TOP OF THE SYSTEM
A look at how the current top 20 prospects did today. Â 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. Rankings are from the mid-season rankings, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player page.
1. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Altoona (4-7, 3.76) – DNP
2. Gregory Polanco, CF, Altoona (.270) – DNP
3. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, West Virginia (6-2, 2.43) – DNP
4. Alen Hanson, SS, Bradenton (.278) –Â 1-for-5, 2B, BB, 2 RBI
5. Austin Meadows, CF, GCL Pirates (.154) – 1-for-4, 2B
6. Josh Bell, RF, West Virginia (.283) – 1-for-4, 2B
7. Nick Kingham, RHP, Altoona (3-2, 2.84) – DNP
8. Luis Heredia, RHP, West Virginia Power (1-2, 4.79) –Â DNP
9. Reese McGuire, C, GCL Pirates (.460) – 2-for-4, 2 2B
10. Dilson Herrera, 2B, West Virginia (.266) – 2-for-4, 3B
11. Tony Sanchez, C, Indianapolis (.281) – 2-for-4
12. Barrett Barnes, CF, West Virginia (.262) – 0-for-3
13. Kyle McPherson, RHP, Indianapolis (0-1, 19.29) – Triple-A DL
14. Stetson Allie, 1B, Bradenton (.275) – 2-for-5, 2B, BB
15. Wyatt Mathisen, C, West Virginia (.185) – Low-A DL
16. Clay Holmes, RHP, West Virginia (3-5, 4.69)Â – DNP
17. Stolmy Pimentel, RHP, Indianapolis (2-2, 2.74) – DNP
18. Vic Black, RHP, Indianapolis (1-2, 2.18) – DNP
19. Harold Ramirez, CF, Jamestown (.320) –Â 1-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI
20. Blake Taylor, LHP, GCL Pirates (0-1, 1.80) – DNP
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DAILY SUMMARY
Top Hitter:Â Justin Howard, 1B (.320) – 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
Home Runs:Â Justin Howard (3)
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS Â
Result: Gwinnett 2, Indianapolis 0
Starting Pitcher: Jared Hughes, RHP (0.60) – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Tony Sanchez, C (.281) – 2-for-4
Other Notable Performers:
Brandon Cumpton, RHP (4-6, 3.53) – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 1 HR
Neil Walker, 2B (.167) – 1-for-3, BB
Game Notes: Jared Hughes made another rehab start, throwing a shutout inning. Hughes has looked good in his rehab work so far, but it’s hard to see him finding a spot on the 25-man roster when he’s ready to come off the disabled list. The only way to make room for him would be to send Bryan Morris down, and Morris is pitching well. Tony Sanchez has been struggling lately, with a .220/.292/.305 line in 59 at-bats.
AA: ALTOONA CURVE Â Â
Result: Erie 6, Altoona 4
Starting Pitcher: Ethan Hollingsworth, RHP (3.38) – 7.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Top Hitter: Justin Howard, 1B (.320) – 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Drew Maggi, SS (.263) – 2-for-3, 2B, BB
Gregory Polanco, CF (.269) – 1-for-4
Alex Dickerson, RF (.288) – 1-for-3, 2B, BB
Game Notes: Justin Howard hit his third homer of the year. Alex Dickerson remains on a hot streak. He now has an eight game hitting streak, and a .424/.457/.697 line in 66 at-bats in the month of July. Ethan Hollingsworth has a 3.05 ERA in 41.1 innings as a starter, with a 20:5 K/BB ratio. Gregory Polanco went 1-for-4 and had an outfield assist, throwing a runner out at third.
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS Â
Result: Clearwater 9, Bradenton 8
Starting Pitcher: Adrian Sampson, RHP (6.04) – 3.2 IP, 10 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Benji Gonzalez, CF-3B (.214) – 2-for-5, 2B, BB, 3 RBI, SB
Other Notable Performers:
Alen Hanson, SS (.278) – 1-for-5, 2B, BB, 2 RBI
Stetson Allie, DH (.275) – 2-for-5, 2B, BB
Jose Osuna, 1B (.238) – 3-for-6
Game Notes: Stetson Allie got off to a rough start in Bradenton, hitting for a .205/.304/.308 line in 39 at-bats in June. So far in July he has been on fire. He’s hitting for a .317/.434/.508 line in 63 at-bats, with six doubles and two homers. He is still striking out about a third of the time, but his bat has come alive. He’s got a .389/.511/.583 line in 36 at-bats in his last ten games, with four doubles and a homer. He’s also currently riding a six game hitting streak.
