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 (Nick Kingham, Jacob Taylor), 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 the mid-season update, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
include_once (‘./p2-stats/stats_functions.php’);
display_top30(607192,’P’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
2. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
3. Austin Meadows, CF, Altoona -[insert_php]
display_top30(640457,’B’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
4. Josh Bell, 1B, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
display_top30(605137,’B’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
5. Alen Hanson, 2B, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
display_top30(593700,’B’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
6. Reese McGuire, C, Bradenton -[insert_php]
display_top30(624512,’B’,’20150907′);
[/insert_php]
7. Elias Diaz, C, Pirates – In Majors
8. Harold Ramirez, OF, Bradenton -[insert_php]
display_top30(623912,’B’,’20150907′);
[/insert_php]
9. Cole Tucker, SS, West Virginia – Disabled List
10. Kevin Newman, SS, West Virginia -[insert_php]
display_top30(621028,’B’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
11. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Morgantown -[insert_php]
display_top30(663647,’B’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
12. Mitch Keller, RHP, Bristol -[insert_php]
display_top30(656605,’P’,’20150902′);
[/insert_php]
13. Clay Holmes, RHP, Bradenton – Disabled List
14. Stephen Tarpley, LHP, West Virginia -[insert_php]
display_top30(605501,’P’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
15. Max Moroff, 2B, Altoona -[insert_php]
display_top30(621559,’B’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
16. Barrett Barnes, OF, Altoona -[insert_php]
display_top30(608627,’B’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
17. Yeudy Garcia, RHP, West Virginia -[insert_php]
display_top30(650817,’P’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
18. Trey Supak, RHP, Bristol -[insert_php]
display_top30(657022,’P’,’20150901′);
[/insert_php]
19. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Bristol -[insert_php]
display_top30(656543,’P’,’20150902′);
[/insert_php]
20. Adam Frazier, SS, Altoona -[insert_php]
display_top30(624428,’B’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
21. Willy Garcia, OF, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
display_top30(591994,’B’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
22. Steven Brault, LHP, Altoona -[insert_php]
display_top30(643230,’P’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
23. Kevin Kramer, 2B, West Virginia -[insert_php]
display_top30(596012,’B’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
24. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Altoona -[insert_php]
display_top30(621169,’P’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
25. Adrian Valerio, SS, GCL -[insert_php]
display_top30(650832,’B’,’20150901′);
[/insert_php]
26. Connor Joe, 1B, West Virginia -[insert_php]
display_top30(656582,’B’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
27. John Holdzkom, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
28. Jordan Luplow, 3B, West Virginia – Disabled List
29. Casey Hughston, OF, Morgantown -[insert_php]
display_top30(641713,’B’,’20150911′);
[/insert_php]
30. Billy Roth, RHP, Bristol -[insert_php]
display_top30(624517,’P’,’20150902′);
[/insert_php]
[insert_php]
display_topperf(‘20150911’);
[/insert_php]
[expand title=”Box Score” tag=”span”]
[insert_php]
create_boxscore(‘20150911′,’ind’);
[/insert_php]
[/expand]
Indianapolis took a 2-0 lead in the series on Thursday at home and looked to put it away Friday on the road. Tyler Glasnow went to the hill hoping to have a performance similar to his last outing when he gave up one run over 7.1 innings, and not like the previous game when he only recorded one out before being pulled.
After Indianapolis went down in the top of the first, Glasnow started his day by allowing a 2-2 bloop single to the lead-off hitter. The next batter grounded to first base, which looked like an easy double play, but Josh Bell booted the ball and only got the out at first. One pitch later, the runner at second broke for third base and Tony Sanchez made a throw that was closer to shortstop than it was to third base. That brought home the first run of the game.
With one out, Glasnow issued a full count walk, putting him at 14 pitches. He hit 95 mph during this at-bat, but missed badly on a couple pitches. He struck out the next batter, while also giving up a stolen base. The fifth batter in the inning popped up to Dan Gamache for the final out, giving Glasnow a total of 20 pitches. He also made a lot of pick-off throws, at least 6-7, so this was a tough inning.
The Indians went down in order in the second, giving Glasnow very little time to rest between innings. He started the second with a slow grounder right at the first base bag for an easy out. The next hitter stroked a single to the left-center gap. After a stolen base, he got another strikeout. Glasnow got the last out on a shallow fly to right field. His command was better in this inning, throwing 13 pitches, ten for strikes.
