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Prospect Watch: Meadows, Martin and Portorreal Provide Offense for GCL Pirates

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P2 Top 30

A look at how the current top 30 prospects did today. If a player is in the majors for an extended time (Max Moroff), 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 Mid-Season Update, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.

1. Mitch Keller, RHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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2. Austin Meadows, CF, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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3. Shane Baz, RHP, GCL Pirates – [insert_php]
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4. Cole Tucker, SS, Altoona – [insert_php]
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5. Kevin Newman, SS, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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6. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Bradenton -[insert_php]
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7. Will Craig, 3B, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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8. Elias Diaz, C, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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9. Taylor Hearn, LHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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10. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Bradenton – [insert_php]
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11. Calvin Mitchell, OF, GCL Pirates – [insert_php]
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12. Braeden Ogle, LHP, Bristol – [insert_php]
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13Edgar Santana, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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14. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Altoona -[insert_php]
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15. Steven Brault, LHP, Indianapolis– [insert_php]
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16. Clay Holmes, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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17. Jordan Luplow, LF, Pirates – [insert_php]
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18. Luis Escobar, RHP, West Virginia – [insert_php]
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19. Max Kranick, RHP, GCL Pirates – [insert_php]
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20. Steven Jennings, RHP, GCL Pirates – [insert_php]
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21. Adrian Valerio, SS, West Virginia – [insert_php]
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22. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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23. Conner Uselton, OF, GCL Pirates – Disabled List

24. Dovydas Neverauskas, RHP, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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25. Eric Wood, 3B, Indianapolis – [insert_php]
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26. Eduardo Vera, RHP, West Virginia – [insert_php]
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27. Logan Hill, LF, Altoona – [insert_php]
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28. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Indianapolis -[insert_php]
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29. Lolo Sanchez, CF, GCL Pirates – [insert_php]
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30. Dario Agrazal, RHP, Altoona – [insert_php]
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P2 Top Performers

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Prospect-Watch-Indy

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INDIANAPOLIS — Drew Hutchison would struggle to put together much worse of an opening inning to a start.

And it came in the first game of a doubleheader.

Hutchison allowed five runs and needed 40 pitches to escape – barely – the first inning. The organization has a limit of 35 pitches for a single inning, but a pitcher can go past that amount if they are finishing an at-bat.

He allowed four hits and two walks in the first inning, striking out Dan Butler to end the inning in what was going to likely be his final chance to extend his outing.

But he put things back together quickly, and managed to throw a 7-inning complete game.

Hutchison’s first inning got off to a bad start via a pair of infield singles and a walk. A single, double and walk were the catapult to the five-run first inning.

After that, though, Pawtucket didn’t put much together. Hutchison allowed four hits and two walks over the final six innings, only throwing 72 pitches after the disastrous first inning.

Indianapolis didn’t do much offensively, managing just five hits in its 12th shutout at Victory Field this season. Elias Diaz was 3-for-3, with three singles.

Edwin Espinal, who arrived at the stadium in an Uber ride about 30 minutes or so prior to the first game, was the designated hitter and went 0-for-3 with two soft groundouts to the pitcher and a strikeout. – Brian Peloza

Game Two recap: Angel Sanchez did his best magician act in the second game of the doubleheader, getting out of an inherited bases-loaded jam; and nearly getting out of a self-induced jam the following inning.

Johnny Barbato started and pitched well in Indianapolis’ 2-1 loss, allowing one run on four hits in 3.1 innings. He was efficient with 38 pitches through three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth.

Pawtucket loaded the bases with one out on a single, double and hit by pitch. Sanchez entered in relief and he struck out the next two batters to end the inning.

“He’s not letting the game speed up on him anymore,” Barkett said. “In situations like that earlier in the year there would be a little panic out of him. But you’re not seeing that, you’re seeing calm, cool and collected. Which is testimony to his growth and development as a pitcher.”

In the fifth inning, Sanchez created his own jam with a single and double to open the inning. Pawtucket’s Sam Travis had a one-out RBI single, though, Sanchez got a groundout and strikeout to limit the damage.

Espinal was robbed of his first Triple-A hit on a diving catch by Pawtucket left fielder Steve Selsky in the fifth inning. Espinal threw up both arms in a seemingly mix of disbelief and frustration as he rounded first base.

In the second game, Espinal made much better contact and had three well-hit line outs to the outfield. He played first base in the second game and was forced to playing both games of a doubleheader, despite arriving shortly before the game, due to a limited Indianapolis bench.

Indianapolis’ lone run came on Christopher Bostick’s RBI sacrifice fly that scored Jacob Stallings. Joey Terdoslavich was 3-for-3 with three singles. – Brian Peloza

Prospect-Watch-Altoona-Curve

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Altoona was rained out

Prospect-Watch-Bradenton

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Bradenton went into the bottom of the ninth with a 5-1 lead and Daniel Zamora on the mound with his 0.63 season ERA. Seemed like you could call that a safe bet they would win, but they ended up losing on a walk-off hit-by-pitch.

