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 – 1-for-4, 2B
4. Josh Bell, 1B, Altoona – 2-for-7, BB
5. Reese McGuire, C, Bradenton – 0-for-3, BB
6. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
7. Alen Hanson, 2B, Indianapolis – 1-for-4, SB
8. Cole Tucker, SS, West Virginia – DNP
9. Elias Diaz, C, Indianapolis – 0-for-1
10. Mitch Keller, RHP, Extended Spring Training
11. Harold Ramirez, OF, Bradenton – 0-for-4
12. Stephen Tarpley, LHP, West Virginia – DNP
13. JaCoby Jones, SS, Bradenton – 2-for-3, BB, RBI
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 – DNP
18. Clay Holmes, RHP, Bradenton – Disabled List
19. Cody Dickson, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
20. Willy Garcia, OF, Altoona – 2-for-7, 2B, HBP
21. John Holdzkom, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
22. Jordan Luplow, 3B, West Virginia – DNP
23. Connor Joe, 1B, West Virginia – 2-for-2, HBP, BB
24. Wyatt Mathisen, 3B, Bradenton – 1-for-4
25. Casey Sadler, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
26. Steven Brault, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
27. Tito Polo, OF, West Virginia – DNP
28. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Extended Spring Training
29. Luis Heredia, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
30. Taylor Gushue, C, West Virginia – 0-for-4
DAILY SUMMARY
Top Pitcher: Chris Volstad, RHP – 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Dan Gamache, 3B – 3-for-8, 3B, 4 RBI
Home Runs: Jacob Stallings (2)
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Result: Indianapolis 4, Gwinnett 2
Starting Pitcher: Chris Volstad, RHP – 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Brent Morel, 3B – 3-for-4, 2 2B, RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Jaff Decker, LF – 2-for-3, 2 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB
Game Notes: Riding some of his best stuff of the campaign, Chris Volstad had his second straight strong outing for Indianapolis. With the fastball around 92 consistently for the game, and a strong downward breaking ball, Volstad had 12 ground outs to only two fly outs. After a season-high seven strikeouts last time out, Volstad bounced back with five on Thursday night.
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Result: Reading 8, Altoona 7
Starting Pitcher: Zack Dodson, LHP – 6.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Dan Gamache, 3B – 3-for-8, 3B, 4 RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Jacob Stallings, C – 3-for-8, HR, 2 RBI
Max Moroff, 2B – 1-for-8
Gift Ngoepe, SS – 0-for-7, BB
Game Notes: Altoona lost to Reading in 18 innings on Tuesday, in a game that included three positions players taking the mound. The Curve struck out 21 times in the game. Jacob Stalling homered and drove in two runs, while Dan Gamache had three hits and drove in four runs. Josh Bell committed his eighth error of the season. Max Moroff had one hit and is now batting .167 in ten games this month.
Zack Dodson had a decent start, allowing two earned runs over six innings. A miscue behind him led to two unearned runs. He threw 54 of his 88 pitches for strikes. John Kuchno tried to close out the game, but gave up three runs in the bottom of the ninth, sending them into extra innings. The Curve went to utility player Andy Vasquez in the 15th inning and he threw three scoreless innings. That led to Edward Salcedo and things didn’t go well in the 18th. He gave up a hit and walked three batters, taking the loss.
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Result: Clearwater 4, Bradenton 2
Starting Pitcher: Jayson Aquino, LHP – 7.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: JaCoby Jones, DH – 2-for-3, RBI, BB
Other Notable Performers:
Austin Meadows – 1-for-4, 2B
Edwin Espinal, 1B – 1-for-3, BB
Game Notes: Jayson Aquino threw a ton of strikes on Thursday, but he also allowed four earned runs on seven hits. Aquino had four strikeouts, 11 ground ball outs and 70 of his 96 pitches were strikes. He recovered well from allowing three runs in the second inning, by hanging on for another five frames.
On offense, JaCoby Jones drove in his 36th run of the season and Erich Weiss, despite going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts, drove in his 30th run on a sacrifice fly. Austin Meadows hit his tenth double of the season. He is 9-for-44 in his last ten games and has scored just one run during that stretch, which obviously isn’t good to see from your lead-off hitter.
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: Savannah 4, West Virginia 3
Starting Pitcher: Alex McRae, RHP – 5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Tyler Filliben, SS – 1-for-3, BB, 2 R, 2 SB
Other Notable Performers:
Connor Joe, 1B – 2-for-2, BB, HBP
Pablo Reyes, 2B – 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
Game Notes: Connor Joe reached base all four times he came to the plate, collecting two singles, a walk and he was hit by a pitch. Tyler Filliben had a single and a walk, stole two bases and he scored twice. Pablo Reyes drove in his 23rd run of the year. Elvis Escobar has been playing well recently, which got him selected to the SAL All-Star game, but one part of his game has been very poor this season. He has fairly good speed on the bases, yet after getting thrown out trying to steal in this game, he is now 4-for-13 in stolen base attempts this year.
Alex McRae had a solid start, giving up one run over five innings. He had three strikeouts and seven ground ball outs. McRae has either been real bad or real good this season in his starts. In his last ten outings, he has four games in which he has surrendered four or more earned runs. In his other six games, he has allowed a total of five earned runs over 33 innings.
RK: DSL PIRATES
Result: Pirates 7, Tigers 4
Starting Pitcher: Adonis Pichardo, RHP – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 1 HR
Top Hitter: Melvin Jimenez, SS – 2-for-3, 3B, 3 RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Felix Vinicio, LF – 3-for-4, 2 2B
Huascar Fuentes, 1B – 1-for-4, 3B, 2 RBI
Game Notes: Adonis Pichardo pitched the best game we have seen 11 games into the DSL season. He allowed one run over five inning, giving up three hits, no walks, and he struck out six batters. Pichardo received one of the highest bonuses during this current international signing period, and he was one of the first to sign back on July 2nd. In his first two starts combined, he gave up ten runs over 7.2 innings.
Melvin Jimenez continued the strong start to his career, driving in three runs. He is batting .391 and has hits in all 11 games this season. On the other hand, second baseman William Calderon has struggled. The two infielders signed on the same day and in this game, Calderon committed two errors, giving him eight already. His average also dropped to .212 after a hitless game. The difference between the two players is that Jimenez turns 20 in September, while Calderon is two years and three months younger.
