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-6
4. Shane Baz, RHP, Bristol – DNP
5. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Altoona – 1-for-3, 3B
6. Kevin Newman, SS, Indianapolis – DNP
7. Taylor Hearn, LHP, Altoona – 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 SO
8. Lolo Sanchez, CF, West Virginia – DNP
9. Bryan Reynolds, OF, Altoona – 1-for-6, RBI
10. Jordan Luplow, LF, Indianapolis – 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB
11. Luis Escobar, RHP, Bradenton – 5 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO
12. Clay Holmes, RHP, Pirates – In Majors
13. Braeden Ogle, LHP, West Virginia – DNP
14. Nick Kingham, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
15. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, BB
16. Adrian Valerio, SS, Bradenton – DNP
17. Calvin Mitchell, OF, West Virginia – DNP
18. Oneil Cruz, SS, West Virginia – DNP
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-3
23. Stephen Alemais, 2B/SS, Altoona – 1-for-4, BB, SB
24. Jason Martin, OF, Altoona – 0-for-6
25. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Indianapolis – DNP
26. Eduardo Vera, RHP, Altoona – DNP
27. Mason Martin, 1B, Bristol – 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
28. Conner Uselton, OF, Bristol – 2-for-4, 2 RBI
29. Cody Bolton, RHP, West Virginia – DNP
30. Steven Jennings, RHP, Bristol – DNP
Indianapolis won 7-1 over Toledo.
Tyler Eppler entered Tuesday’s afternoon game with eight runs allowed over his last 10.2 innings. He was pitched well before that and he returned to his earlier success in this game. Eppler went 6.1 shutout innings on four hits and no walks. He struck out four batters and posted a 7:2 GO/AO ratio, while throwing 63 of his 88 pitches for strikes. Bo Schultz lowered his ERA to 1.40 with 1.2 scoreless innings and Josh Smoker allowed a run in the ninth.
On offense, Jordan Luplow and Erich Weiss each hit two-run homers. It was the seventh of the season for Luplow and fourth for Weiss. Luplow also added two walks, while Weiss had a single. Kevin Kramer also drove in two runs with his 19th double. Max Moroff had two hits, including a double, and he scored two runs. Adam Frazier returned to the Indy lineup and went 1-for-4 with a single.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Altoona won 1-0 over Harrisburg.
Taylor Hearn got the ball in game one of a doubleheader and he finished what he started. Hearn threw a complete game shutout, with four hits, one walk and seven strikeouts in seven innings. He threw exactly 100 pitches, with 70 going for strikes. Hearn lowered his ERA to 3.28 through 74 innings, with 83 strikeouts. Since his ERA went up to 5.81 after his start on May 4th, he has allowed a total of ten earned runs in his last nine starts.
The only offense the Curve needed (and received) was a single to lead-off the game by Cole Tucker, followed three batters later by an RBI single from Bryan Reynolds. Ke’Bryan Hayes would later add a triple, which was the only Altoona hit after the first inning. The only other base runner came on a walk to Jordan George.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
In game two, Tate Scioneaux got the spot start and went three shutout innings, allowing one hit and one walk, with four strikeouts. Yeudy Garcia followed and had two scoreless frames. Sean Keselica went 1.2 innings, needing Montana DuRapau to get the final out, while stranding two runners. Altoona won 1-0 in both games.
The Curve had just three hits and their only run was unearned. Jordan George had a single, double and an RBI. Stephen Alemais had a single, walk and his tenth stolen base. Bryan Reynolds scored the only run after reaching on an error.
You can view the season preview here.
Bradenton lost 8-3 to Palm Beach.
Luis Escobar threw six shutout innings in his last start, but a chance to repeat that feat was quickly squashed when Palm Beach scored three runs in the first inning. They would put up another three runs before he left. In five innings, Escobar allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits, two walks and two hit batters. He struck out seven batters, which ties his season high. He now has a 4.40 ERA through 73.2 innings. Blake Weiman threw next and allowed one run over two innings. Jake Brentz followed and gave up an unearned run on two walks.
The offense was picking up plenty of hits off of the starter, but the bullpen held them to one hit over the last 3.1 innings. Hunter Owen and Alfredo Reyes each had two hits and a walk. Casey Hughston had a double, triple and a run scored. Bligh Madris, Mitchell Tolman and Jared Oliva each had an RBI. Oliva also had an outfield assist.
