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]
include_once (‘./p2-stats/stats_functions.php’);
display_top30(640457,’B’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
2. Mitch Keller, RHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
display_top30(656605,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
3. Kevin Newman, SS, Altoona – [insert_php]
display_top30(621028,’B’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
4. Cole Tucker, SS, Bradenton – [insert_php]
display_top30(657061,’B’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
5. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Bradenton -[insert_php]
display_top30(663647,’B’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
6. Will Craig, 3B, Bradenton – [insert_php]
display_top30(643269,’B’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
7. Taylor Hearn, LHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
display_top30(621368,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
8. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
display_top30(656543,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
9. Nick Kingham, RHP, Extended Spring Training – [insert_php]
display_top30(592468,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
10. Steven Brault, LHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
display_top30(643230,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
11. Clay Holmes, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
display_top30(605280,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
12. Braeden Ogle, LHP, Extended Spring Training – [insert_php]
display_top30(669180,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
13. Max Kranick, RHP, Extended Spring Training – [insert_php]
display_top30(668820,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
14. Elias Diaz, C, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
display_top30(553869,’B’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
15. Edgar Santana, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
display_top30(650828,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
16. Luis Escobar, RHP, West Virginia – [insert_php]
display_top30(650813,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
17. Dovydas Neverauskas, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
display_top30(596720,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
18. Yeudy Garcia, RHP, Altoona -[insert_php]
display_top30(650817,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
19. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Altoona -[insert_php]
display_top30(596012,’B’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
20. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
display_top30(621169,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
21. Stephen Alemais, SS, West Virginia – [insert_php]
display_top30(641301,’B’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
22. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Altoona – [insert_php]
display_top30(663399,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
23. Travis MacGregor, RHP, Extended Spring Training – [insert_php]
display_top30(669740,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
24. Barrett Barnes, LF, Extended Spring Training -[insert_php]
display_top30(608627,’B’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
25. Max Moroff, 2B, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
display_top30(621559,’B’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
26. Eric Wood, 3B, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
display_top30(607780,’B’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
27. J.T. Brubaker, RHP, Altoona – [insert_php]
display_top30(664141,’P’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
28. Chris Bostick, INF/OF, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
display_top30(607471,’B’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
29. Connor Joe, 3B, Altoona – [insert_php]
display_top30(656582,’B’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
30. Jose Osuna, 1B, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
display_top30(591741,’B’,’20170409′);
[/insert_php]
[insert_php]
display_topperf(‘20170409’);
[/insert_php]
[expand title=”Box Score” tag=”span”]
[insert_php]
create_boxscore(‘20170409′,’ind’);
[/insert_php]
[/expand]
INDIANAPOLIS — Clay Holmes didn’t have a dominant outing in his Triple-A debut, but showed several flashes of why he’s one of the better pitching prospects in the organization.
The good: He displayed a fastball that sits in the 94-95 range, touching 96 on occasion and even 97 once. Holmes’ slider showed good movement as he was able to generate weak contact.
The bad: Holmes also had some command issues, walking three batters. And he struggled late, not able to record an out in the fifth inning and facing four batters.
Holmes allowed seven hits and four earned runs in four innings, striking out four and walking those three batters. He threw 79 pitches, 50 for a strike.
In all, there is plenty to build on moving forward for Holmes. Indianapolis manager Andy Barkett said some improvements could be made from a mental standpoint.
The Indians spotted Holmes a four-run lead in the bottom of the first inning, but Toledo scored one run in the third inning and added three more in the fifth, one on a bases-loaded walk that knocked Holmes out of the game.
“Today, I thought he had a chance to really cruise in this game,” Barkett said. “I thought his stuff was above average, well above average, but the execution really wasn’t there and he kind of let the game get away from him a little bit.”
Barkett admitted he hasn’t been around Holmes that much, previously working as the organization’s hitting coordinator. But if he had to comment on one thing Holmes could have done differently on Sunday, it would be having more conviction.
“A little bit more eye of the tiger so to speak,” Barkett said. “Especially when you get a four-run lead and you have that type of stuff to go out there mentality-wise and dominate, and I didn’t see that. … It just seems like he was firing forward and it didn’t seem like there was a plan of attack. I know we did have a game plan going in, but I didn’t see him really executing his plan effectively.”
