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Prospect Watch: Kevin Krause Showing Power From the Catcher’s Position

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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. 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, West Virginia – DNP

3. Reese McGuire, C, West Virginia – DNP

4. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP

5. Alen Hanson, SS, Altoona – 3-for-6, 2B

6. Josh Bell, RF, Altoona – 2-for-6, 2B

7. Harold Ramirez, OF, West Virginia – Disabled List (7/7 Update)

8. Cole Tucker, SS, GCL Pirates – 2-for-3, 2 2B, 2 BB, SB

9. Luis Heredia, RHP, West Virginia – DNP

10. Mitch Keller, RHP, GCL Pirates – DNP

11. Adrian Sampson, RHP, Altoona – DNP

12. JaCoby Jones, SS, West Virginia – 2-for-4, 2 2B

13. Casey Sadler, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP

14. Andrew Lambo, OF, Indianapolis – 1-for-4

15. Joely Rodriguez, LHP, Altoona – 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 0 HR

16. Michael De La Cruz, OF, GCL Pirates – DNP

17. Trey Supak, RHP, GCL Pirates – 2.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 HR

18. Buddy Borden, RHP, West Virginia – DNP

19. Stetson Allie, 1B, Altoona – 3-for-4, 2 BB

20. Gage Hinsz, RHP, GCL Pirates – DNP

 

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DAILY SUMMARY

Top Pitcher: Rafael Perez, LHP – 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Carlos Munoz, 1B – 3-for-4, 2B, HR

Home Runs: Kevin Krause (7), Carlos Munoz (3), Henrry Rosario (2)

 

AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS    

Box Score

Result: Rochester 1, Indianapolis 0

Starting Pitcher: Rafael Perez, LHP – 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Jose Tabata, RF – 2-for-4

Other Notable Performers:

Andrew Lambo, 1B – 1-for-4

Game Notes: While Rafael Perez has lost velocity since he had Major League success with Cleveland, he has seen some success early on with Indianapolis. After completing eight scoreless innings on Saturday, Perez has not allowed a run in his last 19.1 innings pitched. In the bottom of the ninth, Josh Wall took over and allowed a hit and a run, while walking two. He was only able to record one out before the walk-off run crossed the plate.

Jose Tabata picked up his second straight two-hit effort. Andrew Lambo picked up a single and has at least one hit in eight of nine games since returning from the DL. – Ryan Palencer

 

AA: ALTOONA CURVE

Box Score

Result: Altoona 11, Bowie 0

Starting Pitcher: Zack Dodson, LHP – 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Willy Garcia, LF – 3-for-5, 2 2B

Other Notable Performers:

Joely Rodriguez, LHP – 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 0 HR

Alen Hanson, SS – 3-for-6, 2B

Drew Maggi, 3B – 2-for-6, 2B

Josh Bell, RF – 2-for-6, 2B

Stetson Allie, 1B – 3-for-4, 2 BB

Elias Diaz, C – 3-for-5, 2B

Dan Gamache, DH – 2-for-5, 2B

Game Notes: Altoona had a huge night on offense, with eight players recording multiple hits, and four players picking up three hits. Alen Hanson hit his 19th double of the year. Willy Garcia had two doubles, giving him 22 on the season. Josh Bell hit his first double in Altoona. Elias Diaz hit his 16th double of the year. Along with the big night on offense, the pitching had a nice night, led by Zack Dodson. The lefty had his best start of the season, and easily his best start of July, after putting up a 10.19 ERA in 17.2 innings this month. Dodson needed 82 pitches, with 53 strikes. He had a 13:4 GO/AO ratio.

 

A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS   

Box Score

Result: Bradenton 5, Lakeland 1

Starting Pitcher: John Kuchno, RHP – 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Eric Wood, 3B – 2-for-4, 2B

Other Notable Performers:

Yhonathan Barrios, RHP – 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 HR

Justin Howard, LF – 2-for-4, 2B

Justin Maffei, CF – 2-for-3, BB

Game Notes: John Kuchno continued his impressive run this year, giving up just one run in seven innings. This was the second straight outing that he has allowed one earned run in seven innings. In his last four outings, he has a 1.88 ERA in 28.2 innings, reaching the seventh inning every time. Kuchno has a 3.54 ERA in 117 innings this year. He’s been a ground ball machine, and that continued tonight, with a 14:2 GO/AO ratio. Yhonathan Barrios also continued a good start in Bradenton, throwing two shutout innings. He has given up one earned run on three hits in 5.1 innings, with a 4:3 K/BB ratio.