Every pitcher has a bad day, but you rarely see someone who has been with the team all season, double their ERA while facing just five batters in late July. Zamora failed to retire a single hitter, then Seth McGarry came in to try to bail him out and he too had trouble, although it was nothing the opposition did at the plate. McGarry had a throwing error, then followed that up with the walk-off HBP. Two of the five runs charged to Zamora were unearned.

Those poor performances from the bullpen’s two best pitchers all season, ruined a great start from Bret Helton. Filling in the rotation spot left vacant by Taylor Hearn getting hurt, Helton allowed just one unearned run in his seven innings of work this night. He has given up three earned runs in 25 innings this month. Helton now has a 3.12 ERA in 86.2 innings.

Ke’Bryan Hayes had two singles, two runs scored and an RBI. He was originally credited with a third hit, but that was changed to an error after the game. Mitchell Tolman walked four times and scored two runs. He has reached base at least twice in each of his last five games. Ty Moore and Logan Ratledge each collected two hits. Will Craig went 0-for-3, but raised his 5th best OBP in the league just slightly with a walk and a HBP.

Prospect-Watch-WV-Power

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West Virginia was rained out

Prospect-Watch-Morgantown

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Morgantown lost 3-2 in 13 innings to Auburn on Friday night. Both teams scored two runs in an inning late, as Auburn scored twice in the bottom of the sixth, then the Black Bears matched them in the top of the seventh. The two Morgantown runs scored on a Deon Stafford single with the bases loaded, but a Dylan Busby line drive turned into a double play to end the inning. Auburn finally ended the game with a two-out double off of Shane Kemp in the bottom of the 13th.

Stephan Meyer started and went six innings, looking strong for five scoreless frames before ending on a down note. The second run scored on a wild pitch. Adam Oller, Hector Garcia and Joel Cesar combined for five shutout innings and Kemp kept the opposition off of the board in the 12th. Cesar has a 1.29 ERA and has allowed just six hits in 14 innings.

Morgantown had 11 hits in the game, all of them singles. Stafford’s hit was the only clutch hit, as the team went 1-for-17 with runners in scoring position. They also left 14 runners on base. Stafford, Bligh Madris, Lucas Tancas and Robbie Glendinning each had two hits. Dylan Busby had a tough game, going 0-for-6 with three strikeouts and his fifth error.

Prospect-Watch-Bristol
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Bristol had their game postponed due to weather. They will play a doubleheader tomorrow.

Prospect-Watch-GCL

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The GCL Pirates won 7-3 on Friday afternoon, as Austin Meadows made his return to game action. He went 1-for-2 with a double shown in the video just below. Meadows scored on a Calvin Mitchell double. Meadows was only scheduled to play three innings, coming back a few days earlier than expected, so it was shorter than the normal five innings rehab players go in their first game. He will return to the lineup on Monday. Meadows talked to Tim Williams after the game about his rehab and returning today.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXGQvz_g0hk/

Mason Martin had a big day, even if he didn’t homer again. He went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a walk. He also scored three runs, one of which you can see in the video above from Meadows. Martin is batting .400 through his first 13 games. Here is video of his double, which was the at-bat prior to the double from Meadows:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXGQewjg7cX/

With those two players making news, it was actually Jeremias Portorreal who had the best day because he didn’t come in until after Meadows left, but he still went 3-for-3 with his fourth home run of the season. Calvin Mitchell hit his sixth double, drew a walk and stole his first base.

Roger Santana started the game and allowed two runs over four innings. He was followed by Brian Sousa, who put in four shutout innings on five hits, one walk and no strikeouts. Jose Delgado tried to close out the game, but after three walks and only one out, he was replaced by David Lee, who picked up the save.

Prospect-Watch-DSL

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The DSL Pirates won 8-3 on Friday morning, getting production from the key hitters in their lineup. Osvaldo Bido started for the Pirates, working into the fourth inning and allowing just one run, but it was not a good start. He walked six batters, gave up three hits and hit a batter. He got help from Luis Arrieta, who stranded three inherited runners in the fourth, then worked another three innings while giving up one run.

The team had 15 hits on the day, including seven with runners in scoring position. Lead-off hitter Jean Eusebio had two hits and stole two bases, giving him nine steals on the season. Pedro Castillo had two hits and a run scored from the third spot. Sherten Apostel batted cleanup and also had two hits and scored a run. Ronaldo Paulino had two doubles, giving him ten on the season. He scored twice, drove in a run and walked. Larry Alcime had two hits, including his first triple. He scored twice and picked up an outfield assist.

Francisco Acuna, batting seventh, had the big day in the lineup. He had three hits and drove in three runs. He stole two bases to give him 13 steals in 15 attempts. Matthew Mercedes added two hits and two RBIs.

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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