A look at how the current top 30 prospects did today. If a player is in the majors for an extended time or loses his prospect eligibility (Colin Moran, Edgar Santana, Kyle Crick, Max Moroff and Dovydas Neverauskas), 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 our 2018 Prospect Guide, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Mitch Keller, RHP, Altoona – DNP
2. Austin Meadows, CF, Pirates – In Majors
3. Cole Tucker, SS, Altoona – 1-for-4, SB
4. Shane Baz, RHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
5. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Altoona – 2-for-4, 2 2B
6. Kevin Newman, SS, Indianapolis – 2-for-3, BB
7. Taylor Hearn, LHP, Altoona – 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
8. Lolo Sanchez, CF, West Virginia – 0-for-3
9. Bryan Reynolds, OF, Altoona – Disabled list
10. Jordan Luplow, LF, Indianapolis – 0-for-3, RBI
11. Luis Escobar, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
12. Clay Holmes, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
13. Braeden Ogle, LHP, West Virginia – DNP
14. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
15. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
16. Adrian Valerio, SS, Bradenton – 1-for-3, RBI
17. Calvin Mitchell, OF, West Virginia – 1-for-6
18. Oneil Cruz, SS, West Virginia – 2-for-7
19. Nick Burdi, RHP, Pirates (disabled list) – DNP
20. Dario Agrazal, RHP, Altoona – DNP
21. JT Brubaker, RHP, Indianapolis – 4.2 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 1 SO
22. Will Craig, 1B, Altoona – 0-for-1
23. Stephen Alemais, 2B/SS, Altoona – 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB
24. Jason Martin, OF, Altoona – 1-for-3, BB
25. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Altoona – DNP
26. Eduardo Vera, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
27. Mason Martin, 1B, West Virginia – DNP
28. Conner Uselton, OF, Extended Spring Training – DNP
29. Cody Bolton, RHP, West Virginia – DNP
30. Steven Jennings, RHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
Indianapolis lost 4-3 on Sunday to Charlotte.
JT Brubaker made his fourth start since moving up to Triple-A. This one didn’t go so well with three earned runs on nine hits and four walks in just 4.2 innings. He had an 8:4 GO/AO ratio, but he also picked up just one strikeout and needed 93 innings in his limited work. He has a 3.32 ERA since being promoted from Altoona. Bo Schultz and Damien Magnifico combined for 3.1 shutout innings and six strikeouts.
The offense was led by Kevin Newman, who had two singles, a walk and a run scored. Jordan Luplow and Kevin Kramer each picked up RBIs. Kramer’s ninth double of the season was the only extra-base hit for Indianapolis. The team had seven runners all game, with two of them getting thrown out on the bases. That led to a 1-for-2 day with runners in scoring position and just three men left on base.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Altoona lost 7-2 to Harrisburg on Sunday night.
Taylor Hearn came into this game with just three earned runs allowed over his last three starts. He didn’t allow an earned run in this game either, but he didn’t last long due to a high pitch count. Hearn got through the first two innings on just 19 pitches, but then he had a long third inning, which include a ten-pitch at-bat and an eight-pitch at-bat. A fielding error led to three unearned runs and he was pulled after throwing 38 pitches in the frame.
Stephen Alemais had the big hit of the day, as his two-run homer accounted for both Curve runs. He also had a single and a walk. Ke’Bryan Hayes had two doubles, giving him 11 on the year. Cole Tucker had a single and stole his fifth base. Jason Martin had a single and a walk. Jordan George singled and scored on the Alemais homer.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bradenton won 13-5 over Jupiter in the first game of a doubleheader.
Hunter Owen (pictured above) got this game off to a fast start with homers in the first and third innings. Bligh Madris also added a third inning homer and Albert Baur hit his eighth home run of the season in the fifth inning. Baur and Madris each added doubles, while Owen picked up a single to go along with his homers. Jared Oliva walked twice, was hit by a pitch, stole his 12th base and scored three runs. Tyler Gaffney was hit by two pitches, singled and scored two runs. Jason Delay had two singles and drove in two runs.
James Marvel started and he has been pitching well lately, but he didn’t have it in this game. That’s somewhat excusable because Bradenton ran away with this game and not only was he supposed to start yesterday, today’s game was delayed at the beginning. Marvel allowed five runs on ten hits and three walks in 5.2 innings, picking up the victory. Angel German tossed scoreless ball over the last 1.1 frames.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
In game two, Oddy Nunez got the start, coming off of his longest outing of the year earlier this week when he gave up two runs over seven innings. He had a decent start going through five innings, then gave up a pair of runs in the sixth. Nunez gave up four runs total in six innings on five hits and two walks, with five strikeouts. He threw 60 of his 90 pitches for strikes and he had a 6:3 GO/AO ratio. Bradenton would lose the game 4-1.
The Marauders had just five hits in the second game after the huge offensive output in the opener. Jared Oliva’s 11th double was the only extra-base hit. Alfredo Reyes had a single, a walk (the only one for Bradenton) and he scored the lone run on a Tyler Gaffney single. Reyes also stole two bases to give him 14 on the season. Hunter Owen and Casey Hughston had the other hits. Hughston stole his second base of the year.
You can view the season preview here.
West Virginia made five errors in their 11-0 loss to Kannapolis in the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday.
Starter Hunter Stratton had two straight starts of one run over five innings before his outing last week. After giving up four earned runs over five innings on Sunday, Stratton now has given up nine runs in his last nine innings. He had five strikeouts and a 7:3 GO/AO ratio, but two home runs really hurt his outing. Sergio Cubilete came out in relief after making starts in his first four outings. He gave up five runs in the seventh inning, though just one was earned.
The Power had more errors than hits. Chris Sharpe, Deon Stafford and Brett Pope each had singles. Rodolfo Castro drew a walk. Kyle Watson had a double and a walk. The team went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and all six runners were stranded on base.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
In game two, Evan Piechota got the spot start and made the most of his opportunity. He went 6.2 innings, allowing one run on six hits and two walks, while striking out nine batters. This was the first time that he had pitched since last Saturday. He now has a 1.96 ERA in 41.1 innings. Beau Sulser allowed an unearned run in the eighth for the 2-1 loss.
It took West Virginia 13 innings before they scored a run today and that came on a ball hit back to the mound. After a Chris Sharpe walk and an Oneil Cruz single, Deon Stafford picked up the only Power RBI on the day with a single to the pitcher. Cruz had two singles. Brett Pope singled in all three at-bats and stole two bases. Sharpe walked twice and scored that lone run.
You can view the season preview here.