Indianapolis went down very quick in the third as well. Through three innings, their only hit was a slow grounder off the pitcher’s glove by Alen Hanson and he was erased on a double play. Glasnow gave up a hard single up the middle to start the third. After a fly ball to right field, Scranton picked up another single. Glasnow recorded his third strikeout on a curve in the dirt, then dropped another curve in the strike zone for his fourth strikeout, which ended the inning.
Through three innings, he looked very uncomfortable on the mound, but was getting the job done. I mentioned at the top he wanted to look more like the Glasnow from his last start and he has been firmly in the middle of those last two games, not dominating at all, but not wild either. He needed 17 pitches to get through the third inning. On the other side of the field, Kyle Davies had three quick innings after the first, erasing the side in order in the fourth. He breezed through the first 12 batters, while Glasnow worked hard, especially holding runners on. With Davies working quick, it didn’t give Glasnow much time between his tough innings.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Scranton got their fifth single, which started the frame. Glasnow walked the next batter on a full count, then looked visibly upset with himself, which brought out the pitching coach Stan Kyles. With men on first and second, Scranton gave Glasnow an out with a sacrifice bunt. The next batter got hit on his elbow, though it shouldn’t have been allowed as he stuck his elbow over the inside corner of the plate to take a curve for the hit-by-pitch, which loaded the bases.
After starting the next batter 3-0, Glasnow worked his way back to get a strikeout on a letter-high fastball. He then picked up his sixth strikeout, keeping the score 1-0 through four innings. This was a very tough inning, as he threw 28 pitches, 14 for strikes, putting him at 77 pitches early in the game.
The fifth for Indianapolis looked like the second, third and fourth. At this point, they were at 14 straight retired after the Hanson lead-off single. Scranton got another single from their lead-off hitter, the fourth time they started an inning with a hit. Glasnow then walked the second hitter to put two men on. The next hitter grounded out to Bell, who got the out at second base, putting men on the corners with one out. Glasnow got a fly ball to shallow right field and with Willy Garcia out there, the runner had to hold. Unlike the last two innings, Glasnow couldn’t get out of a tough spot unscathed, giving up a single that made it 2-0.
The next batter struck out swinging on a curve in the dirt to end the inning. Glasnow was up to 101 pitches, which ended his night. In five innings, he allowed two runs(one earned) on seven hits and three walks, with seven strikeouts. He worked hard in this game, allowing 11 base runners(with the HBP) and got out of jams with some big strikeouts, but he got a lot of help from impatient hitters.
Glasnow was missing badly with his curve, throwing a lot that bounced before the plate, but Scranton hitters were chasing them and looking bad. He also left a lot of fastballs up in this game, which again were chased by the opposition. He did great to keep it a 2-0 score, but it wasn’t a pretty outing.
This game remained 2-0 through eight innings, as Kyle Davies continued to pitch outstanding for Scranton and A.J. Morris followed Glasnow with three scoreless innings. In the ninth, Davies was taken out and Scranton went to the bullpen, which changed the series.
Indianapolis started the ninth with a walk and two singles to load the bases. That brought up Gorkys Hernandez, who went down 0-2 in the count before getting hit by a pitch to bring home the first run with no outs. Josh Bell tied the game with a sacrifice fly, then a bloop single by Willy Garcia loaded the bases again. John Bowker came up and laced a single into center field, which scored two more runs, giving Indianapolis a 4-2 lead. The score stayed that way going into the bottom of the ninth, as closer Blake Wood came on to try to finish off the series.
Wood gave up a single, then recorded two outs before making the game interesting. He allowed another single and then a walk to loaded the bases. The final batter hit a hard grounder to Alen Hanson, who moved over to shortstop in the ninth inning. Hanson made the easy throw over to first to end the game and give Indianapolis a series sweep. They now await the winner of the Columbus/Norfolk series, which is tied 1-1.
[expand title=”Box Score” tag=”span”]
[insert_php]
create_boxscore(‘20150911′,’alt’);
[/insert_php]
[/expand]
Steven Brault finished the year in Altoona with an ERA under 1.00 in his last ten outings, but couldn’t carry that over to the post-season. Brault had his usual velocity, with the two-seamer sitting 88-89 and the four seamer reaching 91 MPH. However, he didn’t have good command of his stuff.
Brault fell behind often in the first inning, followed by a few elevated fastballs that were hit hard, leading to three runs for Bowie. Altoona was able to bounce back with two runs in the top of the second, but Brault ran into more problems later in his outing.
