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 – DNP
3. Cole Tucker, SS, Indianapolis – DNP
4. Oneil Cruz, SS, Altoona – 2-for-7, 3B, RBI
5. Travis Swaggerty, CF, Bradenton – 1-for-5, 2B
6. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – DNP
7. Will Craig, 1B, Indianapolis – DNP
8. Jason Martin, OF, Indianapolis – DNP
9. JT Brubaker, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
10. Calvin Mitchell, OF, Bradenton – 0-for-6, 4 K
11. Cody Bolton, RHP, Altoona – DNP
12. Tahnaj Thomas, RHP, Bristol – DNP
13. Braxton Ashcraft, RHP, Morgantown – DNP
14. Lolo Sanchez, CF, Bradenton – 0-for-2, BB
15. Pablo Reyes, Util, Pirates – In Majors
16. Braeden Ogle, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
17. Michael Burrows, RHP, Morgantown – DNP
18. Jared Oliva, CF, Altoona – 2-for-6, 2B, 3B, BB
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 – DNP
29. Jesus Liranzo, RHP, Altoona – 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO
30. Rodolfo Castro, 2B, Bradenton – 1-for-6
Indianapolis was rained out. They will play a doubleheader tomorrow.
Here’s the boxscore.
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Altoona had their game suspended in the bottom of the second with a 0-0 score on Tuesday night. Pedro Vasquez tossed two scoreless frames before the rains came, and Beau Sulser took over on the mound when they resumed on Wednesday. He went five innings, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks. Jesus Liranzo lowered his ERA to 0.48 with two scoreless innings, striking out three batters. Joel Cesar took over in extra innings, tossed a scoreless tenth and then got the win on a walk-off single by Jerrick Suiter. Altoona won 4-3 over Richmond.
Oneil Cruz hit his second triple with Altoona and picked up an RBI single in the ninth to tie the game up. Jared Oliva went 1-for-3 with his 23rd double and a walk. He also picked up an outfield assist. Bligh Madris went 2-for-4 with his 22nd double and two runs scored. Arden Pabst doubled home two runs in the fifth inning and also added a walk.
In game two, Sean Brady got the start and pitched six strong inning, giving up one unearned run on Oneil Cruz’s first error in Double-A. Brady allowed two hits and two walks, while striking out four batters. Matt Eckelman pitched a scoreless seventh, but Altoona came up short in a 1-0 loss.
Mitchell Tolman had a single and a double, which were the only two hits for the Curve over the first six innings. They had one other runner on a Robbie Glendinning walk. In the seventh, Jared Oliva led off the frame with a triple. He remained at third, as Cruz flew out to short left field, Glendinning struck out, then after an intentional walk to Bligh Madris, Jerrick Suiter made the final out.
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Bradenton lost the first game of the doubleheader 2-0 to Charlotte. Gavin Wallace pitched outstanding, giving up just one hit and a walk in seven innings, but the Marauders couldn’t score either, so the game went to extra innings. After Bradenton was retired in order in the top of the eighth, Wallace gave up a two-run homer (the runner on base was the free runner in extra innings). It was just the third runner he allowed in his 7.1 innings. He had six strikeouts and a 12:1 GO/AO ratio.
Wallace wasn’t even the best pitcher through the first seven innings. Charlotte’s John Ryan gave up two runners on a single and a hit batter, while striking out 13 Marauders. Daniel Amaral had the lone hit. Lucas Tancas was the batter who got hit by a pitch, though he was immediately caught stealing, so in eight innings, the Marauders sent just 25 batters to the plate. Everyone in the lineup had at least one strikeout.
The Marauders sent out Ike Schlabach for game two and he tossed two scoreless innings before the contest was delayed due to rain. Samuel Reyes took over when play resumed and he went four innings, giving up two runs. Joe Jacques took over in the seventh and gave up a walk-off single with two outs for the 3-2 loss.
Mason Martin hit a two-run homer, his sixth with Bradenton and his 29th home run this season. Travis Swaggerty hit his 14th double. Daniel Amaral had a single and run scored. Lolo Sanchez drew the only walk of the day (aka both games) for the Marauders.
Charlotte is the first place team, so this sweep took the Marauders from a chance to go 2.5 games down, to now 6.5 games down.
You can view the season preview here.
Greensboro had off on Wednesday
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
Morgantown won 11-9 over Mahoning Valley. Fifth round pick Grant Ford got the start and he gave up one run over four innings, on four hits, two walks and five strikeouts. He has allowed two earned runs over his last 17 innings, while striking out 22 batters. Alec Rennard took the fifth inning and gave up two runs. Elvis Escobar came out for the sixth and tossed a scoreless inning, giving up two hits and striking out one batter. Xavier Concepcion was out next and he allowed two earned runs over 1.2 innings.
Garrett Leonard recorded the final out of the eighth, stranding two inherited runners. He stayed on for the ninth, but was pulled after loading the bases with one out. Cameron Junker came in with the winning run at the plate and immediately gave up a two-run single to make it a 9-8 game. The next batter tied it on a sacrifice fly. Junker stayed on for the tenth and got the win.
