TOP OF THE SYSTEM
A look at how the current top 30 prospects did today. Note that this list doesn’t include players currently in the majors. If a player is in the majors, he will be removed, 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, 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 30 active prospects on the list. Rankings are from early season update, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Altoona – Disabled List
2. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
3. Austin Meadows, CF, Bradenton – 0-for-5
4. Josh Bell, 1B, Altoona – 3-for-4, BB
5. Reese McGuire, C, Bradenton – 0-for-4
6. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
7. Alen Hanson, 2B, Indianapolis – 3-for-3, 2B, HR, 2 BB
8. Cole Tucker, SS, West Virginia – DNP
9. Elias Diaz, C, Indianapolis – 1-for-4
10. Mitch Keller, RHP, Extended Spring Training
11. Harold Ramirez, OF, Bradenton – 2-for-3, BB, SB
12. Stephen Tarpley, LHP, West Virginia – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 0 HR
13. JaCoby Jones, SS, Bradenton – 2-for-5, HR
14. Adrian Sampson, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
15. Trey Supak, RHP, Extended Spring Training
16. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Extended Spring Training
17. Barrett Barnes, OF, Bradenton – 2-for-5, 2B
18. Clay Holmes, RHP, Bradenton – Disabled List
19. Cody Dickson, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
20. Willy Garcia, OF, Altoona – 1-for-4, 2 K
21. John Holdzkom, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
22. Jordan Luplow, 3B, West Virginia – 0-for-4
23. Connor Joe, 1B, West Virginia – DNP
24. Wyatt Mathisen, 3B, Bradenton – 2-for-3, 2B, BB
25. Casey Sadler, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
26. Steven Brault, LHP, Bradenton – 6.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
27. Tito Polo, OF, West Virginia – 3-for-4, SB
28. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Extended Spring Training
29. Luis Heredia, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
30. Taylor Gushue, C, West Virginia – 1-for-5
DAILY SUMMARY
Top Pitcher: Stephen Tarpley, LHP – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Alen Hanson, 2B – 3-for-3, 2B, HR, 2 BB
Home Runs: JaCoby Jones (6), Alen Hanson (3), Eric Wood (2)
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Result: Toledo 9, Indianapolis 8
Starting Pitcher: Wilfredo Boscan, RHP – 3.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Alen Hanson, 2B – 3-for-3, 2B, HR, 2 BB
Other Notable Performers:
Gustavo Nunez, SS – 2-for-4
Pedro Florimon, 3B – 1-for-3, 2B, BB, SB
Game Notes: Wilfredo Boscan was wild from the beginning and the result showed it, as he walked three and got too much plate several times. Boscan was all over the plate throughout his start. He only went three innings, due to a two hour rain delay.
Colin Balester relieved Boscan and had another tough outing, allowing a pair of runs on four hits and a walk. Bobby LaFromboise was just as wild as Boscan, as he worked 1.1 innings, walking three and striking out another. Deolis Guerra pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, allowing a pair of hits and striking out three. Blake Wood worked the ninth in the mid to upper 90s with the fastball. However, the reliable Wood blew his second save of the season in 15 opportunities. Brad Lincoln retired the final hitter of the frame.
Alen Hanson continued his hot streak for the month on the next to final day, as he hammered an inside pitch into the seats for a home run. Gustavo Nunez also picked up a multi-hit game. – Ryan Palencer
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Result: Altoona 13, Binghamton 4
Starting Pitcher: Jason Creasy, RHP – 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Eric Wood, 3B – 3-for-5, HR
Other Notable Performers:
Josh Bell, 1B – 3-for-4, BB
Max Moroff, 2B – 2-for-4, BB
Jose Osuna, LF – 2-for-3, 2B, BB, SB
Stetson Allie, RF – 2-for-5, SB
Game Notes: Jason Creasy was known for his low walk rates last year, at times going several games without issuing a walk. That hasn’t been the case this year. He has 20 walks in 57 innings so far. By comparison, last year he had 22 in 148.2 innings. Creasy is getting good results, and he has a fastball that can hit mid-90s, so it’s not like he’s a guy who fully relies on location. However, he doesn’t strike out a lot of guys, which means keeping the walks low is an especially good thing for his game.
Josh Bell picked up three hits tonight, giving him his sixth multi-hit game in his last eight games. Max Moroff also had a multi-hit game, which was his fourth in his last five games. Jose Osuna has gone 3-for-7 with two doubles in his first two games in Altoona. Eric Wood picked up three hits, including his second homer of the year.