Toledo scored a run in the third inning on Juan Perez’s RBI single. Holmes got ahead of Perez 0-2, getting him to swing at a 94 MPH fastball and throwing an 81 MPH breaking pitch for a strike. But his 93 MPH fastball was ripped up the middle for an RBI single.
Holmes struggled with his command late in his outing. He allowed two singles — one on a bunt — to lead off the fifth inning. He then walked Alex Presley to load the bases.
Juan Perez — who had 5 RBIs — in the game, drew a bases-loaded walk that ended Holmes’ outing. In that at-bat, Holmes threw a 94 MPH fastball high for a first-pitch ball. He threw the same pitch low, but Perez couldn’t check his swing. Holmes again went fastball in the third pitch of the at-bat, but was well out of the zone high. He tried throwing a breaking pitch, but that was low and away for ball four.
“That inning just kind of got away from me, but other than that I thought I did pretty well,” Holmes said. “I probably could have pitched to contact more and got deep in a couple of at-bats there. Other than that, the stuff felt good I just wasn’t able to make a pitch when I needed to.”
But there were several times where Holmes was able to generate weak contact for soft groundouts, and even a couple of the hits he allowed were short line drives that found a hole in front of outfielders.
“He throws a real heavy ball and it’s 95 MPH,” Barkett said. “It’s tough to center up.”
Edgar Santana looked sharp in his season debut last week, but didn’t fare well entering in relief with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth inning.
Perez swung and missed at an 84 MPH slider away, but Santana left the next breaking pitch in the zone and Perez hit a bases-clearing triple to the left-center field wall.
Cody Dickson also struggled in relief, allowing two of the three runners he inherited to score.
“You’re going to have to pitch in traffic to go to the big leagues and pitch,” Barkett said. “Clint Hurdle is going to call on you no matter what the situation as a young pitcher going up there. When you sign up to be a reliever part of the deal is you will have to pitch in traffic and you will have to learn how to make pitches in traffic. We didn’t do that today.”
Gift Ngoepe continued his impressive start to the season at the plate, with a pair of doubles, including one off the top of the fence in straight-away center field. Ngoepe is hitting .467 this season.
Eric Wood had a pair of RBI sacrifice flies, but is still hitless this season. Austin Meadows showed some offensive life, hitting a double to break his 0-for-12 start to the season.
Danny Ortiz had a two-run single and Elias Diaz had a double, and threw two baserunners out, including one on a delayed steal attempt. – Brian Peloza
[expand title=”Box Score” tag=”span”]
[insert_php]
create_boxscore(‘20170409′,’alt’);
[/insert_php]
[/expand]
HARRISBURG, PA – J.T. Brubaker made his first Double-A start against Harrisburg. He showed solid fastball velocity, sitting at 92-93 mph and topping out at 96. He didn’t locate the pitch well, though, and didn’t keep it down. His issues with command left him in some hitter’s counts and led to some walks. The changeup appears to be his best pitch. It was usually 84 mph and had good fade at times, giving left-handed hitters a lot of trouble. The pitch was inconsistent, though, and when Brubaker left it up it got hit hard. Leaving pitches up seems to be an issue with him as he had trouble last year with extra base hits. Brubaker also threw a curve and a slider, but neither pitch was very effective.
Brubaker got through five innings with only one run allowed thanks to two big double play grounders. One came with first and third and one out, the other with bases loaded and one out. In the sixth, he walked the leadoff hitter and then took a line single off his leg. He was unhurt, but he got a fastball over the heart of the plate on the next hitter and it went for a three-run HR. Brubaker finished with four runs allowed on eight hits and four walks. He struck out three.