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER Â
Result: West Virginia 5, Kannapolis 1
Starting Pitcher: John Kuchno, RHP (5-4, 4.43) – 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Dilson Herrera, 2B (.266) – 2-for-4, 3B
Other Notable Performers:
Josh Bell, RF (.283) – 1-for-4, 2B
Game Notes: In three starts this month, John Kuchno has a 2.37 ERA in 19 innings, with a 9:6 K/BB ratio. Dilson Herrera had a big month of May, but has struggled since the start of June. He had a .669 OPS in June, and even with his two hits tonight he has a .575 OPS in July. Josh Bell hit his 29th double of the year. That ties Josh Harrison for the system lead, and is the most out of anyone in the organization.
A-: JAMESTOWN JAMMERS Â
Result: Jamestown 6, Aberdeen 4
Starting Pitcher: Dovydas Neverauskas, RHP (3-2, 3.03) – 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Erich Weiss, 3B (.310) – 2-for-4, 2B
Other Notable Performers:
Adam Frazier, SS (.361) – 2-for-5
Harold Ramirez, RF (.320) – 1-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI
Game Notes: Dovydas Neverauskas went five innings without an earned run. In his last four starts he has a 1.35 ERA in 20 innings, with a 12:3 K/BB ratio. Erich Weiss is 6-for-9 with a double and two triples in his last two games, after starting 3-for-20 in his career. Harold Ramirez is hitting for a .397/.458/.575 line in 73 at-bats in the month of July. Adam Frazier has been hitting for a good average, but hasn’t hit for power with just one extra base hit out of his 22 hits. JaCoby Jones singled in his first at-bat, then left the game with a leg injury.
RK: GCL PIRATES Â Â
Result: Tigers 9, Pirates 4
Starting Pitcher: Cesilio Pimentel, LHP (0-2, 6.46) – 2.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 2 HR
Top Hitter: Reese McGuire, C (.460) – 2-for-4, 2 2B
Other Notable Performers:
Ulises Montilla, 2B (.319) – 2-for-4
Austin Meadows, CF (.154) – 1-for-4, 2B
Game Notes: Reese McGuire had two more hits today, both of them doubles. In his first 50 at-bats he is hitting for a .460/.509/.620 line with eight doubles. McGuire has a hit in 12 of his 13 games this year, and has reached base safely in all 13 games. He has multiple hits in nine of his games this year, including each of the last three. Defensively he has been as advertised, with a 45% caught stealing rate in 11 attempts. I’ve seen two of those attempts, and both were strong and accurate throws down to second base.
Nice to see Allie raking lately. I just love how some posters dismissed him becuase he struggled a little bit the frist two weeks after his promotion. We are talking about a player who was a pitcher and hasn’t played everyday for about 4 years, and he is progressing quite nicely. I really hope this kid can make it to the majors.
I think Hurdle has a little too much say in to the composition of the major league roster and McKenry being here is a prime example of that.
Passive agressive moves like DH’ing Sanchez and catching McKenry are his way of saying McKenry is our back up catcher, don’t waste my time with another option.
This is my last comment regarding this, but why are the Pirates not calling up Sanchez? McKenry continues to struggle, I can’t see his value to the team at this point.
Any reason for Meadows struggles? Are they tinkering with his swing or something?
It will be interesting to see what happens next year with the C prospects.
McGuire seems to be pushing for an aggressive promotion to WV to start next year, plus Jin, and maybe even Wyatt (given his injury this year), would seem to be on a similar path.
I know it’s early and there’s not much much between low A and AAA, but it seems like the dearth of C talent may finally be a thing of the past
McGuire is hitting like he’s playing a video game on easy mode lol
Tim,
Can you add a little detail to the Bell doubles. I’m sure there is a variety, but is the overall number due to a Starling Marte like hustle, stealing or creating doubles due to challenging the defense – Or, is he ripping the balls into gaps and down the lines ala Rafael Palmiero and pulling into second base on cruise?
In my sample of one game Bell had two doubles–the first going the opposite way down the RF line to the corner and the other crushed high off the CF wall (made a nice bang when it hit the wall). I was struck by how big he is even though I had read about his size.
Also, I think Kuchno is a decent prospect. He keeps the ball low in the zone and gets lots of grounds. Kind of reminds me of Jared Hughes.
Brian….I am also wondering if those 2bs will translate into HRs (as I often hear)?
Foo
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