A look at how the current top 30 prospects did today. If a player is in the majors for an extended time (Tyler Glasnow, Trevor Williams, Alen Hanson), or loses his prospect eligibility, he will be removed from this list. 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 more active prospects on the list. Rankings are from the 2017 Prospect Guide, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Austin Meadows, CF, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
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2. Mitch Keller, RHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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3. Kevin Newman, SS, Altoona – [insert_php]
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4. Cole Tucker, SS, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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5. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Bradenton -[insert_php]
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6. Will Craig, 3B, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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7. Taylor Hearn, LHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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8. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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9. Nick Kingham, RHP, Extended Spring Training – [insert_php]
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10. Steven Brault, LHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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11. Clay Holmes, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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12. Braeden Ogle, LHP, Extended Spring Training – [insert_php]
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13. Max Kranick, RHP, Extended Spring Training – [insert_php]
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14. Elias Diaz, C, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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15. Edgar Santana, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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16. Luis Escobar, RHP, West Virginia – [insert_php]
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17. Dovydas Neverauskas, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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18. Yeudy Garcia, RHP, Altoona -[insert_php]
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19. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Altoona -[insert_php]
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20. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
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21. Stephen Alemais, SS, West Virginia – [insert_php]
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22. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Altoona – [insert_php]
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23. Travis MacGregor, RHP, Extended Spring Training – [insert_php]
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24. Barrett Barnes, LF, Extended Spring Training -[insert_php]
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25. Max Moroff, 2B, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
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26. Eric Wood, 3B, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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27. J.T. Brubaker, RHP, Altoona – [insert_php]
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28. Chris Bostick, INF/OF, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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29. Connor Joe, 3B, Altoona – [insert_php]
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30. Jose Osuna, 1B, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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INDIANAPOLIS — He didn’t stray too much from his scouting report and there was no reason to do so.
Tyler Eppler made his Triple-A debut on Saturday, mixing a mid-90s fastball with an effective slider-cutter to throw five scoreless innings for Indianapolis in a 2-1 loss against Toledo.
Eppler, the 24th ranked prospect in the organization, used a fastball that was sitting 94-95 MPH in the first three innings to set up his slider-cutter pitch. His velocity slightly dipped to 93-94 in the final two innings he worked but Eppler simply relied more on that slider-cutter.
He didn’t waste much time showing his fastball, as his first two pitches of the game were 95 MPH called strikes.
That fastball set up his slider-cutter pitch and Toledo never found an answer. Eppler allowed just three hits, striking out four and walking none in five shutout innings. He threw 58 pitches, 43 for a strike.
“He pitched like he had been doing it for years,” Indianapolis manager Andy Barkett said. “He looked comfortable, in control and poised. He made pitches and just did a great job.”
A season-opening start that was also his first start at the level one step away from the Major Leagues provided a nice adrenaline boost for Eppler.
“The nerves were definitely there but I was just trying to keep those in control,” said Epper, who spent last season in Altoona. “I feel for the most part I used those nerves to my advantage. My body felt really good and really in sync.”
The adrenaline didn’t hurt Eppler in touching 95 on the first pitch of the game, and he didn’t let it bother his control. Eppler tossed 13 of his 16 first-inning pitches for a strike.
“He didn’t pitch like he was amped up,” Barkett said. “He pitched like he was under control and had been doing this for years. He was impressive.”
Eppler’s slider-cutter pitch led to strikeouts, groundouts and a key double play. The pitch continues to develop into an out-pitch, keeping hitters off his fastball.
He doesn’t walk many batters and stays around the zone, but that can allow hitters to get comfortable and take better swings. But his slider-cutter pitch is proving to be quite the counter to hitters getting settled in the batter’s box.
Eppler struck out the first batter he faced, David Lough, on an 89 MPH slider-cutter, which was set up by a pair of 95 MPH fastballs.
“I want it come on looking the same, but missing barrels,” Eppler said. “But it’s kind of come on as a strikeout pitch which is good for me. Just another weapon to use.”
In the first inning, Omar Infante had a single to left field on a dropping line drive that fell right in front of Eric Wood, who might have taken a half-step the wrong direction which made the difference between catching the hit or not. Matt Murton made weak contact with a 95 MPH fastball and grounded out on a slow roller to third baseman Chris Bostick, who made a nice barehanded catch and running throw for the out. Steven Moya struck out on the slider-cutter pitch to end the inning.
