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 – 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 0 HR
2. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
3. Austin Meadows, CF, Bradenton – 3-for-7, R
4. Josh Bell, 1B, Altoona – 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI
5. Reese McGuire, C, Bradenton – 1-for-6, 2 K
6. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
7. Alen Hanson, 2B, Indianapolis – 0-for-3, R, BB
8. Cole Tucker, SS, West Virginia – 0-for-3, BB
9. Elias Diaz, C, Indianapolis – DNP
10. Mitch Keller, RHP, Bristol – DNP
11. Harold Ramirez, OF, Bradenton – Pan-Am Tournament
12. Stephen Tarpley, LHP, West Virginia – DNP
13. JaCoby Jones, SS, Bradenton – 1-for-7, 2B, 4 K
14. Adrian Sampson, RHP, Indianapolis -DNP
15. Trey Supak, RHP, Bristol – DNP
16. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Bristol – DNP
17. Barrett Barnes, OF, Bradenton – 1-for-4, 2B, 2 BB
18. Clay Holmes, RHP, Bradenton – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
19. Cody Dickson, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
20. Willy Garcia, OF, Indianapolis – 1-for-4, R, RBI, K
21. John Holdzkom, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
22. Jordan Luplow, 3B, West Virginia – 1-for-4, K
23. Connor Joe, 1B, West Virginia – 0-for-4, K
24. Wyatt Mathisen, 3B, Bradenton – DNP
25. Casey Sadler, RHP, Indianapolis – Disabled List
26. Steven Brault, LHP, Altoona – DNP
27. Tito Polo, OF, West Virginia – Pan-Am Tournament
28. Tyler Eppler, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
29. Luis Heredia, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
30. Taylor Gushue, C, West Virginia – 0-for-3, K
DAILY SUMMARY
Top Pitcher: Tyler Glasnow, RHP – 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Max Moroff, 2B – 2-for-4, 2B, 3B, 2 R
Home Runs: Jose Ozuna (4), Justin Maffei (1)
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Result: Indianapolis 7, Toledo 2
Starting Pitcher: Chris Volstad, RHP – 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Jaff Decker, LF – 3-for-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB
Other Notable Performers:
Gift Ngoepe, SS – 2-for-4, R
Tony Sanchez, C – 2-for-3, 2B, R, 2 RBI
Game Notes: After getting just one hit in his last 18 at bats before the break, Jaff Decker picked up three hits for Indianapolis, including his ninth double of the season. He also drove in a pair of runs in the contest. Decker has been the one Indianapolis outfielder that has not had an opportunity in Pittsburgh this season.
After going seven innings in back to back starts, Chris Volstad was only able to go 3.2 in one of his last two starts before the break. However, the rest did the right-hander good, as he came back strong for Indianapolis. Bobby LaFromboise had a nine-game scoreless streak broken in his final outing before the break. He started a new one, with a big out on Thursday night. Yhonathan Barrios rebounded nicely after allowing three runs in his last two innings, before working a pair of scoreless innings.
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Result: Altoona 5, Richmond 0
Starting Pitcher: Tyler Glasnow, RHP – 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Jose Ozuna, LF – 2-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Josh Bell, 1B – 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI
Max Moroff, 2B – 2-for-4, 2B, 3B, 2 R
Mel Rojas, Jr., CF – 1-for-4, RBI, 2B
Game Notes: Tyler Glasnow continued his dominant run as the opposing hitters had no chance on Thursday night. Glasnow fanned a season-high nine batters, while working seven scoreless frames. He has allowed just four hits in his last 13 innings over two starts, reaching an even new elite level of dominance. Jhondaniel Medina and Brett McKinney each worked a perfect inning of relief. McKinney struck out a pair of hitters in his frame.
Fresh off his performance with a home run in the futures game, Josh Bell did not miss a beat. Bell added two hits in his first game in the second half of the campaign. Max Moroff picked up a double and a triple in the contest, as he continued his hot stretch. Moroff has eight hits in his last five games.
