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-5
4. Shane Baz, RHP, Bristol – DNP
5. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Altoona – 0-for-4
6. Kevin Newman, SS, Indianapolis – 1-for-4, 2B
7. Taylor Hearn, LHP, Altoona – DNP
8. Lolo Sanchez, CF, West Virginia – 0-for-3, BB
9. Bryan Reynolds, OF, Altoona – 2-for-4, RBI
10. Jordan Luplow, LF, Indianapolis – 1-for-3, HBP
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 – 0-for-3, BB
16. Adrian Valerio, SS, Bradenton – 1-for-4, 2B
17. Calvin Mitchell, OF, West Virginia – 0-for-1
18. Oneil Cruz, SS, West Virginia – 3-for-5, RBI, 2B, SB
19. Nick Burdi, RHP, Pirates (disabled list) – DNP
20. Dario Agrazal, RHP, Altoona – DNP
21. JT Brubaker, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
22. Will Craig, 1B, Altoona – 0-for-2, RBI, HBP
23. Stephen Alemais, 2B/SS, Altoona – 2-for-4
24. Jason Martin, OF, Altoona – 1-for-2, 2 BB
25. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Indianapolis – 1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
26. Eduardo Vera, RHP, Altoona – DNP
27. Mason Martin, 1B, Bristol – 2-for-4, RBI
28. Conner Uselton, OF, Bristol – 1-for-4, RBI
29. Cody Bolton, RHP, West Virginia – DNP
30. Steven Jennings, RHP, Bristol – DNP
Indianapolis lost 6-1 to Durham.
Alex McRae had a rough start on Friday, giving up four runs on six hits and five walks in 4.2 innings. He was up to 91 pitches when he was removed. Damien Magnifico threw a scoreless inning, then Brandon Waddell gave up two runs in his only inning of work. Both of those runs scored off of Dovydas Neverauskas, who relieved Waddell with two outs in the seventh. Neverauskas went 1.1 scoreless with three strikeouts. Tanner Anderson worked an easy ninth.
The offense was quiet, with just one player reaching base more than once. Jordan Luplow had a single and was hit by a pitch. Kevin Newman hit his 17th double and scored the only Indianapolis run on a Ryan Lavarnway double. Jung Ho Kang is still listed day-to-day with a wrist injury.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Altoona lost 9-3 to Erie.
Cam Vieaux went five innings on Friday, giving up one run on six hits and a walk, with five strikeouts. He pitched seven innings in each of his first two starts at Altoona, allowing one run each time. This game he was limited to five innings due to a high pitch count, throwing 96 pitches, with 64 going for strikes. The game fell apart in the sixth, as Tate Scioneaux allowed five runs, then Yeudy Garcia gave up three more. That handed the loss to Vieaux, as the Curve didn’t get any of their three runs until the eighth inning.
Altoona had seven hits, all singles. Bryan Reynolds and Stephen Alemais each had two hits. Reynolds drove in a run, while Will Craig also added an RBI with a sacrifice fly. Jason Martin had a single and Altoona’s only two walks. Ke’Bryan Hayes returned after missing a week with a knee injury caused by a hit-by-pitch last week.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bradenton lost 14-7 to Fort Myers.
Jared Oliva had a big night, continuing his fine season. He hit his ninth home run of the year, which was a seventh inning grand slam. He also hit his 14th double and added a single. Adrian Valerio hit his 16th double. Mitchell Tolman drove in two runs with a double and he also walked. Hunter Owen had two hits. He caught for the first time this year after catching in Spring Training and committed three passed balls.
Adam Oller made his second start of the season and it did not go well. In 4.1 innings, he surrendered nine runs (eight earned) on 13 hits, with no walks and three strikeouts. Oller served up four homers on this night. Newly promoted Blake Cederlind was out next and he went two innings, giving up one run. Jake Brentz followed and allowed one run in 1.2 frames. Ronny Agustin had the ninth and gave up three runs.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
West Virginia won 6-4 over Hickory.
Domingo Robles had a strong outing on Friday night, going seven innings, with five hits, two earned runs, no walks and four strikeouts. He had an 8:5 GO/AO ratio and threw 56 of 90 pitches for strikes. Robles now has a 3.22 ERA in 72.2 innings, with a 59:15 SO/BB ratio. This game was the fourth time he went seven innings in the last five weeks. Drew Fischer relieved Robles and allowed a run in the eighth, then Matt Seelinger struck out the side in the ninth for his fifth save.