Jason Delay was placed on the disabled list today with a lower back strain. No word on his return date, but the move was made retroactive to June 22nd, so he’s eligible to return on Friday.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
West Virginia had their game canceled due to rain. It’s the fifth game already this season that has been canceled for the Power, the first during the second half of the season.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Morgantown lost 9-3 to Auburn.
Osvaldo Bido made his third start and got roughed up early, allowing six runs on five hits and two walks in 2.2 innings. Bido’s last outing was strong enough to get him listed on The 21 top performers article, while he first start was going well until late in the game. He made it through two shutout innings on Tuesday night before Auburn put up six runs in the third, with two of those runs scoring after he left the game. Juan Henriquez relieved Bido and allowed two runs in 2.1 innings. John Pomeroy was out next and he allowed an unearned run in 1.1 innings, followed by Conner Loeprich facing four batters to record the final five outs.
Eric Wood played his second rehab game and had the big hit for Morgantown’s offense, hitting a two-run homer in the sixth. He also had a walk, stolen base and two runs scored. Travis Swaggerty and Brett Kinneman each had two hits. Along with Wood, they accounted for all five hits by the Black Bears. Swaggerty picked up his second double.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bristol won 7-5 over Pulaski.
Oliver Garcia got his second start, after allowing four runs in 1.1 innings in his debut. He did better in this game, but it was still a very poor outing. Garcia went 3.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, six walks and a hit batter. Just 41 of his 84 pitches went for strikes. Leandro Pina followed and pitched well for 3.1 innings, but ran into trouble in the eighth when he allowed a three-run homer that ended his night. Luis Diaz finished the eighth and then the ninth for the save.
Jonah Davis had his second straight big night on offense. One night after two doubles and a homer, he had two doubles, a single and three runs scored. Dean Lockery had a single, double and two RBIs. Conner Uselton had two hits and drove in two runs. He’s batting .423 with hits in all six games. Mason Martin had an RBI double and Sherten Apostel picked up a single and a walk.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
The GCL Pirates lost 2-1 to the Yankees West.
Luis Arrieta started and went six shutout innings on two hits and four walks, striking out five batters. He gave up two runs over three innings in his debut last week. Will Reed was next and he was pitching for the first time since his 2017 debut after being drafted in the 20th round. He injured his elbow in that game and has been rehabbing it since, though he pitched during Extended Spring Training. Reed recorded two outs, but also walked two batters before being removed and both of them scored. Luis Nova threw 1.1 scoreless and Jake Mielock (40th round) debuted with a shutout inning.
Jack Herman, the Pirates 30th round pick, made his debut today in right field hitting sixth. He is one of two prep players they have signed so far from the 2018 draft class. He went 1-for-3 with a single and a walk.
The Pirates had nothing going until two outs in the ninth when they put together three straight hits for their lone run. They couldn’t make it four though, leaving the tying and winning runs on base. The Pirates stranded ten runners in this game. Jean Eusebio went 2-for-4 with a single and a double, plus he collected one of five hit-by-pitches for the Pirates.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
The DSL Pirates1 won 1-0 over Red Sox2
This game was scoreless until the bottom of the ninth inning when Yoyner Fajardo led off with a single, then moved up to third on a wild pitch and a passed ball. Ronaldo Paulino then reached on an infield single, ending the game. Fajardo had three hits. Paulino and Daniel Rivero each had two hits and a walk. Norkis Marcos added two hits.
Yandy Vega made his fourth start and this was his best. He went six shutout innings on two hits and a walk, while striking out three batters and posting a 7:4 GO/AO ratio. He now has a 3.15 ERA through 20 innings. Starlyn Reynoso kept the game scoreless in the seventh and Valentin Linarez handled the final two frames for the win.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
The DSL Pirates2 won 5-0 over Colorado.
Starter Willy Basil made his fifth appearance, fourth as a starter. He continued to pitch well, lowering his ERA to 1.11 after six shutout innings. He allowed just four base runners, with two of them being batters he hit with pitches. Basil’s last four outings combined consist of one run over 20.1 innings, with 11 hits. He also has a 2.31 GO/AO ratio. Braham Rosario and Eddison Polonia finished things off with three no-hit innings.
On offense, Bryan Mateo had two hits and drove in two runs. He hit his first triple and also added a walk. Germin Lopez had an RBI, two hits and he scored two runs. Edgar Barrios and Mariano Dotel each walked, scored a run and stole their fifth base of the season.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview for both teams here.
