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 (Kevin Newman, Nick Burdi and Cole Tucker), 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 (Travis MacGregor), 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 updated 2019 Prospect Guide, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
1. Mitch Keller, RHP, Indianapolis – 3.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO
2. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Indianapolis – 2-for-5, RBI, 2B
3. Oneil Cruz, SS, Bradenton – DNP
4. Travis Swaggerty, CF, Bradenton – DNP
5. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – 1-for-2, 2 BB
6. Bryan Reynolds, OF, Pirates – In Majors
7. Will Craig, 1B, Indianapolis – 1-for-4, SB
8. Jason Martin, OF, Indianapolis – 1-for-5
9. JT Brubaker, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
10. Calvin Mitchell, OF, Bradenton – 0-for-2, 2 BB
11. Cody Bolton, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
12. Tahnaj Thomas, RHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
13. Braxton Ashcraft, RHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
14. Lolo Sanchez, CF, Greensboro – 0-for-4, BB, SB
15. Pablo Reyes, Util, Indianapolis – 2-for-4, HR (1), RBI
16. Clay Holmes, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
17. Braeden Ogle, LHP, Greensboro – DNP
18. Stephen Alemais, 2B/SS, Altoona – DNP
19. Michael Burrows, RHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
20. Jared Oliva, CF, Altoona – 1-for-4, BB
21. Ji-Hwan Bae, SS, Greensboro – DNP
22. Max Kranick, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
23. Luis Escobar, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
24. Osvaldo Bido, RHP, Greensboro – DNP
25. Eduardo Vera, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
26. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Altoona – DNP
27. Aaron Shortridge, RHP, Bradenton – 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO
28. Blake Weiman, RHP, Altoona – DNP
29. Steven Jennings, RHP, Greensboro – 5.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 SO
30. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Indianapolis – DNP
Indianapolis lost 5-4 to Scranton/WB on a ninth inning walk-off. There has been a lot of talk recently about Mitch Keller coming up to the majors. As noted here last week, he just added a slider (Keller called it a slider, announcers said cutter). The Pirates said that they didn’t want to call him up while he was in the process of learning a new pitch.
Keller didn’t do anything tonight to get him closer to the majors. He ran up his pitch count in just three innings, throwing at least 25 pitches in each inning, 83 total on the night. He allowed three runs on four hits and three walks, with four strikeouts. He was using all four of his pitches and neither his cutter nor his changeup were effective. He rarely threw either pitch for strikes, which helped lead to all of those pitches being thrown. This is his shortest outing since he went 2.2 innings in his Triple-A debut.
Jesus Liranzo followed Keller and went three innings, allowing one run, while striking out four batters. Sean Keselica went the rest of the way and allowed one run for the loss. He put eight runners on base in his 2+ innings.
The offense had chances to score, collecting 11 hits and two walks, with four of those hits going for extra bases. Pablo Reyes hit his first home run since being sent down from the Pirates. Ke’Bryan Hayes hit his 12th double of the season. Jake Elmore is right behind Hayes now, after collecting two doubles to give him 11 this season. Jose Osuna went 2-for-5 with an RBI, run scored and a stolen base. Kevin Kramer had a single and two walks.
The Pirates announced that JT Brubaker is out with elbow irritation and isn’t currently throwing. He will be reevaluated in about a week.
Jon Heyman is reporting that Montana DuRapau will be called up to replace Keone Kela on Thursday.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Altoona lost 12-2 to Bowie on Wednesday morning. Sean Brady made his first start since being signed by the Pirates as a minor league free agent. In five innings, he allowed four runs on six hits, including a pair of solo homers. Brady walked one and struck out six batters. The bullpen of Yeudy Garcia, Tate Scioneaux and Angel German allowed eight runs in 2.2 innings. In between those three, Blake Cederlind tossed 1.1 scoreless in his second Double-A appearance.
Alfredo Reyes had a big day on offense, going 2-for-2 with three walks and an RBI. Bralin Jackson had a single, his seventh double and an RBI. Jared Oliva had a single, walk and run scored. Brett Pope had a single and a walk.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bradenton lost 3-2 to Clearwater. Aaron Shortridge got the noon start on Wednesday and delivered six innings of work, allowing three runs on seven hits, with no walks and a season high seven strikeouts. He threw 99 pitches, with 69 going for strikes. Shortridge now has a 3.43 ERA in 39.1 innings this season. Ryan Valdes followed and retired all six batters he faced, one by strikeout.
The Marauders got their two runs in the fourth inning on a home run by Robbie Glendinning. It’s his fourth home run, and he now has a 1.119 OPS. Jesse Medrano had the only multi-hit game for Bradenton, collecting two singles and drawing a walk. Calvin Mitchell had two walks and scored on the Glendinning homer.
The Pirates announced that Oneil Cruz (fractured foot) will miss about a month more before returning to game action. He was injured on April 27th.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Greensboro won 9-0 over Delmarva, who came into this game with a 24-4 record. Steven Jennings was coming off of his best start of the season six days ago when he allowed one earned run over five innings. He was even better tonight, throwing 5.1 shutout innings on three hits and three walks. He struck out three batters and threw 56 of 91 pitches for strikes. Jennings now has a 5.63 ERA in 32 innings this season. Joe Jacques threw 1.2 scoreless innings, then Samuel Reyes retired the side in order in the eighth. Reyes has allowed one run on four hits in 17.1 innings this season. Cam Alldred wrapped things up in the ninth.
After taking a 1-0 lead in the third, the Grasshoppers put up seven runs in the fifth inning. All of the hitters batting 3-8 in the lineup scored at least one run and picked up at least one RBI. Kyle Mottice (pictured above) went 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. After leading the GCL with a .472 OBP last year, which was the highest total in the league since 2000, Mottice upped his career OBP to .503 tonight. Pat Dorrian had the big hit in this game, smacking a bases loaded triple during the fifth inning. Brett Kinneman hit his fourth homer of the season. Lolo Sanchez stole his 12th base.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
