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Prospect Watch: Bell Homers, Oliver Wins Despite Command Issues

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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. Rankings are from the pre-season rankings, and links to each prospect writeup can be found by clicking the player names below. Players who weren’t in the original top 20 are linked to their player page on the site.

1. Gerrit Cole, RHP, Indianapolis (2-1, 2.23) – DNP

2. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Altoona (2-4, 3.26) – DNP

3. Gregory Polanco, CF, Bradenton (.303) – DNP

4. Alen Hanson, SS, Bradenton (.259) – 2-for-4

5. Luis Heredia, RHP, Extended Spring Training

6. Josh Bell, RF, West Virginia (.291) – 2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB

7. Barrett Barnes, CF, West Virginia (.220) – Low-A DL

8. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, West Virginia (2-0, 1.80) – DNP

9. Kyle McPherson, RHP, Indianapolis (0-1, 19.29) – Triple-A DL

10. Nick Kingham, RHP, Bradenton (4-2, 2.95) – DNP

11. Clay Holmes, RHP, West Virginia (1-2, 6.10) – DNP

12. Dilson Herrera, 2B, West Virginia (.274) – 2-for-3, 2B

13. Tony Sanchez, C, Indianapolis (.269) – DNP

14. Bryan Morris, RHP, Indianapolis (0-0, 1.42) – In Majors

15. Wyatt Mathisen, C, West Virginia (.187) – 1-for-3

16. Adrian Sampson, RHP, Bradenton (0-0, 6.26) – DNP

17. Vic Black, RHP, Indianapolis (0-2, 2.57) – 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 HR

18. Andy Oliver, LHP, Indianapolis (3-1, 2.70) – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 BB, 6 K, 0 HR

19. Jin-De Jhang, C, Extended Spring Training

20. Stolmy Pimentel, RHP, Altoona (2-0, 1.99) – DNP

 

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DAILY SUMMARY

Top Pitcher:  Thomas Harlan, LHP (0.82) – 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Josh Bell, RF (.291) – 2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB

Home Runs: Josh Bell (6), Pie (3)

 

AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS  

Box Score

Result: Indianapolis 8, Toledo 5

Starting Pitcher: Andy Oliver, LHP (2.70) – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 BB, 6 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Felix Pie, LF (.227) – 2-for-3, 2B, HR, BB, 4 RBI’s

Other Notable Performers:

Matt Hague, 1B (.303) – 3-for-4, RBI

Jerry Sands, RF (.151) – 2-for-4, RBI

Game Notes: Andy Oliver continued to be tough to hit this year, but six walks limited him to just five innings tonight. He threw 101 pitches, just 53 for strikes. He now leads the International League with 29 walks and 50 strikeouts. Victor Black threw two scoreless innings for his tenth save of the year. The opposing starter was long-time Pirates minor leaguer, Derek Hankins. The Toledo lineup also has three other former Pirates, Gustavo Nunez, Argenis Diaz and Ramon Cabrera, who was traded for Andy Oliver in the off-season.Felix Pie has picked up hits in six straight games, hitting three homers and driving in ten runs over that span.

 

AA: ALTOONA CURVE  

Game One 

Box Score

Result: Richmond 5, Altoona 0

Starting Pitcher: Casey Sadler, RHP (4-3, 3.18) – 7.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 HR

Top Hitter: Andrew Lambo, 1B (.299) – 2-for-3, 2B

Other Notable Performers:

Neil Walker, 2B (.286) – 1-for-3

Game Notes: Altoona dropped the first game of tonight’s doubleheader, getting shutout by two Richmond pitchers that combined for no walks and nine strikeouts. The Curve had just five hits and Andrew Lambo’s double was the only extra-base hit. Casey Sadler picked up the loss, but he pitched a complete game, throwing 93 pitches. In his last six outings, he has gone at least seven innings in five of those games. Neil Walker was playing his second game with Altoona on his rehab assignment. In game one tonight, he had a single in three AB’s and made an error.