The Black Bears started their scoring in the fourth inning on an RBI single from Blake Sabol. After the next run scored on an error, Matt Gorki tripled in a run. Gorski scored on a second error, then Dean Lockery drove in two runs with his first triple of the season, giving them six runs in the inning. They added three more runs in the sixth on RBI singles from Cory Wood and Brendt Citta, followed by a bases loaded walk to Sabol. In the tenth inning, Citta and Wood both had RBI singles again, giving Morgantown an 11-9 lead.
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Bristol won 2-0 over Danville in a rain-shortened game. Santiago Florez was a bit wild on Wednesday night, but he managed to throw five shutout innings, which ended up being a complete game shutout. He gave up four hits and walked five batters, also adding a balk and a wild pitch. Florez had three strikeouts, a 5:3 GO/AO ratio and he threw 40 of 73 pitches for strikes. He now has a 3.12 ERA in 26 innings.
Bristol had ten hits in the abbreviated contest, yet they only scored two runs. Francisco Acuna and Chase Murray each had two hits. Josh Bissonette had a single and the lone walk. Jesus Valdez drove in Bissonette with the first run, then scored the second run on a fielding error. Daniel Rivero had a single and an outfield assist.
A total of 21 runners reached base in this five-inning game and just two runs scored.
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The GCL Pirates lost 4-1 in game one of a doubleheader. Domingo Gonzalez had a terrific outing, going five shutout innings on one hit and one walk. He struck out three batters and had an 8:2 GO/AO ratio. Willy Basil took over in the sixth and was wild, walking two and hitting another batter. He was replaced by Orsen Josephina, who gave up an unearned run of his own, but also allowed all three inherited runs to score.
The offense was led by Sammy Siani, who had a single, his second double and his third stolen base. Four other players had one single each and the Pirates failed to draw a walk. The only run scored on a sixth inning sacrifice fly from Emilson Rosado. Jace Bowen played second base for the first time and handled four plays in the field cleanly, including the middle man in a 5-4-3 double play. He played some shortstop in high school and could see time there before the GCL season ends.
In game two, the Pirates sent Mario Garcia to the mound. He was a bit shaky through 3.1 innings, though he left with a 0-0 score and two men on base. Yandy Vega came on and allowed both inherited runners to score, along with three runs of his own. Wilger Camacho tossed a scoreless fifth, followed by Daniel Ross, who kept them off the board in the sixth. The Pirates lost 5-3, dropping them to 12-24 on the season.
After putting up just one run in the first game, the Pirates had only four hits in game two, though they managed to push three runs across the plate. Jasiah Dixon started the scoring with an RBI single in the third. Andres Alvarez scored a run in the fourth on a wild pitch. Sammy Siani brought home the third run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly. Emilson Rosado didn’t factor in any of the scoring, but he had a single and two walks.
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The DSL Pirates1 won 3-2 over the Dodgers. Joelvis Del Rosario started and went four innings, giving up one unearned run. He was followed by Antonio Gonzalez, who lowered his ERA to 2.13 with three perfect innings, while picking up five strikeouts. Yeison Santos gave up a home run in the ninth to lose the lead, but won it after the Pirates scored in the bottom of the ninth.
Francisco Quintero led the way on offense, raising his average to .323 with two doubles and an RBI. Eliazer Montero hit his fourth triple. He had a run scored and an RBI. Jose Berroa had a single, run scored and his tenth stolen base. Luis Tello had a single and a walk. Fleury Nova had a single, run scored and his seventh stolen base, but he left early after a hit-by-pitch.
The DSL Pirates2 won 15-4 over Colorado. Wandi Montout got his second start and went 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks, with four strikeouts. He has a 3.54 ERA in 20.1 innings, with 20 strikeouts. Montout was a July 2nd signing this year. Luis Gonzalez took over in the fifth and he went 3.1 innings, giving up two runs. Enmanuel Mejia continued his dominance by facing the minimum in the ninth. He has given up two hits in 14.2 scoreless innings, with 24 strikeouts.
Ten batters were used in the game and nine of them reached base at least twice. Seven of them had multi-hit games. Starting at the top and working to the ninth spot, we begin with Randy Romero, who lowered his average to .407 with two hits and two runs scored. Rayber Romero hit his second home run. He also had a single, two walks and four runs scored. Jauri Custodio hit his fourth home run. He went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs. He was replaced by Mario Jerez who went 2-for-2 with a walk. Carlos Arroyo went 2-for-6 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Juan Mena was the only batter not to reach twice, but he did have a single, run scored and an RBI. Eduar Ramirez went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs. Bryan Mateo had just one hit, but it was a two-run homer. He was also hit by a pitch. Backup catcher Luis Hernandez went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Bladimir Susana in the nine spot had a single and a walk.
You can view the season preview here.
