A look at how the current top 30 prospects did today. If a player is in the majors for an extended time (Tyler Glasnow, Trevor Williams, Alen Hanson, Jose Osuna), or loses his prospect eligibility, 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, 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 the 2017 Prospect Guide, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Austin Meadows, CF, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
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2. Mitch Keller, RHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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3. Kevin Newman, SS, Altoona – [insert_php]
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4. Cole Tucker, SS, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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5. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Bradenton -[insert_php]
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6. Will Craig, 3B, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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7. Taylor Hearn, LHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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8. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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9. Nick Kingham, RHP, Extended Spring Training – [insert_php]
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10. Steven Brault, LHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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11. Clay Holmes, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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12. Braeden Ogle, LHP, Extended Spring Training – [insert_php]
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13. Max Kranick, RHP, Extended Spring Training – [insert_php]
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14. Elias Diaz, C, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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15. Edgar Santana, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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16. Luis Escobar, RHP, West Virginia – [insert_php]
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17. Dovydas Neverauskas, RHP, Pirates – [insert_php]
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18. Yeudy Garcia, RHP, Altoona -[insert_php]
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19. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Altoona -[insert_php]
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20. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
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21. Stephen Alemais, SS, West Virginia – [insert_php]
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22. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Altoona – [insert_php]
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23. Travis MacGregor, RHP, Extended Spring Training – [insert_php]
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24. Barrett Barnes, LF, Extended Spring Training -[insert_php]
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25. Max Moroff, 2B, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
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26. Eric Wood, 3B, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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27. J.T. Brubaker, RHP, Altoona – [insert_php]
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28. Chris Bostick, INF/OF, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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29. Connor Joe, 3B, Altoona – [insert_php]
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30. Pat Light, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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INDIANAPOLIS — A team that has struggled offensively this season might have found its breakthrough game.
In the very least, Indianapolis was able to enjoy a comfortable 9-2 win over Toledo. The Indians scored that season-high in runs on a season-high 17 hits.
A team that has endured two lengthy scoreless streaks this season — one of 23 innings and another of 21 innings — put together a long list of offensive highlights.
*Christopher Bostick continued his torrid streak of hitting, going 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. He extended his hitting streak to 14 games and he’s had multiple hits in five straight games.
*Austin Meadows had a three-run double to the center field wall in the sixth inning. He’s hitting .198 this season, but also reached base on a walk and scored two runs.
*Erich Weiss was 3-for-5 with one RBI, raising his average to .205.
*Jason Rogers was 3-for-5, while Joey Terdoslavich and Danny Ortiz each had two hits.
*Jacob Stallings was 2-for-4 with two RBI. He’s hitting .320 this season, and will take over primary catching duties as long as Elias Diaz is in Pittsburgh.
“I think guys are competing a lot more and thinking a lot less,” Indianapolis manager Andy Barkett said. “I think we were thinking a little too much early in the season and now we’re just attacking and hitting. It’s fun to watch.”
Stallings had a two-run single in the second inning to put Indianapolis ahead 2-0. Meadows hit an RBI fielder’s choice in the second inning, and later scored on an Erich Weiss RBI single.
Bostick had an RBI single in the fifth inning, while Meadows hit his three-run double and Jason Rogers had an RBI double.
Stallings was the primary catcher for a good portion of last season with Indianapolis and the pitching staff raves about throwing to him. But his offense was the one thing holding his progression back.
But that seems to be changing. He hit .321 in Spring Training and has continued his solid offensive production in a backup role, hitting .320 after Tuesday’s game.
“I think it’s a carry-over from last year,” Stallings said. “Anytime you have good results you’re going to be more confident. I finished the season really well here last year, then I got to go up in September and did really well in the big leagues. I had a good spring and so I think it’s just kind of a carry-over. I feel good about my approach and I’m more focused more on that than with my swing.”
Indianapolis’ offense overshadowed an average start from Clay Holmes, who was moved up a day and switched spots in the rotation with Tyler Eppler.
Barkett said he didn’t have a reason why the two starters were switched in the rotation.
