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 (Clay Holmes, Jacob Stallings, Kevin Newman and Bryan Reynolds), 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, Nick Burdi and Stephen Alemais), 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, HR (7)
3. Cole Tucker, SS, Indianapolis – 1-for-4, BB
4. Oneil Cruz, SS, Bradenton – 0-for-2, 3 BB
5. Travis Swaggerty, CF, Bradenton – DNP
6. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – 0-for-3, HBP
7. Will Craig, 1B, Indianapolis – 1-for-4
8. Jason Martin, OF, Indianapolis – 0-for-4
9. JT Brubaker, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
10. Calvin Mitchell, OF, Bradenton – 2-for-5
11. Cody Bolton, RHP, Altoona – 6 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 BB, 8 K
12. Tahnaj Thomas, RHP, Bristol – DNP
13. Braxton Ashcraft, RHP, Morgantown – DNP
14. Lolo Sanchez, CF, Bradenton – 2-for-3, BB, SB
15. Pablo Reyes, Util, Indianapolis – 2-for-4, 2B, HR (10)
16. Braeden Ogle, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
17. Michael Burrows, RHP, Morgantown – DNP
18. Jared Oliva, CF, Altoona – 2-for-4, SB
19. Ji-Hwan Bae, SS, Greensboro – DNP
20. Max Kranick, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
21. Luis Escobar, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
22. Osvaldo Bido, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
23. Eduardo Vera, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
24. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Altoona – DNP
25. Aaron Shortridge, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
26. Blake Weiman, LHP, Indianapolis – DNP
27. Steven Jennings, RHP, Greensboro – DNP
28. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Indianapolis – 6 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
29. Jesus Liranzo, RHP, Altoona – DNP
30. Rodolfo Castro, 2B, Bradenton – DNP
Indianapolis lost to Rochester, 6-5. The Indians came back from a 5-0 deficit and pulled within a run on Ke’Bryan Hayes’ seventh home run, a two-run shot in the eighth. They fell behind by two again in the bottom half of the inning, pulled again to within one in the ninth on Pablo Reyes’ tenth homer, but couldn’t get that last run.
Gopher balls are hurting the Pirates at more than just the major league level, as Brandon Waddell, in his return to AAA from Altoona, allowed three in this game. He gave up only one other hit in six innings, but he allowed five runs in all. Waddell walked two and struck out six. Jake Brentz went two innings and gave up what proved to be the decisive run.
The Indians had only six hits, with only Reyes getting two. He hit his 13th double in addition to the longball.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
Altoona beat Richmond, 3-1. Cody Bolton overcame a shaky start to put up one of his two best outings so far in AA. He gave up three hits, three walks and one run over six innings, while fanning eight. Bolton threw 52 of 77 pitches for strikes against, it should be pointed out, a very weak Richmond lineup. Joel Cesar followed with two scoreless innings and Matt Eckelman pitched the ninth for the save.
The offense came on RBI hits by Chris Sharpe, Brett Pope and Bralin Jackson, who was pinch hitting for Bolton. Jason Delay had a pair of doubles, giving him 11. Jared Oliva also had two hits and stole his 30th base. He’s now second in the league in steals and has a much better success rate than the leader. In fact, he’s been caught just once in his last 23 attempts.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
Bradenton broke open a tie game with five runs in the seventh and went on to beat St. Lucie, 7-3. Mason Martin had only a single in this game, but he drove in two runs. That gives him 99 on the year between Greensboro and the Marauders, in 101 total games. Deon Stafford, Cal Mitchell and Lolo Sanchez each had two hits, including Stafford’s seventh double. Sanchez also had a walk and his ninth steal. Oneil Cruz walked three times.
Conner Loeprich continued to pitch well as a starter since moving up from Greensboro. He gave up two runs, one earned, in five innings. Loeprich allowed four hits and a walk, and struck out three. Ike Schlabach threw two scoreless innings before giving way to Hunter Stratton, who couldn’t throw strikes. He got through an inning and two thirds, but walked six, including four in the ninth to force in a run. Ryan Valdez had to come on to get a one-out save.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
Greensboro lost to Kannapolis, 8-1. The Grasshoppers had only four hits, with the lone run scoring on Jack Herman’s 11th home run. The other hits were doubles by Zack Kone and Mike Gretler, and a single by Fabricio Macias. Starter Will Kobos gave up four runs over five innings. Allen Montgomery allowed one run in three innings of relief. Will Gardner gave up three in the ninth. Gardner has allowed only eight earned runs in 34.1 IP this year, but five of the runs have come in his last two outings.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
Morgantown beat State College, 5-2. The Black Bears had only four hits, but they were helped by nine walks. Matt Gorski drew three of the walks and also clubbed his second home run. Jared Triolo drove in a run with his second triple. Cory Wood and Kyle Wilkie had the other hits. Blake Sabol had a run, an RBI and two walks.
Bear Bellomy made his first pro start, allowing two runs over four innings. He gave up four hits and a walk, and struck out one. Xavier Concepcion threw the next three innings. He didn’t exactly pound the strike zone, walking two and throwing just 28 of 51 pitches for strikes, but he allowed no hits and fanned five. Cameron Junker struck out three over two innings to record his second save.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
Bristol lost to Elizabethton, 4-3. Jose Maldonado started and had one bad inning, serving up a two-out, two-run triple in the third, followed by a home run on the next pitch. He ended up going four, with four hits and three walks, along with four strikeouts. Luis Arrieta, Yordi Rosario, C.J. Dandeneau and Alex Roth combined for five scoreless innings in relief. Dandeneau and Roth fanned five between them over the last two innings.
Bristol had eight hits, but drew no walks and couldn’t get runners past first, getting only three ABs with runners in scoring position. Fernando Villegas had three hits, including his fifth double. Samuel Inoa had a single and his first double, and Francisco Acuna hit his 13th double.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
The GCL Pirates are off on Sundays.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
The DSL Pirates1 are off on Sundays.
Here’s the boxscore.
The DSL Pirates2 are off on Sundays
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
