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, Pablo Reyes, 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, Pirates – In Majors
2. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Indianapolis – 2-for-4
3. Cole Tucker, SS, Indianapolis – 1-for-5, 2B
4. Oneil Cruz, SS, Altoona – 2-for-4, 2B, HR (1 in AA)
5. Travis Swaggerty, CF, Bradenton – 1-for-4
6. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – 1-for-2, 2B, BB, HBP
7. Will Craig, 1B, Indianapolis – 1-for-3, BB
8. Jason Martin, OF, Indianapolis – DNP
9. JT Brubaker, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
10. Calvin Mitchell, OF, Bradenton – 1-for-3, BB
11. Cody Bolton, RHP, Altoona – DNP
12. Tahnaj Thomas, RHP, Bristol – DNP
13. Braxton Ashcraft, RHP, Morgantown – DNP
14. Lolo Sanchez, CF, Bradenton – 1-for-2, 3B
15. Braeden Ogle, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
16. Michael Burrows, RHP, Morgantown – DNP
17. Jared Oliva, CF, Altoona – 1-for-4
18. Ji-Hwan Bae, SS, Greensboro – 1-for-4
19. Max Kranick, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
20. Luis Escobar, RHP, Indianapolis – IP, H, K
21. Osvaldo Bido, RHP, Bradenton -DNP
22. Eduardo Vera, RHP, – Released, article here
23. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Altoona – DNP
24. Aaron Shortridge, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
25. Blake Weiman, LHP, Indianapolis – DNP
26. Steven Jennings, RHP, Greensboro – DNP
27. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Indianapolis – 6 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 7 K
28. Jesus Liranzo, RHP, Altoona – DNP
29. Rodolfo Castro, 2B, Bradenton – 2-for-4, 2B
30. Cam Vieaux, LHP, Altoona – 6 IP, H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
Indianapolis got all of its runs in the second inning in a 7-0 win over Louisville. Brandon Waddell (pictured above) started and went six, giving up three runs and three walks. He struck out seven. Dovydas Neverauskas went two innings and Luis Escobar one. Indy got seven of his 11 hits in the second. Ke’Bryan Hayes, Christian Kelley and Waddell had two hits apiece. Cole Tucker hit his 13th double and Kevin Kramer his 29th.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
Altoona lost to Bowie, 3-2. Cam Vieaux had a frustrating start. He fell behind the hitters consistently, but still had a no-hitter with two out in the sixth. At that point he walked two, then got ahead of the next hitter 0-2, but gave up a three-run home run. That was all the Bowie scoring and the only hit Vieaux allowed in six innings. He walked four and struck out three. Nick Mears made his second AA appearance with two scoreless innings. He gave up a hit and a walk, and struck out two.
Oneil Cruz provided all the offense. He hit an opposite-field home run for his first AA homer. He later doubled, his seventh in AA. Jared Oliva came around to score from first when the left fielder couldn’t come up with the ball. The only other hits were an Oliva single and Adrian Valerio’s second triple with the Curve.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
Bradenton got all of its runs in the first two innings in a 9-3 win over Daytona that was shortened by rain to six and a half innings. Lucas Tancas had a big day, driving in four runs with a single and his eighth home run. Rodolfo Castro continued coming around, getting a single and a double, the latter his 12th with Bradenton. Castro is 14-for-36 (.389) over his last nine games. Lolo Sanchez drove in two runs with his third triple since being promoted; he also had an outfield assist. Everybody in the lineup reached base at least once.
Gavin Wallace started and gave up three runs on eight hits over five innings. Samuel Reyes threw an inning and two-thirds and Ike Schlabach stranded three inherited runners from Reyes by striking out what proved to be the game’s last batter.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
Greensboro beat Hickory, 4-2. The Grasshoppers had only six hits, all singles, but six walks helped. Mike Gretler had two hits and a walk, and drove in one run. Jonah Davis, Jack Herman and Fabricio Macias drove in the others. Alex Manasa threw five shutout innings, although he walked four and threw only 49 of 87 pitches for strikes. Oliver Garcia gave up the two runs in one inning of work. Cam Alldred threw two scoreless innings and Yerry De Los Santos got the save with a scoreless ninth, although he gave up two hits.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
Morgantown lost to Auburn, 6-2. Jesus Valles gave up only four hits and a walk in six innings, but that led to four runs. Xavier Concepcion gave up two unearned runs over two innings. The Black Bears had only six hits, all singles, with Matt Fraizer getting two.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
Bristol edged Johnson City, 5-4. Starter Dante Mendoza threw five shutout innings, giving up two hits and three walks, while striking out one. Yoelvis Reyes and Saul De La Cruz had more trouble in relief, combining to allow four runs, one of them unearned. Alex Roth struck out the side in the ninth to get the save. He’s struck out 23 and walked six in 18 innings.
