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, Indianapolis – DNP
2. Austin Meadows, CF, Pirates – In Majors
3. Cole Tucker, SS, Altoona – 2-for-5, 2B
4. Shane Baz, RHP, Bristol – 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO
5. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Altoona – 2-for-4, BB, SB
6. Kevin Newman, SS, Indianapolis – 0-for-4
7. Taylor Hearn, LHP, Altoona – 5.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO
8. Lolo Sanchez, CF, West Virginia – 2-for-3, BB, RBI, SB
9. Bryan Reynolds, OF, Altoona – 1-for-5
10. Jordan Luplow, LF, Indianapolis – 3-for-3, BB
11. Luis Escobar, RHP, Bradenton – 6 IP, 4 H 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO
12. Clay Holmes, RHP, Pirates – In Majors
13. Braeden Ogle, LHP, West Virginia – DNP
14. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
15. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – 1-for-4
16. Adrian Valerio, SS, Bradenton – 2-for-5
17. Calvin Mitchell, OF, West Virginia – 0-for-4
18. Oneil Cruz, SS, West Virginia – 1-for-4, RBI
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 – 0-for-3, RBI, BB
23. Stephen Alemais, 2B/SS, Altoona – DNP
24. Jason Martin, OF, Indianapolis – 1-for-3, 2B
25. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Indianapolis – DNP
26. Eduardo Vera, RHP, Altoona – DNP
27. Mason Martin, 1B, Bristol – 0-for-5
28. Conner Uselton, OF, Bristol – 0-for-5
29. Cody Bolton, RHP, West Virginia – 2 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
30. Steven Jennings, RHP, Bristol – DNP
Indianapolis lost 8-3 to Columbus.
Tyler Eppler threw 6.1 shutout innings earlier this week. He lost a chance to repeat that feat in the first inning due to two runs allowed, but Eppler quickly settled down and threw shutout ball over his final five frames. He struck out eight batters and posted a 7:2 GO/AO ratio. He now has a 3.13 ERA in 86.1 innings. Damien Magnifico had major control issues in this game, allowing six runs on three hits and six walks in 1.2 innings. Bo Schultz recorded the final out, though not before he allowed two hits that scored three inherited runs.
Jordan Luplow reached base all four times up, with three hits and a walk. Ryan Lavarnway had the big hit for the Indians, belting a two-run homer in the seventh inning, his fifth of the season. Eric Wood hit his seventh home run for Indianapolis (he hit one with Morgantown earlier in the week). Jason Martin hit his first double in Triple-A.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Altoona lost 6-5 to Akron.
Taylor Hearn tossed seven shutout innings in a complete game earlier this week. It looked like he was headed that way before things got out of hand in the sixth and he gave up a grand slam. In the first five innings today, he dominated, allowing just a walk, while striking out four batters. After the grand slam, Hearn retired two more batters before leaving. Bret Helton took over and went 2.2 innings, allowing an unearned run and then a walk-off single in the ninth.
Cole Tucker and Ke’Bryan Hayes each had two hits. Tucker hit his 12th double and scored a run, while Hayes also drew a walk and stole his sixth base. Tyler Gaffney had the big day, Hitting his first homer and stealing his first base with Altoona. He drove in three runs. Will Craig had a walk, run scored and picked up his 57th RBI on a sacrifice fly.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bradenton won 12-8 over Dunedin.
Luis Escobar allowed five runs over five innings in his last start. This game was much better, as he allowed just one run on four hits over six innings. The only down part to this game was four walks, but he worked around them to give up just one run on a fourth inning homer. Escobar struck out five batters and threw 51 of 93 pitches for strikes.
Blake Cederlind took over in the seventh and all seven batters he faced reached base. He gave up five hits and two walks, leaving reliever Scooter Hightower with the bases loaded and no outs, to work out of a jam. He could only strand one runner and Cederlind got charged with six earned runs. Hightower threw the final three innings and allowed one run of his own.
Everyone in the lineup contributed at least one hit and everyone except Lucas Tancas scored at least one run, though he picked up an RBI double to help out the cause. Garrett Brown had three hits, two RBIs and one run scored. Casey Hughston, Arden Pabst and Adrian Valerio each had two hits. Hughston hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning. Pabst hit a solo homer earlier in the game, his seventh of the season. He had just four homers during his first two years of pro ball. Hunter Owen drove in three runs and scored twice. Jared Oliva scored two runs and picked up his 23rd stolen base.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
West Virginia lost 11-4 to Hagerstown.
Cody Bolton allowed a total of three runs in his five starts with the Power before today. That total was equaled in the first inning on Sunday, then matched in the second inning. Bolton lasted just two innings, allowing six runs on seven hits, one walk an four strikeouts. Sergio Cubilete followed and barely did any better, allowing five runs over three innings. Samuel Reyes came in and immediately settled things down with two shutout innings. Joel Cesar took care of the eighth.
The Power had seven hits, with a double from Rodolfo Castro accounting for the only extra-base hit. It was the tenth double for Castro, who also added a single and an RBI. Lolo Sanchez continued his recent hot stretch with two singles, a walk and his 16th stolen base. He also added an RBI. He is 11-for-27 with five walks in his last nine games. Chris Sharpe had one hit and two runs scored. Calvin Mitchell returned from the disabled list and went 0-for-4.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Morgantown lost 8-4 to Batavia.
Osvaldo Bido made his fourth start and allowed four runs on six hits and two walks in six innings. He had four strikeouts, a 9:4 GO/AO ratio and threw 50 of 80 pitches for strikes. Cody Smith came on in the seventh and went two scoreless innings. Logan Stoelke took over in the bottom of the ninth with a tie score and served up a walk-off grand slam.
Travis Swaggerty was back in the lineup after missing some time due to personal family matters. He went 0-for-4, but managed to steal his first two bases of his career. The Black Bears scored all of their runs on homers. Michael de la Cruz hit a three-run shot and Nick Valaika hit a solo homer. It was the first of the season for both players. Valaika, de la Cruz and Robbie Glendinning each had two hits. Third round pick Connor Kaiser is off to a 2-for-18 start.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bristol lost 3-2 to Danville.
Shane Baz made his third start of the season. He gave up three runs over 3.2 innings in his last appearance. He pitched much better on Sunday, allowing one run on a solo homer in 5.1 innings. Baz got a little help from Argenis Romano, who recorded the final two outs of the sixth and left the bases loaded. Baz gave up four hits, one walk and struck out five batters, while posting a 9:1 GO/AO ratio and throwing 50 of 78 pitches for strikes.
Romano added a scoreless seventh inning, then Leandro Pina sent the game into extra innings with two shutout innings. He was handed a 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the tenth, but lost it on a walk-off sacrifice fly. The winning pitcher for the Braves was Jacob Belinda, the nephew of Stan Belinda, so that doesn’t bring up bad memories or anything.
Just like yesterday, Mikell Granberry was the offense. He had a walk and two singles, scoring both runs. Also stole his first base of the season. Chase Lambert and Jonah Davis each had two hits. Brendt Citta had an RBI double.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
The GCL Pirates are off on Sundays.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
The DSL Pirates1 are off on Sundays
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
The DSL Pirates2 are off on Sundays.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview for both teams here.
