TOP OF THE SYSTEM
A look at how the current top 20 prospects did today. Note that this list doesn’t include players currently in the majors (Stolmy Pimentel #13). 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 (Jameson Taillon #2, Clay Holmes #12), 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 20 active prospects on the list. Rankings are from the 2014 Prospect Guide, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Gregory Polanco, CF, Indianapolis – 0-for-2, 3 BB
2. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
3. Austin Meadows, CF, West Virginia – Disabled List (4/22 Update)
4. Alen Hanson, SS, Altoona – 0-for-5
5. Nick Kingham, RHP, Altoona – DNP
6. Reese McGuire, C, West Virginia – 2-for-4, RBI
7. Josh Bell, RF, Bradenton – 3-for-5, 2 2B, 4 RBI
8. Luis Heredia, RHP, West Virginia Power – Disabled List (4/22 Update)
9. Harold Ramirez, OF, West Virginia – 1-for-4, 2 SB
10. Andrew Lambo, OF, Indianapolis – Disabled List (5/7 Update)
11. Joely Rodriguez, LHP, Altoona – DNP
12. Blake Taylor, LHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
13. Cody Dickson, LHP, West Virginia – DNP
14. Barrett Barnes, CF, West Virginia – Disabled List (4/14 Update)
15. JaCoby Jones, SS, West Virginia – 0-for-5
16. Michael De La Cruz, OF, Extended Spring Training – DNP
17. Wyatt Mathisen, 3B, West Virginia – 0-for-3, BB
18. Jin-De Jhang, C, Bradenton – 1-for-3, 2B, RBI
19. Brandon Cumpton, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
20. Stetson Allie, 1B, Altoona – 1-for-5, 2B
ORDER YOUR 2014 PROSPECT GUIDE
The 2014 Prospect Guide is now available, and is the perfect resource to follow the minor league system during the 2014 season. You can order your copy on the products page of the site.
DAILY SUMMARY
Top Hitter: Josh Bell, RF – 3-for-5, 2 2B, 4 RBI
Home Runs: Willy Garcia (5), Keon Broxton 2(3), Elias Diaz (1), Nevin Ashley (1)
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Result: Scranton/WB 8, Indianapolis 4
Starting Pitcher: Jake Brigham, RHP – 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Jaff Decker, CF – 2-for-2, 2B, 3 BB, RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Gregory Polanco, RF – 0-for-2, 3 BB
Nevin Ashley, C – 3-for-5, 2B, HR, RBI
Game Notes: After a pair of poor outings, Jake Brigham has compiled three consecutive quality starts. Though he took the loss, Brigham stuck out seven hitters. He has 16 in his last three starts.
Jaff Decker picked up a couple of hits and three walks. Decker is 7-for-11 in his last four games with three doubles.
Gregory Polanco went 0-for-2, but did walk three times and scored a run.- Ryan Palencer
Scranton’s starter was Zach Nuding, an unsigned 2009 draft pick of the Pirates. Diego Moreno also pitched against Indianapolis tonight. He was part of the A.J. Burnett trade.
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Result: Akron 9, Altoona 7
Starting Pitcher: Adrian Sampson, RHP – 6.1 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Keon Broxton, LF – 2-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Drew Maggi, 2B – 0-for-1, 4 BB, SB
Mel Rojas, CF – 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, 2 BB
Game Notes: Altoona went into the seventh inning stretch with a 7-2 lead on Thursday night. Two innings later, they trailed by two runs after Akron put up a total of seven runs off three different pitchers. Adrian Sampson looked good through six innings, allowing two runs and needing just 77 pitches to get through his work, but he tried to go seven innings for the first time this season and he ended up getting just one out and giving up two more runs. It was the first time all year that he allowed more than two runs in a game. Sampson came into the game with a 1.53 ERA and averaging nearly a strikeout per inning, but most of those came early in the season. He finished with one strikeout on the night, giving him four total in his last three starts. Altoona flexed some muscle on offense with two homers off the bat of Keon Broxton and one each from Willy Garcia and Elias Diaz. The Curve had 12 hits and only Alen Hanson was unable to reach base safely.
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Result: Bradenton 8, Charlotte 2
Starting Pitcher: John Kuchno, RHP – 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Josh Bell, RF – 3-for-5, 2 2B, 4 RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Max Moroff, 2B – 2-for-4
Jin-De Jhang, C – 1-for-3, 2B, RBI
Game Notes: Josh Bell had a big game tonight, with three hits, two doubles and he drove in half of Bradenton’s runs. The Marauders put up five runs in the second inning and never looked back. Adam Frazier, Jin-De Jhang and Jonathan Schwind each scored a run and drove in another. For Bell, it was the end of a slump that saw him go ten games without an RBI and only one extra base hit during that span. John Kuchno started for Bradenton and lasted just 4.1 innings due to a high pitch count. While he only allowed two runs(one earned), he walked five batters, tying his career high. Kuchno had nine ground ball outs. Thomas Harlan and Bryton Trepagnier combined for 4.2 scoreless innings to finish off the win
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: Savannah 5, West Virginia 3
Starting Pitcher: Dovydas Neverauskas, RHP – 4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Erich Weiss, 2B – 2-for-3, BB, 2 2B
Other Notable Performers:
Harold Ramirez, RF – 1-for-4, 2 SB
Reese McGuire, C – 2-for-4, RBI
Game Notes: Harold Ramirez returned to the West Virginia lineup after a month-long absence and went 1-for-4 with two stolen bases. He was out with a hamstring injury, so the stolen bases are a great sign. Erich Weiss had a nice game at the plate with two doubles and a walk, but he had some trouble in the field, committing three errors. Reese McGuire had a similar game, collecting an RBI and two hits, but he made an error and had two passed balls. Dovydas Neverauskas started the season with two strong starts, but his four starts since then have not been that good. In two of them, including tonight’s game, he was unable to get through five innings. In the other two games, he went five innings in each, but gave up a total of 21 base runners and ten runs.
