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 – 0-for-4
3. Cole Tucker, SS, Indianapolis – 0-for-4
4. Oneil Cruz, SS, Altoona – 0-for-3, BB
5. Travis Swaggerty, CF, Bradenton – DNP
6. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – 1-for-2, 2B
7. Will Craig, 1B, Indianapolis – 1-for-3, HR (23), BB
8. Jason Martin, OF, Indianapolis – 0-for-4
9. JT Brubaker, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
10. Calvin Mitchell, OF, Bradenton – DNP
11. Cody Bolton, RHP, Altoona – DNP
12. Tahnaj Thomas, RHP, Bristol – DNP
13. Braxton Ashcraft, RHP, Morgantown – DNP
14. Lolo Sanchez, CF, Bradenton – DNP
15. Braeden Ogle, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
16. Michael Burrows, RHP, Morgantown – DNP
17. Jared Oliva, CF, Altoona – 0-for-4, 4 K
18. Ji-Hwan Bae, SS, Greensboro – 1-for-4, 3B
19. Max Kranick, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
20. Luis Escobar, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
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 – 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 8 K
27. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Indianapolis – DNP
28. Jesus Liranzo, RHP, Indianapolis – 3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K
29. Rodolfo Castro, 2B, Bradenton – DNP
30. Cam Vieaux, LHP, Altoona – DNP
Indianapolis lost to Louisville, 8-2. The Indianapolis pitchers mostly didn’t make good cases for callups, managing to be largely ineffective despite striking out a dozen hitters. Alex McRae started but came out after a 33-pitch first inning in which he gave up three runs. Jesus Liranzo threw the next three innings, allowing two runs. Montana DuRapau gave up two runs in two innings and Dovydas Neverauskas one in one inning. Yacksel Rios finally threw a scoreless inning, although he allowed two hits.
The hitters didn’t exactly make cases for themselves, either, managing just four hits and a walk. Will Craig drew the walk and also hit his 23rd home run. Kevin Kramer came in as a sub and hit his 30th double, tied for seventh in the league. Cole Tucker, Ke’Bryan Hayes and Jason Martin all went 0-for-4.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
Altoona lost to Harrisburg, 3-0. The Curve couldn’t get any offense going, recording just singles by Bligh Madris and Adrian Valerio, along with three walks. Their hitters struck out 13 times. Jared Oliva had an especially bad day, fanning four times. He seems to be fading down the stretch, something that also happened last year; currently, he’s mired in an 0-for-18 slump.
The offensive drought wasted a good start by Pedro Vasquez (pictured above). He gave up just a run on four hits and three walks in seven innings, while striking out four. He’s allowed only that run over 14 innings in his last two starts and has a 2.45 ERA in seven starts since the beginning of August. Nick Mears gave up two unearned runs in the eighth.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
Bradenton’s season ended on Thursday.
You can view the season preview here.
Greensboro lost to West Virginia, 7-3. Steven Jennings’ final start got underway well enough, with three scoreless innings, but he gave up three in the fourth. He finished with three runs and five hits allowed in five innings. He walked none and fanned eight. Mike LoPresti gave up three runs in the sixth. Jack Herman hit his 12th double and 13th home run. Zack Kone had two hits and Ji-Hwan Bae got his fifth triple.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
Morgantown’s playoff hopes took a hit with an 11-1 rout at the hands of Mahoning Valley. It could have been worse, but the game was stopped by rain with one out in the bottom of the seventh and the bad guys still batting. J.C. Flowers had a good start, allowing just two unearned runs — on a two-out home run following an error — in five innings. He gave up just three hits and a walk, and struck out two. That was the longest, and probably the second best, outing of his career so far. Things blew up when Michael Flynn, who’s been rehabbing in the GCL, made his first appearance at this level since last year. He retired only one batter while allowing a hit and three walks. All four runners scored, three of them with Trey McGough on the mound. McGough for his part gave up seven hits and five runs while getting only three outs.
The offense barely showed up, registering only three hits in seven innings. The Black Bears didn’t draw a walk and whiffed a dozen times. The top five hitters in the lineup — Blake Sabol, Jared Triolo, Fernando Villegas, Kyle Wilkie and Matt Fraizer — combined to go 0-for-15 with ten strikeouts. The only run scored when Cory Wood doubled and Will Matthiessen singled. Dean Lockery had the only other hit.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
Bristol lost the rubber game of its playoff series with Johnson City, 7-5. The Pirates came from behind twice, but the bullpen couldn’t hold on. They then had the tying runs on base in both the eighth and ninth innings with one out, but couldn’t come through. Starter Adrian Florencio got through three scoreless innings, but got knocked out in the fourth. He was charged with three runs, one scoring after he left. Yoelvi Reyes and Yordi Rosario each threw an inning and two-thirds in relief, with Reyes allowing one run and Rosario three.
Matt Morrow and Aaron Shackelford led the offense. Morrow had three hits and Shackelford two, including a two-run home run. Jake Snider had two hits and Josh Bissonette had a two-run double.
Here’s the boxscore.
You can view the season preview here.
The GCL Pirates finished their season with an 18-36 record. Here’s the season recap. Here’s the top ten prospects list.
You can view the season preview here.
The DSL Pirates1 finished their season with a 34-36 record.
You can view the season preview here.
The DSL Pirates2 finished their season with a 56-16 record. They lost their playoff series 0-2 to the DBacks2.
