A look at how the current top 30 prospects did today. If a player is in the majors for an extended time (Colin Moran and Edgar Santana), or loses his prospect eligibility (Kyle Crick and Dovydas Neverauskas), 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 our 2018 Prospect Guide, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Mitch Keller, RHP, Altoona – DNP
2. Austin Meadows, CF, Indianapolis – 1-for-3
3. Cole Tucker, SS, Altoona – 2-for-4
4. Shane Baz, RHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
5. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Altoona – 1-for-3, 2B
6. Kevin Newman, SS, Indianapolis – 0-for-7
7. Taylor Hearn, LHP, Altoona – DNP
8. Lolo Sanchez, CF, West Virginia – 1-for-5
9. Bryan Reynolds, OF, Altoona – Disabled list
10. Jordan Luplow, LF, Indianapolis – 0-for-6
11. Luis Escobar, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
12. Clay Holmes, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
13. Braeden Ogle, LHP, West Virginia – DNP
14. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
15. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – 0-for-4, BB, HBP
16. Max Moroff, INF, Pirates – In Majors
17. Adrian Valerio, SS, Bradenton – 0-for-4
18. Calvin Mitchell, OF, West Virginia – 2-for-4, 2B
19. Oneil Cruz, SS, West Virginia – 2-for-4, RBI
20. Nick Burdi, RHP, Pirates (disabled list) – DNP
21. Dario Agrazal, RHP, Altoona – DNP
22. JT Brubaker, RHP, Altoona – 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO
23. Will Craig, 1B, Altoona – DNP
24. Stephen Alemais, 2B/SS, Altoona – 1-for-4
25. Jason Martin, OF, Altoona – 2-for-4
26. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Altoona – DNP
27. Eduardo Vera, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
28. Mason Martin, 1B, West Virginia – 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, HBP
29. Conner Uselton, OF, Extended Spring Training – DNP
30. Cody Bolton, RHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
Indianapolis had the second game of a doubleheader postponed yesterday, so they tried for two more on Wednesday morning. Tyler Eppler started game one and gave up a lead-off double. That would be more hits than the Indians would pick up, as they got no-hit in a 5-0 loss.
Eppler pitched well in his first two games, but he did not have it on this day. In three innings, he allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk, with three strikeouts. The only two base runners for Indianapolis came on a fourth inning Kevin Kramer hit-by-pitch and a sixth inning walk to Christopher Bostick, who was pinch-hitting for the pitcher.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
In game two, Austin Meadows quickly ended the possibility of back-to-back no-hitters with a single in the first. Alex McRae started and was trying to bounce back from a rough outing last time, but things got out of hand quickly in the first and he was gone before the inning was over. He was replaced by Casey Sadler, but not before he gave up five runs on six hits. Sadler threw 2.1 scoreless innings, then Tyler Jones allowed two more runs in the fourth.
After the Meadows single, Indianapolis got a double from Jose Osuna. The next 11 batters were retired in order before Christopher Bostick doubled in the fifth. Osuna added a single in the sixth and Bostick doubled for the second time in the game in the seventh. The Indians went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, leading to a 7-0 loss.
Kevin Newman went 0-for-7 on the day, dropping him to a .211 average. Jordan Luplow was 0-for-6, leaving him 2-for-29 on the season.
You can view the season preview here.
Altoona lost 4-2 despite a strong start from JT Brubaker. In six innings, Brubaker allowed one run on four hits and a walk, while striking out eight batters. Through three starts, he now has 21 strikeouts in 16 innings. Logan Sendelbach allowed two runs in the seventh for the loss, while Tate Scioneaux gave up the fourth run in the eighth inning.
Altoona had their issues on the bases in this game, with three runners getting thrown out while going for extra bases and another runner was picked-off. They had 12 base runners total and went 3-for-6 with runners in scoring position, yet they managed just those two runs. Jason Martin and Cole Tucker each had two hits, while Ke’Bryan Hayes hit his first double of the season.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bradenton lost 11-1 to Palm Beach on Wednesday night. AJ Schugel made his second rehab appearance and started the game. He went one inning, giving up a walk, while getting a strikeout and two ground outs. Schugel threw 17 pitches, with ten going for strikes.
James Marvel took over in the second inning and served up three homers while giving up five runs over five innings. Angel German let the game get out of hand by letting the first seven batters of the eight inning reach base. The first six of them came around to score. Scooter Hightower put in two scoreless frames.
The Marauders on offense had six singles, a walk and 14 strikeouts. Jared Oliva was the only batter not to strike out and he also drove in the only run. Alfredo Reyes had three hits and scored the only run. Tyler Gaffney and Jason Delay also added singles.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
West Virginia played an early afternoon game with Domingo Robles on the mound. He had a 7.71 ERA coming into the day, but he put in an outstanding performance to show why we had him as a top 50 prospect this season.
Robles gave up an infield single in the third, a solo homer in the fourth, and that’s it. In six innings, he allowed one run on two hits, with no walks and nine strikeouts. Many of those strikeouts were on his curveball, which he was using early in the count effectively and as a swing-and-miss pitch with two strikes. He threw 52 of his 69 pitches for strikes.
Joel Cesar followed Robles and couldn’t throw strikes, walking four of the five batters he faced. Blake Cederlind followed and let two inherited runners score. Matt Seelinger was in Bradenton at Pirate City in the morning, but by 1:30, he was in the game getting the save in his Low-A debut.
On offense, the Power had ten hits, including doubles by Calvin Mitchell, Mason Martin and Deon Stafford. Stafford, Mitchell and Oneil Cruz each had two hits. Cruz and Martin each stole their first base of the season.
Here’s the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
