43.5 F
Pittsburgh

Prospect Watch: Nick Kingham Looks Strong in Opener, Cole Tucker Has a Big Day at the Plate

Published:

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, 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 2015 Prospect Guide, 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, SB

4. Josh Bell, 1B, Altoona – 1-for-2, 2 BB

5. Reese McGuire, C, Bradenton – 2-for-3, RBI

6. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

7. Alen Hanson, 2B, Indianapolis – 0-for-4, SB

8. Mitch Keller, RHP, Extended Spring Training

9. Cole Tucker, SS, West Virginia – 3-for-5, 3 RBI, 2 SB

10. Elias Diaz, C, Indianapolis – 1-for-3

11. Harold Ramirez, OF, Extended Spring Training

12. Adrian Sampson, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP

13. John Holdzkom, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP

14. Cody Dickson, LHP, Bradenton – 3.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR

15. Trey Supak, RHP, Extended Spring Training

16. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Extended Spring Training

17. Clay Holmes, RHP, Bradenton – Disabled List

18. Willy Garcia, OF, Altoona – 1-for-3, RBI

19. JaCoby Jones, SS, Bradenton – 1-for-5

20Luis Heredia, RHP, Extended Spring Training

 

 SUBSCRIBE TO PIRATES PROSPECTS

Pirates Prospects will be switching over to a subscription site at the end of the week. To keep following the site, go to our subscription page and sign up for a plan. You can get a one-year subscription for free with just a minimum $5 deposit if you participate in our DraftKings promotion. Details can be found on the subscription page.

 

DAILY SUMMARY

Top Pitcher: Angel Sanchez, RHP – 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Cole Tucker, SS – 3-for-5, 3 RBI, 2 SB

Home Runs: None

 

AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS    

Box Score

Result: Columbus 4, Indianapolis 0

Starting Pitcher: Nick Kingham, RHP – 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

Top Hitter: Hunter Morris, 1B – 2-for-4, 1B, 2B

Other Notable Performers:

Gorkys Hernandez, CF – 1-for-2, 1B, BB
 
Elias Diaz, C – 1-for-3, 1B

Game Notes: Nick Kingham’s 2015 season picked up right where the 2014 campaign left off, as he picked up four strikeouts in six innings of work. Kingham was hitting as high as 94 in the first inning on his fastball, but that fell to a consistent 91 in the later frames that he worked. Kingham’s lone run was on a solo home run to Michael Martinez in the fifth inning.

 
Following Kingham, Charlie Leesman had a strong first frame, but really struggled in his second inning of work. After facing the minimum in the seventh, Leesman allowed a walk, two hits, and a pair of runs while  retiring just one hitter in the eighth. Adam Miller finished off the inning, while picking up a strikeout. Bobby LaFromboise worked the ninth and allowed a hit, a walk, and a run, while hitting mid 80s on the fastball and high 70s on the breaking ball.
 
In his Indianapolis debut, Hunter Morris picked up a pair of hits, including a single up the middle and a double to right center field.- Ryan Palencer

 

 

AA: ALTOONA CURVE

Box Score

Result: Altoona 1, Harrisburg 0

Starting Pitcher: Angel Sanchez, RHP – 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Willy Garcia, LF – 1-for-3, RBI

Other Notable Performers:

Josh Bell, 1B – 1-for-2, 2 BB

Chris Stewart, C – 0-for-2, BB

Game Notes: Altoona won on a ninth inning RBI single by Willy Garcia, which accounted for the only run of the game. Angel Sanchez pitched terrific, throwing six shutout innings. Zack Dodson, Thomas Harlan and Yhonathan Barrios each followed with one scoreless inning. Josh Bell reached base three times with a single and two walks. Chris Stewart began his rehab assignment and caught the first seven innings. He walked once in three plate appearances. Stetson Allie played right field and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

 

A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS   

Box Score

Result: St Lucie 7, Bradenton 2

Starting Pitcher: Cody Dickson, LHP – 3.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Barrett Barnes, LF – 3-for-4, 2B, BB

Other Notable Performers:

Austin Meadows, CF – 2-for-5, SB

Reese McGuire, C – 2-for-3, RBI

JaCoby Jones, SS – 1-for-5

Wyatt Mathisen, 3B – 2-for-4

Game Notes: Bradenton put 13 hits on the board, but they were only able to push two runners across home plate in their 7-2 loss on Opening Day. Cody Dickson had a rough first outing, allowing four runs on nine hits and a walk in three innings. Austin Meadows, Reese McGuire and Wyatt Mathisen each had two hits, while Barrett Barnes had three hits and a walk. Michael Fransoso didn’t start the game, but he was still able to throw out two runners at home plate from right field. Julio Vivas allowed one run over two innings of work. He spent almost all of 2014 with the GCL Pirates, pitching briefly with Bristol at the end of the year, so this is quite a jump for the 21-year-old. Ryan Hafner allowed two runs on six hits and two walks in two innings.

 

A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER   

Box Score

Result: West Virginia 7, Savannah 6 in 10 innings

Starting Pitcher: Jake Burnette, RHP – 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Cole Tucker, SS – 3-for-5, 3 RBI, 2 SB

Other Notable Performers:

Tito Polo, CF – 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB

Taylor Gushue, C – 1-for-5

Game Notes: West Virginia won in ten innings on a walk-off fielder’s choice, with pinch-runner Jeff Roy scoring the winning run. Cole Tucker had a big game, collecting three hits, driving in three runs and stealing two bases. Tito Polo was almost as good, hitting a single, double, driving in one run and drawing a walk. Both players made the jump from the GCL last year to full-season ball, skipping both Bristol and the new affiliate in Morgantown.

Jake Burnette made the start and gave up one run over three innings, while picking up five strikeouts. Since being draft in 2011, he has battled injuries, pitching just 56.2 innings over his first four seasons. John Sever threw one inning and struck out the side. He had 63 strikeouts in 40.2 innings with Bristol last year.

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.

Related Articles

Article Drop

Latest Articles