Eppler retired the side in the second inning on a popout, groundout and strikeout. He worked around a fielding error and single in the third inning and in the fourth inning, Eppler needed just eight pitches to retire the side on two groundouts and a flyout.
Michael Almanzar led the fifth inning off with a single to right field, but he was quickly erased with a 6-4-3 double play induced by a slider-cutter. Brendan Ryan grounded out on the next pitch, a 93 MPH fastball.
“(The slider-cutter) is a great pitch and really tough to pick up for right-handed or left-handed hitters,” Barkett said. “I think he was effective with it tonight. All of his pitches, I thought, were good.”
Eppler only needed 58 pitches to get through five innings but was pulled due to being on an inning-limit in his season debut.
“The way he was throwing he could have gone seven or eight innings if we were later in the season,” Barkett said.
All of the Indians’ offense came in their first at-bat of the game. Batting from the right side, Max Moroff hit a no-doubt home run to left field to lead off the bottom of the first inning.
Moroff has hit a home run in each of the three games Indianapolis has played this season.
Gift Ngoepe went 3-for-4 and is hitting .455 this season.
A Chris Bostick single was the only hit from the last seven batters in the Indians’ lineup. Toledo starter Chad Bell recovered from the opening home run to strike out 10 batters in 5.2 innings, including striking out seven of eight batters during one stretch.
Toledo scored two runs in the seventh inning off Indianapolis reliever Angel Sanchez, who allowed singles to three of the first four Mud Hens he faced in that inning. Toledo took a 2-1 lead Brendan Ryan’s RBI sacrifice fly.
Indianapolis right fielder Anderson Feliz made a solid throw home ahead of the runner, but it appeared catcher Jacob Stallings either dropped the ball out of his glove or had it knocked out by the runner grazing his glove.
Feliz walked to lead off the ninth inning and Moroff almost hit a walk-off home run that resulted in a flyout to right field. He made good contact but on the end of the bat.
Ngoepe singled up the middle and Feliz was waved into third base, just sliding around a tag.
Austin Meadows had a chance to tie or win the game, but he hit a fly out to shallow center field, not allowing Feliz to tag from third.
Meadows went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts on Saturday, and is 0-for-11 with seven strikeouts in three games this season. – Brian Peloza
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Altoona nearly mounted a last inning comeback in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. A three-run homer by Kevin Kramer with two outs in the top of the seventh brought Altoona within two runs, but after Edwin Espinal walked, Chase Simpson struck out to end the game.
Brandon Waddell started and took the loss in the 6-4 contest, allowing four runs over four innings to Harrisburg. After Kevin Newman committed an error to start the game, Waddell retired the next nine hitter in order. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, when Waddell allowed an RBI ground out, before serving up a three-run homer. Despite the easy first three innings, Waddell still threw 73 pitches in his four innings, which ended his night. He had five strikeouts and a 6:0 GO/AO ratio. Miguel Rosario followed him and allowed two runs over two innings.
Kevin Newman had one hit on the night, serving an opposite field ground ball single into right field in the fifth inning for Altoona’s first run. Pablo Reyes followed with a single, but on the play, Wyatt Mathisen was thrown out at the plate. Before the Kramer home run, the Curve had just six hits and they were all singles. Michael Suchy was the only player with two hits. Connor Joe had a pinch-hit single in the seventh.
Game Two – Altoona split the doubleheader, winning 5-1 behind spot starter Austin Coley and two relievers. Due to the rain out on Opening Day and the doubleheader today, Coley was thrown into the rotation just for this game and he responded with one run over four innings. Sean Keselica threw two shutout innings and Buddy Borden pitched a scoreless seventh. The trio combined for ten strikeouts.
The offense was spread out fairly evenly, as the top eight hitters in the lineup picked up one hit each. Pablo Reyes led off the game with a solo homer, his first of the season. Connor Joe reached twice on a triple and a walk. He scored two runs. Tomas Morales drove in a pair of runs with a sixth inning double. Kevin Kramer, Jordan Luplow and Wyatt Mathisen each hit a double, giving the Curve extra-base hits on six of their eight hits. Kevin Newman had this game off, while Pablo Reyes moved from center field to shortstop to replace him.