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Result: Jupiter 5, Bradenton 3
Starting Pitcher: Steven Brault, LHP – 6.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: JaCoby Jones, SS – 2-for-5, HR
Other Notable Performers:
Barrett Barnes, LF – 2-for-5, 2B
Harold Ramirez, RF – 2-for-3, BB, SB
Wyatt Mathisen, DH – 2-for-3, 2B, BB
Game Notes: Steven Brault had a nice outing tonight, and was cruising through six innings. He was getting a lot of swings and misses on his changeup, and his two-seamer was getting a lot of ground balls and weak contact. Brault’s two-seamer was sitting 88-89 MPH, and had good movement, running in on right-handers, then cutting at the last moment. He throws from a three-quarters arm slot with long arm action, extending toward first base, with the ball having horizontal and vertical movement, along with the late cut at the plate.
There was trouble in the seventh inning, although it wasn’t entirely on Brault. He had a few hard hit balls, but also mixed in a few soft hits that found their way for hits, doing some damage. He almost escaped the frame twice with no damage. The first time was on a grounder to third with the bases loaded and one out. The grounder was too weak, and Chris Diaz could only get the out at third, allowing a run to score. The next batter grounded back to the mound with a hard chopper. The ball bounced off Brault’s glove, then went over the middle. Erich Weiss tried the field the ball and get the force at second at the same time, but bobbled the ball for an error. Brault followed with a wild pitch, bringing in a run, and then gave up a weak bloop single over JaCoby Jones’ head at shortstop to bring in two more. He was only charged with one earned run on the night, due to the error from Weiss.
Austin Meadows showed an old trend that hasn’t been around much this year. He struck out twice tonight, both reaching for low and away breaking pitches. He hasn’t had much trouble this year with the breaking stuff, which is a big difference from when he came into pro ball.
JaCoby Jones crushed a home run opposite field off the boardwalk in the ninth inning to try and bring the Marauders back. Barrett Barnes also showed off some of his power, hitting a long double off the wall in the left-center field gap. Harold Ramirez picked up two hits, extending his hitting streak to 27 games, dating back to last season. He also stole his second base of the year. – Tim Williams
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: West Virginia 9, Delmarva 4
Starting Pitcher: Stephen Tarpley, LHP – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Elvis Escobar, CF – 3-for-5, 2 2B, SB
Other Notable Performers:
Michael Suchy, RF – 2-for-4, 2B, BB
Tito Polo, LF – 3-for-4, SB
Game Notes: Stephen Tarpley made his second start of the season and had another strong outing. In his two games, he has allowed one earned run over 10 innings. On Saturday night, he had six strikeouts and was getting a lot of swing and misses on all three of his pitches. Tarpley’s off-speed pitches were especially effective, sitting in the low 80’s with his changeup that had good separation from his fastball. In one at-bat with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, he threw three straight sliders that the batter watched for strikes. Tarpley threw 82 pitches, 52 for strikes.
Jake Burnette followed Tarpley and gave up one run over three innings, while striking out four batters. He’s allowed two earned runs over 12.2 innings in his last four appearances combined.
West Virginia scored nine runs on 13 hits, with Elvis Escobar driving in three runs on three hits. He collected two doubles, giving him 13 on the year. Escobar has raised his average to .287 by going 14-for-33 in his last eight games. He has 14 multi-hit games this year. Tito Polo also had three hits and stole his 13th base of the season. Jordan Luplow went 0-for-4, dropping his average to .227 through 39 games. He also committed his tenth error, which led to two unearned runs. – John Dreker
RK: DSL PIRATES
Result: Pirates 11, Yankees 6
Starting Pitcher: Adonis Pichardo, RHP – 4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Yondry Contreras, CF – 3-for-6, 2B, SB
Other Notable Performers:
Melvin Jimenez, SS – 3-for-6, SB
Felix Vinicio, DH – 2-for-5
Mikell Granberry, C – 2-for-6, 2B
Jeremias Portorreal, RF – 1-for-4, 2B, 2 BB
Game Notes: Yondry Contreras was the top signing of the Pirates during this current July 2nd international signing period. He got a $400,000, which was twice as much as the next highest paid player. The 17-year-old Contreras played his first pro game on Saturday and collected three hits and scored three runs in the 11-6 victory by the Pirates. Shortstop Melvin Jimenez matched Contreras with three hits, three runs scored and they each stole a base. Eddy Vizcaino walked three times, stole a base and picked up an outfield assist.
Among the returning players from last year, Mikell Granberry had two hits and drove in a run. Felix Vinicio had two hits and drove in two runs. Jeremias Portorreal had a double and two walks. He was the second highest signing from the 2013-14 signing period.
Adonis Pichardo made his debut after signing for $105,000 back in July. He has a fastball that can hit 96 MPH, but he was two years older than your normal July 2nd signing. In his debut, he went four innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits and three walks, with four strikeouts. Roger Santana, another six-figure bonus player that signed in July, followed Pichardo and gave up two runs over 2.1 innings. – John Dreker