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Result: Bradenton 2, Lakeland 1
Starting Pitcher: Clay Holmes, RHP – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Austin Meadows, CF – 3-for-7, R
Other Notable Performers:
Justin Maffei, RF – 2-for-6, HR, R, RBI, BB
JaCoby Jones – 1-for-7, 2B, 4 K
Barrett Barnes, LF – 1-for-4, 2B, 2 BB
Game Notes: For the second straight start in Bradenton, Clay Holmes worked five strong innings in his return from Tommy John surgery. Holmes struck out four hitters, with just a run on four hits. In his last 15 innings (GCL included), Holmes has allowed just nine hits and two walks, averaging under a single baserunner per inning.
Each hitter got plenty of at bats, as the game lasted 16 innings. In that, Austin Meadows paced the way with three hits and the game winning run. JaCoby Jones picked up his 16th double of the season, but also struck out four times in the contest. Barrett Barnes added his 14th double, while Justin Maffei contributed his first home run of the season.
Issac Sanchez and Montana DuRapau each worked two scoreless innings, while Junior Lopez worked three. Felipe Gonzalez went the final four innings, picking up six strikeouts.
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: Hagerstown 5, West Virginia 0
Starting Pitcher: Colten Brewer, RHP – 6.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Michael Suchy, RF – 2-for-4, RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Jordan Luplow, DH – 1-for-4
Cole Tucker, SS – 0-for-3, BB
Game Notes: Though he is hitting .290 for the season, Cole Tucker continued a mini slump. In his last three games, Tucker has one hit in his last nine at bats. With the consistency that he has played with in the last two months, that has been a rarity. For the game, West Virginia was only able to muster four hits, two of which belonged to Michael Suchy.
With marginal success this season, Colten Brewer saw one of his better starts, as he worked six innings for the first time in his last four starts. Jared Lakind worked a scoreless inning, despite allowing two hits. Dovydas Neverauskas worked two scoreless innings with a hit and a strikeout.
A: WEST VIRGINIA BLACK BEARS
Result: State College 3, West Virginia 1
Starting Pitcher: Bret Helton, RHP – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Kevin Newman, SS- 2-for-4, 2B
Other Notable Performers:
Ty Moore, LF – 1-for-4, 2B
Casey Hughston, CF – 1-for-3, 3B
Game Notes: No offense and poor defense is normally not a formula for success in baseball or any sport for that matter. That is what the Black Bears provided Thursday night at Monongalia County Ballpark, falling by a score of 3-1 to the State College Spikes. West Virginia, now 10-15 on the season, continues to struggle mightily at the plate. Eight of the starting nine were 2015 draft picks and they combined for only six hits.
Trailing 3-0, the Bears mustered a rally in the bottom of the eighth, when Kevin Kramer singled with one out and Kevin Newman followed with a line shot off an inside fastball that one-hopped the left field wall, placing runners on second and third with one out. Logan Hill followed with a hard ground ball to the shortstop’s left. The shortstop gloved the ball and threw to third to cut down Newman who had inexplicably broken for third (Kramer scored on the play). This was a poor base-running decision on Newman’s part as he has to read the ball through the infield; especially with his team trailing. It also potentially cost the Bears their second run as the next batter reached on a fielding error. However, as too often has been the story this year, it was too little again and too late.
After the game, Manager Wyatt Toregas lamented the fact that the Bears “are just one big hit or one big pitch away.”
The defense was also suspect on multiple occasions. With a runner on second and one out in the second inning, shortstop Kevin Newman charged a bouncing ball, but threw high and wide to first allowing the runner on second to score for the first run of the game.
In the third, with runners at first and second, and nobody out, the Bears failed to turn a potential 6-4-3 double play with second baseman, Kevin Kramer, throwing high to first. This cost the Bears a run as the next batter flied out to center field, allowing the runner on third to tag and score on what could have been the third out of the inning. This is a case where there was no error on the previous play as you can not assume the double play, but the play should have been made and it cost the West Virginia squad another run.
Casey Hughston had a rough night defensively in center field as he misplayed three different balls. Twice he took bad angles on hits that allowed the Spikes to advance an extra base. He also got turned around on a fly ball to deep center, that dropped for a double. It was not a routine play, but a play that probably should have been made. A runner also tagged on him going from second to third on a fly ball that was medium depth in straight away center.
First baseman Albert Baur had a hard one-hopper go off his glove. Thus, Tom Emanski won’t be making defensive videos from tonight’s game any time soon.
Starting pitcher, Bret Helton threw well. His fastball touched as high as 93 and his cutter was effective. His control was good as he only walked one batter, and was charged with a HBP. He only should have given up one run though he was charged with three. The defensive miscues cost him.
