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 – Disabled List
2. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
3. Austin Meadows, CF, Bradenton – DNP
4. Josh Bell, 1B, Altoona – 1-for-3, 3B, BB
5. Reese McGuire, C, Bradenton – DNP
6. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
7. Alen Hanson, 2B, Indianapolis – 2-for-4
8. Cole Tucker, SS, West Virginia – 1-for-3, BB
9. Elias Diaz, C, Indianapolis – 1-for-4
10. Mitch Keller, RHP, Extended Spring Training
11. Harold Ramirez, OF, Bradenton – 3-for-6
12. Stephen Tarpley, LHP, West Virginia – DNP
13. JaCoby Jones, SS, Bradenton – 2-for-6
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 – 3-for-4, 2B
18. Clay Holmes, RHP, Bradenton – Disabled List
19. Cody Dickson, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
20. Willy Garcia, OF, Altoona – 1-for-4
21. John Holdzkom, RHP, Indianapolis – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 0 HR
22. Jordan Luplow, 3B, West Virginia – 5-for-7, 2B, HR
23. Connor Joe, 1B, West Virginia – 3-for-4, 2 2B
24. Wyatt Mathisen, 3B, Bradenton – DNP
25. Casey Sadler, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
26. Steven Brault, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
27. Tito Polo, OF, West Virginia – 2-for-5, SB
28. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Bradenton – 3.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
29. Luis Heredia, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
30. Taylor Gushue, C, West Virginia – 0-for-3
DAILY SUMMARY
Top Pitcher: Frank Duncan, RHP – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Jordan Luplow, 3B – 5-for-7, 2B, HR
Home Runs: Jordan Luplow (3), Jose Osuna (2)
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Result: Indianapolis 4, Gwinnett 2
Starting Pitcher: Wilfredo Boscan, RHP – 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Alen Hanson, 2B – 2-for-4
Other Notable Performers:
Jaff Decker, RF – 1-for-3, BB
John Holdzkom, RHP – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 0 HR
Blake Wood, RHP – 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Game Notes: John Holdzkom struggled with his control tonight, with a lot of the same issues he saw before his trip to the DL. He walked two in an inning of work, and needed 27 pitches to get through the frame, with just 14 strikes. This was after throwing 17 and 18 pitches in his last two outings, with 13 and 12 strikes respectively. Meanwhile, Blake Wood continues to look fantastic, throwing two shutout innings tonight, and needing just 20 pitches to do so. Wood looks like a nice sleeper who could help out of Indianapolis this year, with a 2.60 ERA in 27.2 innings, and a 32:9 K/BB ratio. Alen Hanson picked up two hits. He has been slumping a bit in June, but still has hits in 9 of 13 games.
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Result: Altoona 7, New Hampshire 6
Starting Pitcher: Angel Sanchez, RHP – 7.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Jose Osuna, LF – 2-for-4, HR
Other Notable Performers:
Adam Frazier, CF – 2-for-4, 3B, SB
Max Moroff, 2B – 2-for-2, 2 BB
Josh Bell, 1B – 1-for-3, 3B, BB
Game Notes: The Curve jumped out to an early lead thanks to a triple-single-triple start by Adam Frazier, Max Moroff, and Josh Bell, respectively. Frazier ripped one to the left center wall in the first bat of the game, followed by a line drive single by Moroff, which scored the run. Josh Bell then tripled to the right center wall, scoring Moroff. Jose Osuna came up in the fifth spot and homered to left field. Osuna also singled with two outs and the bases loaded in the 5th to score two more.
Frazier had two hits for the Curve tonight, adding an RBI single in the 5th. After today’s game, Frazier is batting .375 as the team’s leadoff hitter, including two doubles, a triple, and a home run.
Since dropping under .300 after Thursday’s 18 inning affair, Max Moroff has gone 5-for-7 with two doubles to lift his average back up to .310.
Angel Sanchez went strong into the 8th inning, going 7.2 innings and allowing four earned runs. The four earned runs looked a lot worse than his outing actually was, as he was able to control damage when runners got on base. Out of the seven hits against him, six were singles, and the one double did not hurt him. He pitched efficiently with a 67.3% strike rate on 101 pitches. The fastball sat around 92-94 mph, and the curveball fell into the mid-70s.
“Numbers-wise, [his outing] was just ok,” Pitching Coach Justin Meccage said about Sanchez. “He gave up three runs on two infield singles and two balls that just got through. In terms of stuff, he was extremely good.”
We learned after the game that Sanchez was promoted to Triple-A Indy following his start. – Sean McCool
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Result: Bradenton 6, Ft Myers 5
Starting Pitcher: Tyler Eppler, RHP – 3.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Barrett Barnes, LF – 3-for-4, 2B
Other Notable Performers:
Harold Ramirez, RF – 3-for-6
JaCoby Jones, SS – 2-for-6
Chris Diaz, 3B – 3-for-4, BB
Frank Duncan, RHP – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Game Notes: Tyler Eppler made his season debut, but didn’t have a strong outing. His curveball wasn’t working for him today, leading to a long third inning, and preventing him from putting guys away when he was ahead. His fastball was sitting 92-94 MPH, and hit 96. He was having to rely on the changeup a lot today since the curve was off. After the game, Eppler said that he was dealing with some nerves before the game, since this was his first outing, so that could have led to some of the problems. Frank Duncan saved the day, throwing five innings with just one run allowed, giving the Marauders a chance to get back in the game. They eventually won in extra innings when JaCoby Jones hit an RBI single past the second baseman on a soft line drive to bring Justin Maffei in from second. Harold Ramirez and Barrett Barnes, who have been two of the hottest hitters on the team, both picked up three hits.
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: West Virginia 9, Augusta 3
Starting Pitcher: Austin Coley, RHP – 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
Top Hitter: Jordan Luplow, 3B – 3-for-4, 2B, HR
Other Notable Performers:
Connor Joe, 1B – 3-for-4, 2 2B
Cole Tucker, SS – 1-for-3, BB
Jerrick Suiter, RF – 2-for-4, SB
Tito Polo, CF – 2-for-3, SB
Game Notes: Austin Coley continued his impressive season, giving up three runs in six innings. This is the third start in a row where he’s gone six innings with three runs or less. His ERA is at 3.65 this year in 66.2 innings, although his 61:9 K/BB ratio tells the story a little better. He’s been hurt at times by a poor defense behind him, leading to additional runs, even when he’s not giving up many walks or hits. He’s also been hurt by the long ball, with seven homers on the year.
Connor Joe is starting to show why the Pirates picked him in the first round last year. After two doubles today, he has an .890 OPS in the month of June. Jordan Luplow hit his third homer of the year and his 16th double. The homer was inside the park. Tito Polo stole his 17th base of the year.
Result: Augusta 2, West Virginia 1
Starting Pitcher: Yeudy Garcia, RHP – 3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Jordan Luplow, 3B – 2-for-3
Other Notable Performers:
Chase Simpson, 1B – 1-for-3
Game Notes: West Virginia didn’t have the bats working in game two, with just four hits. Jordan Luplow had half of those, going a combined 5-for-7 with a double and a home run on the day. Yeudy Garcia only threw three innings, giving up a run on four hits and two walks, with three strikeouts. He had a walk and two singles in the third, followed by two strikeouts and a fly out, so it’s likely that he left due to a single inning pitch limit.
RK: DSL PIRATES
The DSL Pirates were off today.