Jared Lakind and John Kuchno followed Brubaker. Lakind’s stuff seems to have dropped off. He hit 92 once, but otherwise didn’t show anything like the low-90s velocity he’s had previously. His fastball was mainly 85-88 and he had trouble throwing strikes with it. He had to work from well behind in the count several times, although he got away with it thanks to several loud outs. He also threw a curve that he commanded better and kept down, as he went an inning and two-thirds without allowing more than a walk and a hit batsman. Kuchno struggled through his one inning. He threw little other than fastballs, 88-90 mph. He kept the ball “down” mostly, but in this case that often meant bouncing it in front of the plate. A lot. That’s not a terribly effective way to get hitters out, and when he got the ball up at all he got hit hard. He allowed two runs and escaped the inning on a caught stealing. That led to a final score of 6-2.
The Curve hitters struggled through the first five innings with a soft-tossing righty, Austen Williams. He changed speeds a lot and got a great many swings and misses, fanning nine in six innings total. The Curve never threatened until the sixth, when Kevin Newman and Elvis Escobar waited on pitches and singled to center. Kevin Kramer got plunked and Jordan Luplow — the one hitter who had no problem with Williams — doubled off the fence in deep left center. That brought in a pair and left runners at second and third with one out, but Chase Simpson struck out for the third time and Michael Suchy flied out.
The Curve threatened again in the seventh, starting the inning with a walk and a single, but Edwin Espinal popped out, Newman flied to deep right and Pablo Reyes, batting for Escobar against a lefty, took a called third strike. The only other noise came when Connor Joe lined a pinch-hit double into the right field corner with two outs in the eighth. For some reason, Joe has started only one of Altoona’s first four games, although he’s had consistently good at-bats in his rare chances.
For the game, Luplow went 2-for-4 and also had a line out to deep left. Newman was 1-for-4 and Kramer 1-for-3. – Wilbur Miller
[expand title=”Box Score” tag=”span”]
[insert_php]
create_boxscore(‘20170409′,’bra’);
[/insert_php]
[/expand]
Bradenton swept their opening home-at-home series against Charlotte, winning game four by a 5-0 score on Sunday. Taylor Hearn made his first start and it was impressive. He threw 5.2 scoreless innings, giving up four hits (all singles) and three walks. Hearn had five strikeouts, including three in the second inning. He also had a 6:2 GO/AO ratio. The 5.2 innings is his longest career outing. He threw 88 pitches, with 55 going for strikes.
Logan Sendelbach followed Hearn with 2.1 scoreless innings and Seth McGarry pitched the ninth, retiring the side in order.
The offense wasn’t as good as the first three games when the Marauders put up a total of 24 runs. They did show some power though, with two solo homers from Kevin Krause and Logan Hill’s second homer of the season. Krause homered in his first two at-bats of the season after being on the bench during the first three games.
Cole Tucker had two singles, a run scored and his first stolen base of the season. Will Craig went 0-for-4 and he was 2-for-15 in the opening series. He did walk three times, get hit by a pitch and struck out just once, so it wasn’t as bad as a .133 average sounds. Mitchell Tolman was 0-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt and a HBP. Ke’Bryan Hayes had the day off.
[expand title=”Box Score” tag=”span”]
[insert_php]
create_boxscore(‘20170409′,’wva’);
[/insert_php]
[/expand]
Luis Escobar made his season debut and it will likely end up as one of the best outings this season for the Pirates, at least as far as strikeouts. He went five innings, striking out 12 batters. That’s four more than his previous career high. Escobar was getting a lot of swing and misses at pitches in the dirt. That actually led to his only run, which was ugly looking compared to the rest of his masterpiece. Escobar got a strikeout on a pitch that got away from catcher Chris Harvey with one out in the third inning, and that allowed the runner to reach first base. Escobar would throw a total of four wild pitches in the inning, which led to the only run he allowed. He threw a total of 73 pitches, with 45 going for strikes.
West Virginia lost this game 2-1 in 11 innings, leaving them 0-4 to start the season. They had some chances to score, but they went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left ten men on base. Matt Frawley threw three shutout innings and picked up five strikeouts. He looked impressive late in Spring Training and that carried over into his season debut. Dylan Prohoroff allowed one run in three frames and took the loss. The two teams combined for 37 strikeouts and Logan Ratledge was the only player from either team not to strikeout. Albert Baur had two hits and drove in the only run. Stephen Alemais had the day off.
