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Prospect Watch: JaCoby Jones Homers, Jordan Luplow Makes Season Debut

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TOP OF THE SYSTEM

A look at how the current top 30 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, 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 30 active prospects on the list. Rankings are from early season update, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.

1. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Altoona – DNP

2. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List

3. Austin Meadows, CF, Bradenton – 2-for-5

4. Josh Bell, 1B, Altoona – 1-for-3, 3B, BB, SB

5. Reese McGuire, C, Bradenton – 0-for-5

6. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP

7. Alen Hanson, 2B, Indianapolis – 2-for-5

8. Cole Tucker, SS, West Virginia – 1-for-3, BB

9. Elias Diaz, C, Indianapolis – 0-for-4

10. Mitch Keller, RHP, Extended Spring Training

11. Harold Ramirez, OF, Extended Spring Training

12. Stephen Tarpley, LHP, Extended Spring Training

13. JaCoby Jones, SS, Bradenton – 2-for-4, 2B, HR, RBI

14. Adrian Sampson, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP

15. Trey Supak, RHP, Extended Spring Training

16. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Extended Spring Training

17. Barrett Barnes, OF, Bradenton – DNP

18. Clay Holmes, RHP, Bradenton – Disabled List

19. Cody Dickson, LHP, Bradenton – DNP

20. Willy Garcia, OF, Altoona – 1-for-4, BB

21. John Holdzkom, RHP, Indianapolis – 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR

22. Jordan Luplow, 3B, West Virginia – 0-for-4

23. Connor Joe, 1B/3B – Extended Spring Training

24. Wyatt Mathisen, 3B, Bradenton – 0-for-4

25. Casey Sadler, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP

26. Steven Brault, LHP, Bradenton – DNP

27. Tito Polo, OF, West Virginia – 0-for-2, BB, SH

28. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Extended Spring Training

29Luis Heredia, RHP, Extended Spring Training

30. Taylor Gushue, C, West Virginia– 0-for-4

DAILY SUMMARY

Top Pitcher: Frank Duncan, RHP – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 0 HR

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

Home Runs: JaCoby Jones (3), Deibinson Romero (1), Chase Simpson (1)

 

AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS    

Box Score

Result: Louisville 6, Indianapolis 1

Starting Pitcher: Chris Volstad, RHP – 6.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Deibinson Romero, 3B – 1-for-3, HR, RBI, BB

Other Notable Performers:

Alen Hanson, 2B – 2-for-5

Elias Diaz, C – 0-for-4

Game Notes: Chris Volstad was not near as sharp Thursday as he was in his first outing of the season. Volstad pounded the zone much of the night, but got hit fairly hard when he elevated the ball. He was in the low 90s with the fastball and the low to mid 80s with the change and the breaking ball. Volstad was also not nearly as pitch efficient as he was the first time out. He threw 98 pitches through six innings, with 60 for strikes.

 
Bobby LaFromboise as strong in relief of Volstad, as he worked a pair of strong innings with zeros across the board outside of the lone walk. John Holdzkom continued his struggles with command and was not able to get out of his inning. Holdzkom allowed three hits and walked another, while allowing a pair of runs. Blake Wood came on to finish the ninth with a strikeout.
 
Alen Hanson and Steve Lombardozzi picked up a pair of hits each. After not getting a hit in his first two game, Hanson has picked up a knock in four of the last five games. Deibinson Romero picked up the team’s first home run of the season on Thursday. Ryan Palencer

 

AA: ALTOONA CURVE

Box Score

Result: Altoona 2, Akron 1

Starting Pitcher: Jason Creasy, RHP – 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Josh Bell, 1B – 1-for-3, 3B, BB, SB

Other Notable Performers:

Stetson Allie, RF- 0-for-5

Willy Garcia, LF – 1-for-4, BB

Keon Broxton, CF – 2-for-5

Game Notes: Starting pitcher Jason Creasy went five innings and struck out four as the Curve beat the Indians Double-A affiliate Akron Rubberducks in 11 innings. Creasy did, however, walk three batters, which happened for only the second time in his career as a professional. Creasy threw a lot of breaking balls early in the pitch count which is something that seems to be a theme for the pitchers in Altoona under Tom Prince. Tom Harlan pitched 2.2 shutout innings with three strikeouts, while Jhondaniel Medina threw two shutout innings with one strikeout and one walk. The Curve continue with their strong start from the pitching staff with a 1.97 ERA in the first seven games.

Offensively, the Curve struck out 13 times in what was a cold, rainy night in Altoona, PA. Keon Broxton had two of Altoona’s seven hits, but he also struck out three times. Josh Bell was 1-for-3 for the night with his lone hit being a triple to the gap in deep right-center field. Bell also was called upon to lay down a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the 11th, which he successfully completed.

Stetson Allie looked shaky early in right field on a routine fly ball, but he followed that with two difficult plays to his left, one sliding while coming in on the ball and the other in the corner at the wall.

The Curve completed the victory in walk off fashion in the 11th inning by loading the bases and Eric Wood drawing a walk against Akron’s Grant Sides. – Sean McCool

 A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS   

Box Score

Result: Bradenton 6, Dunedin 0

Starting Pitcher: Frank Duncan, RHP – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 0 HR

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

Other Notable Performers:

Austin Meadows, CF – 2-for-5, 2B

Reese McGuire, C – 0-for-5

Jin-De Jhang, DH – 3-for-4

Jose Osuna, RF – 3-for-4, RBI

Game Notes:  The Marauders put up six runs on 14 hits, shutting out Dunedin on Thursday night. JaCoby Jones hit his third homer of the season and third double. Austin Meadows had two hits, giving him a .387 average. He has reached base in all seven games. Jin-De Jhang and Jose Osuna each had three hits. Jhang is batting .444 in 18 at-bats. Frank Duncan threw five shutout innings, giving him an 0.90 ERA in two starts. Isaac Sanchez pitched three innings after Duncan and Ryan Hafner threw the last inning. Between them, they retired the final 12 batters in order.

A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER   

Box Score

Result: West Virginia 4, Lexington 2

Starting Pitcher: Alex McRae, RHP – 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR

Top Hitter: Chase Simpson, DH – 1-for-2, HR, RBI, 2 BB

Other Notable Performers:

Cole Tucker, SS – 1-for-3, BB

Tito Polo, CF – 0-for-2, BB, SH

Taylor Gushue, C – 0-for-4

Jordan Luplow, 3B – 0-for-4

Game Notes: Last year’s third round draft pick, Jordan Luplow, made his season debut at third base, batting third in the lineup. He made a throwing error on his first chance in the field, which ended up being his only chance in the field. He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. Pablo Reyes hit his first triple and Chase Simpson hit his first homer of the year. Jerrick Suiter and Elvis Escobar each drove in a run. Alex McRae allowed one earned run over five innings to give him a 1.80 ERA in two starts. He had seven ground ball outs and five strikeouts. Junior Lopez and Sam Street followed him with two scoreless innings apiece. Lopez picked up the win and Street got the save, the first for each of them.

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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