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 (Kevin Newman, Nick Burdi, Bryan Reynolds and Cole Tucker), 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 (Travis MacGregor), 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 updated 2019 Prospect Guide, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Mitch Keller, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
2. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Indianapolis – 1-for-4, RBI
3. Oneil Cruz, SS, Bradenton – DNP
4. Travis Swaggerty, CF, Bradenton – DNP
5. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – 1-for-4, RBI
6. Will Craig, 1B, Indianapolis – 1-for-4
7. Jason Martin, OF, Indianapolis – 2-for-3, HR (4), RBI
8. JT Brubaker, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
9. Calvin Mitchell, OF, Bradenton – 2-for-4, HR (6), RBI
10. Cody Bolton, RHP, Bradenton – 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 10 SO
11. Tahnaj Thomas, RHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
12. Braxton Ashcraft, RHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
13. Lolo Sanchez, CF, Greensboro – 1-for-5
14. Pablo Reyes, Util, Indianapolis – 0-for-4
15. Clay Holmes, RHP, Pirates – In Majors
16. Braeden Ogle, LHP, Greensboro – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
17. Stephen Alemais, 2B/SS, Altoona – Out for the Season
18. Michael Burrows, RHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
19. Jared Oliva, CF, Altoona – DNP
20. Ji-Hwan Bae, SS, Greensboro – 3-for-4, 3 Runs, SB
21. Max Kranick, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
22. Luis Escobar, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
23. Osvaldo Bido, RHP, Greensboro – DNP
24. Eduardo Vera, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
25. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Altoona – DNP
26. Aaron Shortridge, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
27. Blake Weiman, LHP, Altoona – DNP
28. Steven Jennings, RHP, Greensboro – 5.0 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO
29. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Indianapolis – 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 SO
30. Jesus Liranzo, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
Indianapolis won 4-0 over Charlotte. In his Triple-A debut last week, Pedro Vasquez allowed eight runs over 3.1 innings. This night was a little bit different. Over six shutout innings, he gave up one hit and one walk, while picking up a season high seven strikeouts. Brandon Waddell followed with 1.2 shutout innings, while Dovydas Neverauskas recorded the final out of the eighth, stranding the bases loaded. Jake Brentz struck out the side in the ninth, yet he needed 21 pitches for those three batters.
Jason Martin got the scoring started with his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot in the third inning. In the fifth inning, Steven Baron and Ke’Bryan Hayes hit back-to-back RBI singles. Kevin Kramer capped the scoring with an RBI single in the eighth. Martin had the only multi-hit game, adding a single and a run scored to his home run. Corey Dickerson went 0-for-3, leaving him 3-for-20, with no walks and eight strikeouts in five games. Jung Ho Kang went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Altoona had their game suspended due to rain. According to their website, the suspended game will be finished next time the two teams meet, while the second game of tonight’s doubleheader will be made up at a later date. The Eastern League is using a split-schedule this year for the first time, but they aren’t like the other leagues. I say that because other split-schedule leagues would just cancel both games, since the two teams don’t meet again in the first half.
It seems hard to believe that a playoff winner for the first half might not know they won until a much later date, but that’s what they are saying is possible here. It also notes that the second game from tonight will count towards the second half, giving the two teams an extra game over everyone else. (I confirmed that this crazy scheduling is all true)
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bradenton won 7-3 over Lakeland. Cody Bolton has had a lot of strong outings this season, but tonight’s might be the best one on paper. He gave up just one hit, with two walks, over six shutout innings. Bolton struck out a career high ten batters, throwing 84 pitches, with 52 going for strikes. The only hit was a low, soft liner that shortstop Robbie Glendinning just missed catching on a diving play to his right, a few feet in front of the outfield grass. I said “on paper” because he has had starts with better control and held his velocity longer, but we are comparing great looking outings to other great looking outings.
Lefty Joe Jacques debuted in High-A with two shutout innings and four strikeouts. Shea Murray had the ninth and major control issues, which is the only reason the score looks somewhat close.
The Marauders had 11 hits, with everyone getting in on the action. Calvin Mitchell had two hits, including his sixth home run of the season. Robbie Glendinning hit his seventh home run of the season and stole his third base. He also reached base on the lone Bradenton walk of the night, as well as a hit-by-pitch. Dylan Busby drove in two runs with his third triple. Raul Hernandez drove in two runs with his fifth double. Chris Sharpe picked up his 12th steal.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Greensboro won 11-10 over Lakewood. Steven Jennings got the start and allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk in five innings. That wasn’t a bad line on this night, with both teams scoring in the double digits. Jennings had eight strikeouts, which is his season high and one short of his career best. Cristofer Melendez allowed four runs in the sixth innings, then John O’Reilly gave up two runs over two innings. Braeden Ogle came on to close out a one-run lead in the ninth and allowed a lead-off single, before retiring the next three batters in order, two on strikeouts.
Connor Kaiser returned from missing nearly a month with an oblique injury and had a career night. After picking up three extra-base hits in his first 21 games before the injury, Kaiser had four extra-base hits tonight. He drove in a total of five runs, missing the cycle by the single. He had two doubles, a triple and a home run. To top things off, he stole his first base of the season.
Rodolfo Castro had just one hit, but he cleared the bases with a three-run double, his 12th double of the season. He also drove in another run with a sacrifice fly and he stole his fifth base. Ji-Hwan Bae had three singles, three runs scored and his fifth stolen base. He has a .352 average in 12 games. Justin Harrer had two hits, including his first home run. Pat Dorrian had two hits and a walk, scored two runs and stole his fifth base.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
