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. 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 #1, 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 mid-season top 20 update, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
2. Austin Meadows, CF, Bristol – 0-for-2, BB
3. Reese McGuire, C, West Virginia – DNP
4. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
5. Alen Hanson, SS, Altoona – 2-for-5
6. Josh Bell, RF, Bradenton – DNP
7. Harold Ramirez, OF, West Virginia – DNP
8. Cole Tucker, SS, GCL Pirates – DNP
9. Luis Heredia, RHP, West Virginia Power – 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 0 K, 0 HR
10. Mitch Keller, RHP, GCL Pirates – DNP
11. Adrian Sampson, RHP, Altoona – DNP
12. JaCoby Jones, SS, West Virginia – 4-for-5, 2B, 2 HR
13. Casey Sadler, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
14. Andrew Lambo, OF, GCL Pirates – DNP
15. Joely Rodriguez, LHP, Altoona – 5.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
16. Michael De La Cruz, OF, GCL Pirates – DNP
17. Trey Supak, RHP, GCL Pirates – DNP
18. Buddy Borden, RHP, West Virginia – DNP
19. Stetson Allie, 1B, Altoona – 1-for-3
20. Gage Hinsz, RHP, GCL Pirates – Agreed to Terms
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DAILY SUMMARY
Top Hitter: JaCoby Jones, SS – 4-for-5, 2B, 2 HR
Home Runs: JaCoby Jones 2 (13), Matt Hague (13), Kawika Emsley-Pai (2)
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Result: Indianapolis 4, Lehigh Valley 0
Starting Pitcher: Adam Wilk, LHP – 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Jaff Decker, LF – 2-for-4, 2B, 3B
Other Notable Performers:
Matt Hague, 3B – 1-for-3, HR
Game Notes: Adam Wilk pitched his first complete game shutout of his career. He only needed 109 pitches to make it happen, with 80 of those pitches going for strikes. Wilk was going up against former Pirate, Brad Lincoln. He’s been a decent starter lately, with a 3.18 ERA in 45.1 innings since the start of June. He has gone at least seven innings in four of his seven starts during that span. Wilk’s value to the Pirates might be as a lefty out of the bullpen. He has a .230 BAA versus lefties this year, compared to a .303 average against right-handers. Matt Hague hit his 13th homer of the year. That’s a new high for him at Triple-A, and just two shy of his career best. The impressive thing for Hague is that he has done this in 275 at-bats. He hit 15 in 2010, but that came in 509 at-bats. He’s currently on pace for 24 homers in a 509 at-bat season. Ryan Palencer wrote about how Hague has been hitting for more power this year. Jaff Decker added his 19th double of the year.
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Result: Altoona 6, Harrisburg 5
Starting Pitcher: Joely Rodriguez, LHP – 5.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
Top Hitter: Justin Howard, LF – 2-for-3, BB
Other Notable Performers:
Alen Hanson, SS – 2-for-5
Ryan Beckman, RHP – 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Live Recap: Altoona concluded their series with Harrisburg tonight, winning 6-5.
Joely Rodriguez had a rough start. The lefty lasted five innings, giving up five runs, four of which were earned. He surrendered nine hits, walked four, and only struck out one. Rodriguez did manage to get nine groundball outs, and he worked in the upper 80’s with his fastball for most of the night. This is his 2nd start in a row only lasting five innings, and he has walked at least three in two of his last four starts. Yang, Beckman, and Kasparek held the Senators scoreless for the rest of the game, despite Yang walking two in the 6th, and Beckman giving up two hits and a walk in the 7th and 8th.
Offensively, Justin Howard had a solid night. He went 2-3 with a walk, and drove in his 10th RBI on the season. Stetson Allie and Andy Vasquez both drove in runs as well, Allie with his 38th, Vasquez getting his 16th. Alen Hanson covered up his 25th error in the 1st by driving in the go ahead Curve run in the 8th. He went 2-5 on the night, and ran the Curve out of the 8th on a caught stealing at second to end the inning. – John Kokales
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Bradenton was suspended due to rain.
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: Greensboro 9, West Virginia 6
Starting Pitcher: Luis Heredia, RHP – 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 0 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: JaCoby Jones, SS – 4-for-5, 2B, 2 HR
Other Notable Performers:
Edwin Espinal, 1B – 2-for-5
Kawika Emsley-Pai, C – 2-for-3, HR, BB
Adam Landecker, DH – 2-for-3
Francisco Diaz, LF – 2-for-3, 2B, BB
Game Notes: Luis Heredia struggled with his control, issuing four walks in the first inning, and leaving after throwing 33 pitches, getting only two outs. Heredia hasn’t had the best results lately, giving up five runs in six innings in his last start, and three runs in five innings two starts before that. The one consolation was that he had just eight walks in 22 innings (3.3 BB/9) over his last four starts, leaving some hope that the control problems were getting back on track. JaCoby Jones hit two home runs, and now has four homers in his last three games, and six homers in his last ten games. Jones also has an eight game hitting streak.
A-: JAMESTOWN JAMMERS
Result: State College 5, Jamestown 2
Starting Pitcher: Tyler Eppler, RHP – 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 1 HR
Top Hitter: Carl Anderson, CF – 2-for-3, 3B, BB
Other Notable Performers:
Michael Suchy, RF – 1-for-4, 3B
Game Notes: Carl Anderson has been a great hitter so far, with a .344 average on the season in 96 at-bats. He has six multi-hit games in his last ten games. He hasn’t drawn many walks this year, and isn’t hitting for a lot of power. He profiles as a top of the order guy, so he’s going to at least need the walks in order to have success in the upper levels. One consolation to the lack of walks is that he rarely strikes out, with just ten on the season. He hit his third triple of the year today. Tyler Eppler made his fifth start of the season. He has a 3.86 ERA in 21 innings, with a 15:3 K/BB ratio.
RK: BRISTOL PIRATES
Result: Bristol 4, Greeneville 2
Starting Pitcher: Adrian Grullon, RHP – 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Jerrick Suiter, DH – 1-for-3, BB, SB
Other Notable Performers:
Junior Lopez, RHP – 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Cesilio Pimentel, LHP – 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Austin Meadows, CF – 0-for-2, BB
Game Notes: Jerrick Suiter is off to a good start in his pro career, getting hits in six of his first seven games, and hitting for a .320 average. He had an .885 OPS coming into tonight’s game, and hit his third double of the season, while adding his fourth walk and stealing his first base of the year. Adrian Grullon made his first start since June 20th, pitching just two innings. So far in two starts, Grullon has given up just one walk in 5.2 innings, with six strikeouts. Junior Lopez and Cesilio Pimentel pitched the rest of the outing, combining for two runs over seven innings. Austin Meadows made another rehab appearance, going seven innings. Non-drafted free agent Chris Harvey made his debut, going 0-for-4 as the starting catcher.
RK: GCL PIRATES
The GCL Pirates were off today.
RK: DSL PIRATES
The DSL Pirates were off today.
You can check out the DSL Pirates week five recap here.