With two outs in the fourth, Brault gave up two book-rule doubles, which were both hit hard. He continued getting hit hard in the fifth inning, leading to two more runs. He was leaving pitches up, and wasn’t fooling anyone. Brault wasn’t able to throw his changeup for strikes, despite trying to use it often from the start. He left the game with two runners on base, and an additional run scored off Jhondaniel Medina, with Brault finishing with six runs in 4.2 innings. Medina gave up two more runs in the sixth inning, putting the game out of reach.
Former Pirates prospect Quincy Latimore had a big day, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, two home runs, and six RBIs. Current Pirates prospect Austin Meadows picked up three hits, including two hard-hit balls off a left-hander. Jacob Stallings, who was the hero in game one, had three hits tonight.
Altoona is now a game away from elimination, and will take on Bowie tomorrow, with Jason Creasy on the mound. – Tim Williams
Bradenton has completed their season.
[expand title=”Box Score” tag=”span”]
[insert_php]
create_boxscore(‘20150911′,’wva’);
[/insert_php]
[/expand]
West Virginia dropped game two of their playoff series, sending things to a deciding game tomorrow night. Stephen Tarpley had a rough outing tonight, giving up four run, three of them earned, in 5.1 innings.
Tarpley went down early, giving up a run in the first after three straight two-out singles. West Virginia took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second when Connor Joe hit a two-out, two-run homer, bringing in Taylor Gushue. Tarpley gave up the lead in the third, giving up a leadoff double, followed by a single to put runners at first and third. The tying run scored on a ground out later in the inning.
Another run scored in the fourth inning after a leadoff error by Chase Simpson, who was playing third base tonight. Simpson has spent most of the year at first base and playing DH. He did play 35 games at third, but was a much better fielder at first base. The error led off the bottom of the fourth inning, and the run scored on a two-out single.
Pablo Reyes created a run to tie the score again at 3-3 in the fifth. Reyes singled with two outs, stole second, and scored on a line drive from Kevin Kramer. However, that was the last run for West Virginia, despite a leadoff double from Jerrick Suiter in the sixth inning.
Tarpley ran into control problems in the sixth, issuing two walks with one out, then giving up a single for the go-ahead run. Edgar Santana came on in relief and struck out the next two batters to end the frame. Santana followed that with two strikeouts to start the seventh inning, before running into control problems himself. He had a walk, a hit batter, and another walk to load the bases, but ended up getting out of the jam with a pop out. John Sever ended up giving up two more runs in relief, putting the game more out of reach.
West Virginia will play the series deciding game tomorrow, with Yeudy Garcia on the mound. – Tim Williams
[expand title=”Box Score” tag=”span”]
[insert_php]
create_boxscore(‘20150911′,’wev’);
[/insert_php]
[/expand]
Morgantown had a chance to put away the series in Williamsport on Friday, but the offense couldn’t get going and Bret Helton pitched poorly in a 3-1 loss. That means Saturday night’s game will decide which team moves on to the finals. Helton has had trouble this season, posting a 4.97 ERA in 14 starts, while failing to get through five innings in eight of those games. This game was no different than the rest of his season.
Helton kept the game scoreless through three innings, though he failed to work a single clean inning. He gave up a hit each frame and also hit a batter in the first. In the fourth, Williamsport broke through with a single and then a home run. Helton pitched to one batter in the fifth and gave up a line drive single to center field. Stephan Meyer followed him and allowed the inherited runner to score. That made it 3-0 at that point.
In the top of the sixth, the Black Bears got on the board. Catcher Christian Kelley led off with a bunt single, moving to second base on a throwing error. He was sacrificed to third, then scored on a single from Danny Arribas. Logan Hill reached on a single, then Ke’Bryan Hayes loaded the bases with a walk. Casey Hughston had a chance to put Morganton ahead, but he grounded back to the pitcher for the third out. That was where the scoring ended.
The Black Bears had seven hits in the game, though Arribas had the only big hit. He’s been the best hitter lately, ending the season with a 14-game hitting streak, then providing two big hits in the series opener on Thursday. Morgantown went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and they left nine men on base. Meyer allowed the inherited runner to score by giving up a double to the first batter he faced. After that hit though, he retired 12 of the next 13 hitters, with the only exception being an error by Mitchell Tolman. Meyer struck out the side in the sixth.
Game three is Saturday at noon and Brandon Waddell is listed as the probable starter. He led Virginia to the College World Series title, so he is no stranger to pitching under pressure.
The Bristol Pirates have completed their season. The season recap will be posted soon.
The GCL Pirates have completed their season. Season recap and top ten prospect list can be found here.
The DSL Pirates have completed their season. You can read our full season recap here, with reports on 41 different players. There is also a list of 12 players to watch, which can be found here.