“All of those things come from above me,” Barkett said. “I don’t have a feel why.”
Holmes had moments where he pitched like one of the top prospects in the organization. He struck out JaCoby Jones looking at a nasty curveball, while hitting 97 MPH with his fastball multiple times.
But then there were the inefficient portions that limited the success of his fifth outing of the season. Holmes didn’t allow any runs in the first four innings, but several walks and an inability to put runners away led to his pitch count rising too quickly.
Holmes allowed two runs on four hits over 4.2 innings, walking three and striking out four. He threw 56 of 97 pitches for a strike.
“I don’t know, but I think we need to get to the bottom of it,” Barkett said of the ebbs and flows of Holmes’ outing. “I think it’s a guy that has really good stuff but then the quality of strikes seems to wander on him for some reason. Then he wanders out of the zone and then it’s hard to get back into it. He out-stuffed them early and I don’t think he was ever in a good rhythm tonight. His stuff was good but he couldn’t get into a rhythm where he could cruise and get through five.”
Holmes allowed a four-pitch walk to Alex Presley to open the game, but worked around that with a pair of groundouts and the strikeout of JaCoby Jones on a nasty curveball that started high against a player who was recently hit in the face with a pitch.
But the bad part of the first inning: Holmes needed 22 pitches to get those three outs. And he needed 19 pitches to work around a two-out single in the second inning.
Holmes had an efficient third inning, retiring the side on two strikeouts and a groundout, needing just 13 pitches to do so.
The fourth inning showed both the good and bad of Holmes’ outing. He got two quick groundouts, but then issued a four-pitch walk to James Loney. Holmes struck out Omar Infante on a 94 MPH fastball at the knees, to work around that two-out walk.
Holmes faced six batters in the fifth inning, but only got two outs before being taken out. He gave up a one-out double, followed by consecutive singles which scored two runs. Jones flied out to centerfield, but Holmes walked Efren Navarro on four pitches and his day was done.
In the end, Holmes knows he needed to get more groundouts and that he “didn’t make a pitch when I needed to.”
“This lineup has a lot of veteran hitters and they have good approaches,” Holmes said. “They don’t swing at a pitch that they don’t have to. You really have to make pitches on them, and if you let them, they’ll easily let your pitch count get up.”
Brett McKinney entered in relief and stranded both runners. He pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless relief and has stranded all but one of the 11 runners he’s inherited this season.
Edgar Santana worked around a walk in a scoreless ninth inning, striking out one and sitting 95 MPH.
Max Moroff was 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. – Brian Peloza
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ALTOONA, Pa. – On a cold, blustery night in Central Pennsylvania, JT Brubaker didn’t let the wind affect him as he was spectacular in 6.2 innings without allowing a run.
Two of the hardest hit balls against Brubaker happened early in the first inning, with two line drive singles to left field within the first three batters. Brubaker then induced his first of three double plays to end the first inning. The second and third innings were clean for Brubaker, as he settled in and got some easy outs with his first two strikeouts occurring in the third. He ended the third with a 94 MPH fastball.
Brubaker allowed a couple of singles in the fourth, but he was helped by a nice defensive play by Michael Suchy in right field. Suchy sold that he was going to catch a fly ball to right with runners on first and second. With the ball dropping in front of him, he quickly fired to second base for the out. It was a very heads up play for Suchy which led to a scoreless inning for Brubaker after he struck out the next batter. Both of Brubaker’s strikeouts in the inning were on breaking balls.
In the fifth, and again in the seventh inning, Brubaker induced double plays to cancel out any type of threat against him.
“He was able to get ahead and put guys away by getting the ball on the ground,” Manager Michael Ryan said. “He used an effective fastball then coupled it with a really good slider and changeup. He was unbelievable tonight.”
Brubaker’s two-seamer had a lot of action tonight, allowing him to get those ground balls and get out of some jams. Ryan said that he did a good job establishing the inside of the plate, which in turn opened things up for his breaking ball. Brubaker also did a good job getting ahead in the count.