Game One Live Report: Brandon Waddell started game one of a doubleheader against Harrisburg and looked very good for three innings. When I saw him in a Double-A game last year he fell behind nearly every hitter, which was a problem throughout his time with Altoona. Today he was hitting his spots with his fastball early and getting ahead, which made all his pitches more effective. He got quite a few swings and misses with the fastball, which was consistently 88-90 MPH. Some hitters were actually late on it, probably because they were looking for slower stuff. Waddell’s curve didn’t have real sharp break, but produced ground balls when he kept it down. He threw a slider that was only 1-2 MPH slower than his fastball and a change that was probably his most effective pitch.
After three hitless innings, Harrisburg started catching up to Waddell’s stuff. Two hard hit singles and a hit batsman loaded the bases with nobody out. Waddell bore down at that point and should have escaped with one run allowed. He got an easy double play grounder that Kevin Newman fumbled. Newman got the very slow batter, but should have had two. Waddell fanned the next hitter and got two strikes on another, but left a fastball over the middle of the plate that was lined for a three-run HR. Waddell’s final line was four innings, three hits, four earned runs, one walk and five strikeouts.
Miguel Rosario followed Waddell. Rosario is interesting because he dropped down to sidearm a couple years ago and moved up quickly after that. He got good results at Altoona last year, but was aided by an unsustainably low batting average on balls in play. His fastball today was only 86-88 mph, which is typical. He also threw a change and breaking ball. Harrisburg teed off on Rosario for three scorched hits and two runs in his first inning. He had control issues in his second, walking the opposing pitcher, but got out unscathed.
The Curve hitters, meanwhile, couldn’t do much with Nationals prospect Erick Fedde. He breezed through four innings. Altoona got two on in the fifth on an error and a walk, and Newman singled in a run. Pablo Reyes followed with a single, but Wyatt Mathisen was thrown out at the plate on a dubious call. Kevin Kramer made it respectable in the seventh with a long, three-run HR.
Newman had a better day at the plate than in the field. Apart from the fumbled grounder, he had an error on the first batter Waddell faced. He fielded an easy grounder, but threw flat-footed and the throw sailed far over Edwin Espinal’s head at first.
Reyes started in center for the second time, with Elvis Escobar in left. Reyes has struggled for playing time when he’s been stuck on the same team with prospects like Kramer, so it’s good to see the Pirates trying to find a way to get him in games. He has solid all-around ability and it’s not implausible that he could reach the majors.
Game Two: Austin Coley was the starter in game two, which Altoona won, 5-1. Coley is slated for the bullpen this year, but got a spot start in the doubleheader so Altoona can keep their rotation intact. Coley throws the standard four pitches, with his fastball at 86-91. In this game, throwing mostly fastballs (which is typical in the minors), he got hit hard in the first two innings. The pitch obviously has below-average velocity for a righty and he didn’t locate it well, getting it up throughout the start. He gave up a single and a couple of long flies in the first, but no damage. In the second, a single and a long double started him off with runners on second and third. He also walked a batter in the inning, but he escaped with only one run scored thanks to an inept safety squeeze with the pitcher up, with Coley easily able to flip the ball to the catcher in time to get the runner from third, who should have held up.
Coley pitched two more innings and was much more effective as he pitched “backward,” relying heavily on his secondary offerings. He has a good curve, although he doesn’t always control it well, and his change has some fade. He was able to set up the hitters with the slower stuff and then get the fastball by them. Coley finished with six strikeouts in four innings, a surprising number of them on fastballs. He allowed five hits and a walk, and the one run.
Lefty Sean Keselica followed Coley for two innings. Excluding one inning for Bradenton last year, it was Keselica’s first appearance above low A. He threw mostly fastballs, ranging from 87 to 91 mph. He also threw a curve and change. The fastball was surprisingly effective despite some control issues; Keselica walked one and threw only 18 of 33 pitches for strikes, but he allowed no hits and fanned three.
Buddy Borden pitched the last inning. You may remember Borden as a decent prospect, as a starter, who got traded for Sean Rodriguez. Borden fell apart with Tampa Bay, got released, signed to return to the Pirates last year, and pitched badly at Bradenton. The Pirates must think pitching in relief will make a difference, as they moved Borden up to Altoona. In this game he started off throwing 87 but quickly dialed it up to 93, throwing sharply downhill most of the time. He got three outs, including a strikeout, on 11 pitches.