 

A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER   

Box Score

Result: West Virginia 9, Rome 8

Starting Pitcher: Cody Dickson, LHP – 4.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 1 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: JaCoby Jones, SS – 2-for-4, 2 2B

Other Notable Performers:

Michael Fransoso, RF – 3-for-5

Maximo Rivera, DH – 2-for-6

Erich Weiss, 2B – 2-for-4, BB, SB

Francisco Diaz, LF – 3-for-4, 2B

Game Notes: JaCoby Jones hit two doubles, giving him 18 on the season. Erich Weiss extended his hitting streak to five games. He has hits in seven of his last eight games, while reaching base safely in all eight games. Cody Dickson had a run of good starts leading up to tonight. He gave up one run in five innings in his final start of June, then had a 1.33 ERA in 20.1 innings in four starts during the month of July. Dickson has had control problems at times. Tonight was the third time in his last ten games where he walked four or more batters in a start. His other seven starts saw two or fewer walks.

 

A-: JAMESTOWN JAMMERS   

Box Score

Result: Jamestown 4, Batavia 2

Starting Pitcher: Frank Duncan, RHP – 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HR

Top Hitter: Kevin Krause, C – 2-for-4, HR, BB

Other Notable Performers:

Taylor Gushue, DH – 2-for-4, 2 2B

Elvis Escobar, CF – 2-for-4, BB

Game Notes: Kevin Krause won the game tonight with a walk off, two run homer in the tenth inning. The homer was the seventh of the year for the catcher in 99 at-bats. He’s got a .955 OPS on the year, with a .596 slugging percentage. It’s too early to say whether he’ll continue hitting for power like this, but the early results are encouraging. Out of the draft this year he was described as a slightly below average hitter who could hit for some power. Taylor Gushue, another catcher from the 2014 draft, had two doubles, giving him eight on the season. Frank Duncan went six innings for the first time in his pro career, giving up one run on two hits and a walk, while striking out six. Duncan has a 4.04 ERA in 35.2 innings, with a 21:6 K/BB ratio.

 

RK: BRISTOL PIRATES

Game One Box Score

Result: Greeneville 2, Bristol 1

Starting Pitcher: Hector Garcia, LHP – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR

Top Hitter: Nathan Tomaszewski, 1B – 1-for-2, 2B

Other Notable Performers:

Enyel Vallejo, LF – 1-for-3, 2 SB

Nick Buckner, RF – 1-for-1, 2 BB

Game Two Box Score

Result: Greeneville 4, Bristol 0

Starting Pitcher: Dan Urbina, RHP – 3.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 HR

Top Hitter: Carlos Ozuna, 2B – 1-for-2

Other Notable Performers:

Cesilio Pimentel, LHP – 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 0 HR

Game Notes: Bristol had some poor offense tonight, getting just four hits in the double header, including one hit in game two. Enyel Vallejo got a hit and two stolen bases in the first game, but went hitless in the second game. He’s got a .330 average and an .824 OPS in 91 at-bats, although the fact that he only has two walks is a concern. Nick Buckner had a hit and two walks. He’s been doing well this month, with a .301/.393/.370 line. He’s got a lot of raw power, but that hasn’t fully shown up on a consistent level.

 

RK: GCL PIRATES

Box Score

Result: Blue Jays 9, Pirates 8

Starting Pitcher: Trey Supak, RHP – 2.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Carlos Munoz, 1B – 3-for-4, 2B, HR

Other Notable Performers:

Henrry Rosario, CF – 1-for-4, HR, BB

Cole Tucker, SS – 2-for-3, 2 2B, 2 BB, SB

Tito Polo, RF – 2-for-4

Hayden Hurst, DH – 3-for-5

A.J. Morris, RHP – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 HR

Game Notes: The GCL Pirates got a lot of offense today, led by Carlos Munoz. The first baseman hit his third homer of the year, and added his seventh double. He’s been an on-base machine, with a .426 OBP and twice as many walks (18) as strikeouts (9). He’s also starting to hit for some power. Overall that is leading to a .315/.426/.494 line in 89 at-bats. Cole Tucker had the best game of his young career so far, with two doubles and two walks, reaching base four out of five times on the day. He also stole his fourth base of the year. Tucker has just a .250 average, but is getting on base constantly, with a .394 OBP. A.J. Morris made his first rehab appearance. Hayden Hurst, who I wrote about earlier today, made his second appearance as a position player.

 

RK: DSL PIRATES

Box Score

Result: Blue Jays 3, Pirates 0

Starting Pitcher: Richard Mitchell, RHP – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Felix Vinicio, LF – 2-for-4

Other Notable Performers:

Victor Fernandez, CF – 1-for-4, BB

Game Notes: Richard Mitchell pitched his second straight outing with five innings and no earned runs. It was also the fourth such outing in his last five starts. Mitchell is a promising young pitching prospect, and has been on fire this month, with a 1.08 ERA in 25 innings, along with a 10:3 K/BB ratio.

You can check out the DSL Pirates week seven recap here.

Tim Williams
Tim Williams
Tim is the owner, producer, editor, and lead writer of PiratesProspects.com. He has been running Pirates Prospects since 2009, becoming the first new media reporter and outlet covering the Pirates at the MLB level in 2011 and 2012. His work can also be found in Baseball America, where he has been a contributor since 2014 and the Pirates' correspondent since 2019.

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