 

Game Two

Box Score

Result: Altoona 5, Richmond 3

Starting Pitcher: David Bromberg, RHP (1-4, 5.54) – 5.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Kelson Brown, SS (.318) – 2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI

Other Notable Performers:

Neil Walker, 2B (.333) – 1-for-2

Andrew Lambo, CF (.302) – 1-for-2, RBI, SF

Game Notes: Altoona earned a split of the doubleheader by taking the nightcap, jumping on Richmond pitching early for five runs in the first three innings. Neil Walker had two AB’s before leaving the game, hitting a single and striking out. Andrew Lambo drove in his 25th run of the season. Andy Vasquez had two hits and an RBI in the leadoff spot. Zack Thornton threw two shutout innings for his first save with Altoona.

A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS

Box Score

Result: Charlotte 4, Bradenton 1

Starting Pitcher: Zack Dodson, LHP (0-1, 4.09) – 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR

Top Hitter: Alen Hanson, SS (.259) – 2-for-4

Other Notable Performers:

Jose Osuna, 1B (.265) – 1-for-3, SB

Game Notes: Zack Dodson made his second start since returning from his 50 game suspension, which carried over this season from late last year. He threw six solid innings, but got no support from the Bradenton offense. Dodson threw 85 pitches, 53 for strikes. Zac Fuesser threw two shutout innings to follow Dodson, then Emmanuel De Leon allowed two runs in the ninth. Carlos Mesa hit his 10th double of the year. Benji Gonzalez stole his eighth base. Gregory Polanco was out of the lineup for the second day in a row.

Josh Bell hit his sixth homer of the season
Josh Bell hit his sixth homer of the season

 

A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER

Game One

Box Score

Result: Lexington 2, West Virginia 0

Starting Pitcher: John Kuchno, RHP (1-2, 4.18) – 5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Dilson Herrera, SS (.274) – 2-for-3, 2B

Other Notable Performers:

Josh Bell (.282) – 0-for-2, BB

Game Notes: The Power dropped game one of their doubleheader tonight. John Kuchno pitched well for 5.1 innings, but picked up the loss. Pat Ludwig picked up the last two outs in the seven inning contest. West Virginia had seven hits and two walks, but they were unable to score a run. Dilson Herrera’s double was the only extra base hit. Stetson Allie struck out in all three AB’s. He didn’t play in game two.

 

Game Two

Box Score

Result: West Virginia 4, Lexington 3

Starting Pitcher: Jason Creasy, RHP (2-0, 4.30) – 3.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Josh Bell, RF (.291) – 2-for-3, HR, BB, 2 RBI

Other Notable Performers:

Wyatt Mathisen, C (.187) – 1-for-3

Walker Gourley, 1B (.318) – 1-for-3, 2B, BB

Game Notes: The Power earned a split in today’s doubleheader with a comeback win. Down 3-1 going into the sixth, they scored one run that inning, then two in the seventh to pick up the victory. Jason Creasy was making his first start of the season and didn’t do well, but Thomas Harlan picked him up with an impressive outing from the pen. He threw four scoreless innings, giving up one hit, one walk and striking out four batters. Josh Bell was the hitting hero. His two-run homer in the seventh put the Power up for good. Max Moroff had a real tough night, going 0-for-3 in game one, followed by an 0-for-4, with three strikeouts, in game two.

John Dreker
John Dreker
John started working at Pirates Prospects in 2009, but his connection to the Pittsburgh Pirates started exactly 100 years earlier when Dots Miller debuted for the 1909 World Series champions. John was born in Kearny, NJ, two blocks from the house where Dots Miller grew up. From that hometown hero connection came a love of Pirates history, as well as the sport of baseball. When he didn't make it as a lefty pitcher with an 80+ MPH fastball and a slider that needed work, John turned to covering the game, eventually focusing in on the prospects side, where his interest was pushed by the big league team being below .500 for so long. John has covered the minors in some form since the 2002 season, and leads the draft and international coverage on Pirates Prospects. He writes daily on Pittsburgh Baseball History, when he's not covering the entire system daily throughout the entire year on Pirates Prospects.

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