The Altoona hitters jumped on the Harrisburg starter quickly. Pablo Reyes, playing short this time, lined the game’s second pitch into the seats in left. Michael Suchy then singled and Kevin Kramer grounded a double past third, with Suchy going to third. The rally seemingly died when Luplow flied out to shallow right and Kramer got caught off second when Suchy decided not to try for home. But Connor Joe tripled to deep center and Wyatt Mathisen grounded hard past third for a double, driving Joe in with the third run.
The rest of the Curve offense came in the sixth, when backup catcher Tomas Morales doubled off the fence in center to drive in two runs. Every starter except Coley had one hit. Reyes could easily have had three, though. He lined a ball off the pitcher’s foot that the second baseman picked up on the deflection and threw Reyes out. Reyes also lost an infield hit, on a grounder into the hole at short, on a very close call at first. – Wilbur Miller
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Bradenton was supposed to debut their new video feed today on MiLB.tv, but that wasn’t working. It’s probably best for Mitch Keller that they had issues, because he did not have a strong season debut. Keller actually started off well, striking out the first two batters, then getting a ball hit back to him for the third out. The second inning was typical Keller as well, a strikeout sandwiched between two ground ball outs. He fell apart in the third inning.
Keller gave up back-to-back singles to begin the third, before retiring the ninth place hitter. That was followed by a three-run homer from Jake Fraley, who was an early round draft pick last year. After two more well-hit singles, Keller was pulled with 57 pitches, 41 going for strikes. Sam Street came on and allowed both inherited runners to score. That left Keller with five earned runs over 2.1 innings. He did not allowed more than four earned runs in any of his 26 starts last year, including the playoffs.
Bradenton ended up winning this game 7-6 after trailing 5-1 in the third inning. The team has now scored 24 runs over the first three games and Saturday was a group effort. Everybody reached base at least once and Jordan George (walk) was the only Marauder without a hit. Casey Hughston had three hits and continued his odd streak to start the season. He has five hits and eight strikeouts in 13 plate appearances, giving him a 1.000 BABIP and a 62% strikeout rate.
Christian Kelley and Daniel Arribas at the bottom of the order, each had two hits and drove in two runs. Arribas got his first start in this game. Kelley picked up two doubles. Logan Hill hit his first home run of the season, while Mitchell Tolman has a .500 average early on after going 2-for-4 with a triple.
As for the top prospect trio, Will Craig reached base three times, with a single, a walk and a HBP. Cole Tucker and Ke’Bryan Hayes were each held to a single.
Jacob Brentz made his first appearance of the season and struck out three batters in his only inning of work. He was hitting 100 MPH in Spring Training late last month. Sam Street threw 4.2 scoreless innings, though as pointed out up top, he did allowed two inherited runners to score in the third inning.
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West Virginia lost both games of a doubleheader on Friday, scoring just two runs total. They put up more runs during Saturday’s game, but the pitching also gave up more runs than they allowed during yesterday’s doubleheader. The Power lost 8-3, as 20-year-old lefty Oddy Nunez made his first career start. He had a terrific first inning, getting two grounders and a strikeout on just eight pitches. He limited the damage in the second inning after loading the bases with one out. Nunez got two straight grounders, just missing a double play that would have kept the game scoreless. The wheels fell off in the third inning and Rome put up four runs to knock him out of the game.
After Nunez left, Hector Garcia came on and had a line similar to Nunez. Garcia also pitched three innings in which he allowed five hits and one walk, while hitting a batter. The difference was that Garcia allowed just two runs. Blake Cederlind was next and he went 2.2 innings before reaching his pitch count. Jordan Jess came on for the final out and stranded an inherited runner. Cederlind finished with one run on four hits, no walks and he had three strikeouts.
The Power offensive explosion (by their standards) included a two-run home run from Logan Ratledge and two hits by Trae Arbet, who also scored a run. Hunter Owen and Kevin Mahala each added a double. Stephen Alemais is still looking for his first hit after an 0-for-3, two strikeout game yesterday, followed by an 0-for-4, two strikeout game today.