“Tonight showed you how good his two-seamer was working by the ball being on the ground,” Ryan said. “When it’s not working, the ball is in the air. That’s the tale for him.”
Sean Keselica came in to relieve Brubaker in the seventh inning with one runner on, and he got a swinging strikeout to end the inning. He then pitched a clean eighth inning with two strikeouts to close out the frame.
“He’s a lefty than can throw 94 with a tough angle,” Ryan said on Keselica. “He’s a big, strong kid. He threw some good breaking balls tonight that made his fastball even more effective.”
Montana DuRapau picked in his fifth save of the season, coming back from a miscue to start the inning where Elvis Escobar went back on a ball that ended up falling in front of him. He struck out two batters to end the game.
Edwin Espinal went 2-for-3 from the plate with a double to lead off the second inning and a hard hit line drive that actually glanced off of the pitcher in the eighth inning. He is batting .356 on the season and trails on Kevin Kramer on the team in hitting. Not only from the plate, Espinal continues to play a strong first base, and he added a leaping line drive grab tonight in the sixth inning.
Jordan Luplow was the only other Curve hitter with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 from the plate. He hit a line drive that went to the left field wall in the third inning, scoring Kevin Newman for the Curve’s first run of the night.
Altoona went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
*Curve Manager Michael Ryan said that they expect Jin-De Jhang to rejoin the team on May 19th if all goes according to plan with his rehab schedule at Pirate City.
*Brandon Waddell will throw three innings on Thursday with Austin Coley piggybacking behind him. This will be Waddell’s first start after his DL stint. -Sean McCool
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Gage Hinsz has results similar to his last start, but he looked much better on Tuesday, as Bradenton beat St Lucie by a 6-1 score. In his lone start last week, Hinsz allowed one run over six innings. He did a great job keeping runs off the scoreboard, but he was not throwing many strikes. Tuesday was completely different as he allowed one run on three hits and no walks in seven innings.
Hinsz was pounding the strike zone all game, working his fastball to both sides of the plate while sitting 94-96 MPH. He was occasionally mixing in his curve and changeup, but the fastball was extremely effective and down in the zone. Hinsz finished with four strikeouts, an 11:5 GO/AO ratio, and he threw 59 of his 81 pitches for strikes. He was also extremely busy on defense, with multiple 3-1 putouts and a terrific play on a swinging bunt down the third base line. This is the seventh time I’ve watched him pitch and it was the most impressive performance I’ve seen from him.
The offense put up six runs with a little help from St Lucie, as their pitchers issued eight walks and the team made two errors. The Marauders had eight hits, including two each from Christian Kelley and Will Craig. Kelley hit the ball well this game and has all season actually, peppering the field with line drives. He now has a .303 average in 19 games. Craig had a run scored, an RBI and he connected on his sixth double. Cole Tucker was 0-for-4, but he had a walk, a run scored, an RBI ground out and he stole his 18th base, most in all of baseball. He was also thrown out stealing at home on an attempted double steal. Casey Hughston was 1-for-4 with his seventh double. Ke’Bryan Hayes had the night off.
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West Virginia was cruising along on Tuesday night with a 2-0 lead until the eighth inning when things fell apart. Cam Vieaux has been the best starting pitcher for the Pirates at keeping runs off the board this season. He made four starts prior to tonight and allowed one run in each of those games. He couldn’t keep that streak alive on Tuesday, because he didn’t give up a run in his six innings of work. Vieaux scattered six hits, with no walks and four strikeouts. He’s been very efficient this season with his pitches, throwing just 67 on this night and he’s averaged just over ten pitches per inning in his last four starts combined. He now has a 1.27 ERA over 28.1 innings.
Dylan Prohoroff threw a scoreless seventh, then Matt Eckelman got lit up for four runs in the eighth inning. He recorded just two outs and needed help from Jordan Jess to keep it a 4-2 game. Jess allowed a ninth inning run and the game ended at a 5-2 score.
Sandy Santos drove in both West Virginia runs with a fifth inning double, his third of the season. The Power had just four other hits in the game, all singles, and no one had more than one hit. Stephen Alemais was 0-for-4 on the night.