Jesus Valdez, Aaron Shackelford and Daniel Rivero each had two hits. Valdez hit his 11th double and Shackelford his 16th. The latter is the sixth most in the league. Jake Snider reached base three times, with a hit and two walks. He has a .424 OBP.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
The GCL Pirates lost the first game of their doubleheader to the Orioles, 7-6, in nine innings on a walkoff catcher’s interference. The Orioles plated their free runner in both extra innings, while the Pirates did so only in the eighth. Starter Domingo Gonzalez gave up five runs in four and two-thirds innings, although he did strike out six. Michael Flynn threw a scoreless inning in his second outing since returning from elbow trouble. Jake Sweeney pitched the eight and got one out in the ninth, giving up the two unearned runs.
Norkis Marcos led the offense, going 3-for-4 and scoring twice. Marcos has had a rough year at the plate, but he’s finishing well, batting .333 over his last 11 games, with two home runs. Jasiah Dixon had a single, his fourth double and a walk. Andres Alvarez hit his first pro home run. Jase Bowen had a tough day at the plate, striking out four times.
Here’s the boxscore.
The Pirates also lost the second game in extra innings, 5-4. This time it was eight innings, with the Pirates scoring their free runner in the top of the eighth and Daniel Ross giving up two runs, one unearned, in the bottom half. A 39th round draft pick, Ross has had a rough time in rookie ball despite being 23, with a 6.23 ERA. Starter Mario Garcia failed to survive the first, allowing three runs while recording only one out. Julio Rosario allowed two of Garcia’s runs to score, but threw four and two-thirds scoreless innings after that. Yandy Vega added two scoreless innings.
On offense, Angel Basabe had a two-run triple, his third three-base hit. Deion Walker had a single and his third double. Jasiah Dixon only went 1-for-4, but he’s still hitting .349. Bowen had a slightly better game, also going 1-for-4.
The second game boxscore is here.
You can view the season preview here.
The DSL Pirates1 beat the Dodgers Shoemaker, 5-1, to finish their season with a 34-36 record. Starter Raydel Velette gave up a run on three hits and a walk in three innings. He struck out three. Braham Rosario followed with five shutout innings, allowing just one hit and no walks while striking out six. The lefty Rosario finished his second DSL season with a 2.59 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 61 strikeouts in 59 innings.
Sergio Campana finished his season on a good note, going 2-for-4 with a steal. His final line was 281/362/374, with 24 steals in 29 tries. Catcher Rafael Escalante batted only once in the game, but hit his third home run. Juan Jerez, one of the team’s top prospects, drove in a pair of runs and ended the season with a 272/324/469 line, including seven home runs.
Here’s the boxscore.
The DSL Pirates2 lost the first game of a doubleheader to the Royals2, 5-1. Starter Felipe Mezquita gave up two runs over five innings. He allowed five hits and no walks, and fanned four. The Pirates managed only four hits. The only extra-base hit was Dariel Lopez’ tenth double. Alex Mojica, who didn’t play in the second game, finished his season with an 0-for-3 day. That didn’t stop him from leading the league with a 1.048 OPS, despite being one of the youngest players.
Here’s the boxscore.
The Pirates2 came back to win the second game, 9-2. They finished the regular season 56-16. Rodolfo Nolasco went 3-4, with his 13th double and third triple. He finished the season on a 12-for-22 tear, as his production started to match the scouting reports he’s produced. His final line was 302/373/472. Jommer Hernandez and Carlos Arroyo each had two hits, with Hernandez getting his fifth triple. Jauri Custodio went 1-for-3 and finished with a 324/358/448 line.
Starter Jorge Ramos, who signed out of Mexico and only turned 17 in June, threw five shutout innings. He gave up three hits and two walks, and struck out four. He had a 3.04 ERA in a dozen starts. Miguel Toribio gave up two runs over the final two innings.
The second game boxscore is here.
You can view the season preview here.
