the sixth inning. Boxscore is below. We will post a game recap tomorrow after it has been completed.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview for both teams here.
