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 – 0-for-4, BB
4. Josh Bell, 1B, Altoona – 0-for-4
5. Reese McGuire, C, Bradenton – 2-for-4, RBI
6. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
7. Alen Hanson, 2B, Indianapolis – DNP
8. Cole Tucker, SS, West Virginia – 1-for-3, HR, RBI, BB
9. Elias Diaz, C, Indianapolis – DNP
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 – 1-for-4
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 – 2-for-4, BB
18. Clay Holmes, RHP, Bradenton – Disabled List
19. Cody Dickson, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
20. Willy Garcia, OF, Altoona – 0-for-3
21. John Holdzkom, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
22. Jordan Luplow, 3B, West Virginia – 1-for-4, RBI
23. Connor Joe, 1B/3B – Extended Spring Training
24. Wyatt Mathisen, 3B, Bradenton – 1-for-4
25. Casey Sadler, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
26. Steven Brault, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
27. Tito Polo, OF, West Virginia – 0-for-4
28. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Extended Spring Training
29. Luis Heredia, RHP, Extended Spring Training
30. Taylor Gushue, C, West Virginia – 1-for-4
DAILY SUMMARY
Top Pitcher: Matt Benedict, RHP – 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Pablo Reyes, 2B – 3-for-4, HR, RBI
Home Runs: Pablo Reyes (4), Jose Osuna (2), Cole Tucker (1)
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Indianapolis was off on Monday
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Result: Richmond 5, Altoona 1
Starting Pitcher: Zack Dodson, LHP – 7.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
Top Hitter: Gift Ngoepe, SS – 2-for-3, 2B, R
Other Notable Performers:
Josh Bell, 1B – 0-for-4
Max Moroff, 2B – 1-for-4
Game Notes: Even with taking the loss, Zack Dodson was one missed pitch away from another spectacular performance on Monday night in Altoona. Dodson left a breaking ball up on the outside edge of the zone to Richmond’s Myles Schroder for a no-doubter, three run home run over the left field bleachers. Otherwise, Dodson looked strong through the night. Dodson threw mostly four-seam fastballs the first time through the rotation, only mixing in a few changeups and two curveballs during that time.
After getting through the rotation once, Dodson mixed in all of his pitches quite evenly, with the slider and changeup being used consistently with two strikes. He seemed to lose a little control of his fastball as the game wore on, but he was able to mix in his other pitches well to get outs. His four-seam fastball sat between 90-92, the changeup and slider was in the low to mid 80s, and his big looping curveball was in the mid 70s. Dodson’s final line doesn’t tell the complete story on his game. I thought he threw a great game up to the point of the home run.
The first run he gave up came after what may have been a quick mental lapse, letting up a base hit to the opposing pitcher. Three of the runs given up were results of seeing-eye grounders past third that could have been turned into outs. Dodson worked extremely quick, never letting the pitch clock go under fifteen seconds. He looked to have good control of his breaking pitches, and he used them well.
Bats seemed to fall asleep for the Curve tonight with only Gift Ngoepe picking up multiple ground ball hits, and one of those hits could have been ruled an error and wasn’t. Dodson picked up the Curve’s only RBI on a line drive single. Willy Garcia had two hard hit line drives only to be recorded as flyouts. A bright spot of the night was Jacob Stallings as he threw out both steal attempts against him in the evening. The second was extremely impressive as he scooped a low slider from Dodson and threw a dart (past a right-handed batter) to third base to get the runner.- Sean McCool
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Result: Bradenton 3, Ft Myers 0
Starting Pitcher: Matt Benedict, RHP – 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Jose Osuna, 1B- 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Edwin Espinal, DH – 2-for-2, 2 BB
Barrett Barnes, LF – 2-for-4, BB
Game Notes: Barrett Barnes returned to action for the first time since April 15th and he reached base three times, picking right up where he left off. Barnes was out with lower body soreness, which was later called a tight hamstring, which is something that has plagued his career. It was minor, but the Pirates took extra precautions with him due to his past. Barnes had two singles and a walk in five plate appearances and he was able to play the entire game in left field. Edwin Espinal reached base all four times he came up, while Reese McGuire had two hits and an RBI. Jose Osuna connected on his second homer, accounting for the other two runs.
Matt Benedict pitched one of the best games of the year in the Pirates’ system. He threw seven shutout innings, facing two batters over the minimum. He has displayed excellent control this year, issuing two walks in 29 innings.
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: Greensboro 7, West Virginia 3
Starting Pitcher: Dovydas Neverauskas, RHP – 3.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Pablo Reyes, 2B – 3-for-4, HR, RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Cole Tucker, SS – 1-for-3, HR, RBI, BB, 2 R
Jordan Luplow, 3B – 1-for-4, RBI
Game Notes: Dovydas Neverauskas threw five shutout innings in his last start, allowing two hits and two walks. It was one of the best outings of his career. He couldn’t build on that on Monday, lasting just three innings, while giving up six runs. Neverauskas now has a 7.85 ERA and more walks than strikeouts. There was a bright spot on the pitching side, and that was the relief work of Yeudy Garcia. He threw three shutout innings, allowing just a single, while striking out four batters. Garcia also threw three shutout innings in his last game. In 18.1 innings, he has a 3.44 ERA and 19 strikeouts.
All the offense came from the top of the batting order. Cole Tucker hit his first homer of the season and Pablo Reyes hit his fourth. Reyes had three hits on the day, extending his hitting streak to nine games. The 5-through-9 hitters in the order went 0-for-18 with six strikeouts.