“I had a good day locating my fastball in and out. I felt good,” Helton explained. “My fastball command showed the most improvement.”
Helton, who throws more of a cutter than a slider, felt that this pitch was also sharp for him.
An American League scout commented on Helton, saying “his fastball was good, but he needs to develop a secondary pitch.” A National League scout came away unimpressed as he felt that Helton “was the same as the last time; good early on, but then he was fighting himself.” Coach Wyatt Toregas summed up his outing by labeling it, “OK,” and “so-so.”
I thought his fastball had good life, his slider was strong and he had good control. There were quite a few positives in his outing. With any defense at all behind him, he would have only allowed one run.
Edgar Santana again threw well. He throws a heavy fastball and pitched three scoreless innings in relief.
Newman had a good night at the plate, going 2-for-4. Casey Hughston continues to try to rebound from his awful start as he went 1-for-3 with a triple. Ty Moore doubled to deep right-center, but that was really the extent of the offensive production. The last time the Bears had seen the Spikes starting pitcher at State College, they lit him up. However, the Bears were unable to do anything against him tonight. Several players attributed their struggles tonight to his ability to “keep them off-balance.”
While the mood of the team and staff continues to be positive and upbeat, there appears to be many issues with this team as far as performance. Until they start hitting much better collectively and eliminating the mistakes, both mental and physical, they are going to continue to struggle. – Jamey Conlin
RK: BRISTOL PIRATES
Result: Bristol 4, Bluefield 3
Starting Pitcher: Scooter Hightower, RHP – 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Julio De La Cruz, 3B – 2-for-3, 2 2B, BB, R, RBI
Other Notable Performers:
Edgar Figueroa – 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
Logan Ratledge, SS – 2-for-3, RBI
Game Notes: After striking out eight hitters in his last three starts combined, Scooter Hightower stepped up in a big way on Thursday night, fanning a season high six batters. Hightower also allowed just one hit and baserunner over three scoreless innings of work, lowering his season ERA to 1.35.
Jess Amedee continued his struggles this year, as he allowed three runs on three hits over a pair of innings. Tanner Anderson worked three shutout inning to polish off the rain shortened game, allowing just one hit and striking out four.
Julio De La Cruz picked up a pair of doubles, his fourth and fifth of the season. De La Cruz has eight hits and four doubles in his past five games.
Result: Bluefield 7, Bristol 0
Starting Pitcher: Billy Roth, RHP – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Erik Lunde, DH – 1-for-3, 2B
Other Notable Performers:
Jose Salazar, 3B – 1-for-2, BB
Game Notes: After claiming the first game of the double-header, Bristol really struggled offensively in the second contest. As a team, they were only able to muster two hits, with one being the third double of the season for Erik Lunde.
Billy Roth spread seven hits over five innings, while allowing two runs and striking out three. This was a rebound performance, as Roth was only able to go three innings last time out. Shane Kemp really struggled in relief of Roth, allowing one hit, three walks, and four runs without recording an out. Mervin Del Rosario worked two innings, striking out a pair. He allowed a run, on a hit, and a walk in the outing.
RK: GCL PIRATES
The GCL Pirates were rained out on Thursday. They will make the game up as part of a doubleheader on July 31st.
RK: DSL PIRATES
Box Score
Result: Red Sox 5, Pirates 2
Starting Pitcher: Ronny Agustin, RHP – 4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: William Calderon, 2B – 1-for-2, BB, R
Other Notable Performers:
Huascar Fuentes, DH – 1-for-3, 2B, HBP
Melvin Jimenez, SS – 1-for-4, RBI
Game Notes: The Pirates lost 5-2 to the Red Sox2 on Thursday, as they had trouble getting men on base. They had three hits and two walks in the game, posting both runs in the sixth inning with some help from the opposing defense. Melvin Jimenez had the only RBI, while William Calderon and Ramy Perez scored the runs. The double by Huascar Fuentes was their only extra-base hit.
Starter Ronny Agustin allowed four runs (two earned) over four innings and didn’t get much help from the defense, which made four errors behind him. Agustin got his first start after eight appearances in long relief. Coming into the game, he had a 5.03 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 19.2 innings, though he also had 19 strikeouts. – John Dreker