Oneil Cruz keeps on hitting, picking up three hits on this night, including his 15th double. He had an RBI, two runs scored and his sixth stolen base. On the negative side, he also committed two errors to give him 25 on the season. Deon Stafford and Ryan Peurifoy each had a triple, RBI and run scored. Peurifoy replaced Calvin Mitchell in the bottom of the first after Mitchell struck out to end the inning. He left the dugout with the trainer.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Morgantown won 4-2 over State College
Fourth round pick Aaron Shortridge went 3.1 innings in his second start, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits, a walk and a hit batter. He had four strikeouts, a 4:2 GO/AO ratio and 41 of his 62 pitches went for strikes. Conner Loeprich helped out Shortridge by stranding three runners, while picking up the final two outs in the fifth. Loeprich then walked three batters in the sixth and worked his way out of that mess. Shea Murray tossed a scoreless sixth after walking three batters on 12 pitches in his debut. Ryan Valdes worked hard for the save, throwing three shutout innings.
The offense came from the first careers homers by Daniel Amaral and Luke Mangieri. Each of them collected two hits and Mangieri scored three runs. Rual Siri and Zac Susi each had RBI hits. Fabricio Macias picked up three singles in his second game of the season. Travis Swaggerty did not play after making his debut yesterday.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bristol lost 19-5 to Elizabethton.
Roger Santana made his season debut and went 3.1 innings, giving up four runs on five hits, with one walk and one strikeout. He also hit a batter and threw two wild pitches. Santana had a 6:1 GO/AO ratio. Vince Deyzel followed and gave up two runs over 1.2 innings. Next was Will Kobos, a 19th round draft pick this year, who was making his pro debut. He needed help getting out of the sixth after giving up two runs on a hit and three walks. Austin Shields followed and gave up six runs in 0.2 innings on three hits and four walks. Three of those runs scored after Shields left the game, with Luis Diaz on the mound. Infielder Johan De Jesus gave up the final two runs over 1.2 innings of mop up work.
The Pirates had six hits, all singles, although four of them came with runners in scoring position. Mason Martin had two hits and an RBI. Conner Uselton had an RBI single. Yondry Contreras had an RBI, run scored and a walk. Brendt Citta (38th round pick) played his first game and went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
The GCL Pirates won 8-4 over the Phillies East.
Travis MacGregor made a rehab start, which was his first appearance since leaving early on May 14th. He went three innings today, allowing one run on four hits, with one walk, one hit batter and two strikeouts. He’s scheduled to make one more GCL start before they decide if he’s ready to return to West Virginia.
Brad Case, this year’s 17th round draft pick, made his debut in relief of MacGregor. Case allowed three runs (two earned) in three innings. Pablo Santana threw one scoreless frame and Wilmer Contreras handled the final two innings.
The team debuted four new players today, three of the recently signed non-drafted free agents and Fernando Villegas, who was signed in February, but only had his contract approved on Tuesday. The three NDFA guys, Mike Morrow, Pat Dorrian and Kyle Mottice, handled the three infield spots along with Samuel Inoa at first base. Dorrian had two hits, a walk, a stolen base and drove in three runs. Mottice had an RBI and Morrow picked up a single and a walk. Villegas had two walks, a run scored and an RBI. Jean Eusebio had two hits and scored two runs. Inoa had two hits, including his first triple.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
The DSL Pirates1 lost 3-1 to the Indians.
Bryan Torres, who received the biggest bonus among all Pirate pitchers in the DSL, got the start today. He allowed two runs over nine innings in his previous two starts, then improved on that on Friday with six shutout innings on two hits and no walks, while striking out four batters. Jose Amaya followed with two scoreless innings, then Starlyn Reynoso allowed three runs while recording one out in the ninth, which broke a 0-0 tie.
The Pirates had just three hits, but that didn’t stop one player from having a big game. Yoyner Fajardo raised his average to .370 by going 3-for-3 with a walk. He collected his fourth triple and stole his second base. Juan Pie went 1-for-4 with three strikeouts, though his one hit was his fifth double. He has 11 extra-base hits in 15 games. Randy Romero singled for the only other hit. He also picked up an outfield assist.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
The DSL Pirates2 won 3-2 over the Royals2.
Francisco Hodge came into this game with a 2.13 ERA in three starts. He lowered that to 1.53 after going five innings with one run allowed, which was unearned. Hodge served up two hits, walked one and struck out seven batters. Yeison Santos was out next and he gave up one earned run over three innings. Denny Roman, who was one of the three players from Mexico awaiting his contract approval, made his debut. He had one runner reach on an error, then struck out the side.
The Pirates scored two runs in the first on a Mariano Dotel walk, a Germin Lopez single, two wild pitches and a Jhan Polanco single. The added another run in the fourth on an Omar Matos double, then he stole third, followed by an RBI ground out. Matos and Lopez had two hits, Polanco had one hit and two walks.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview for both teams here.
