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, Bryan Reynolds 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 – DNP
2. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Indianapolis – 0-for-4
3. Oneil Cruz, SS, Bradenton – DNP
4. Travis Swaggerty, CF, Bradenton – 1-for-4, HR (4), 2 RBI, BB
5. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – 0-for-4
6. Will Craig, 1B, Indianapolis – 2-for-4, 2B
7. Jason Martin, OF, Indianapolis – 0-for-4
8. JT Brubaker, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
9. Calvin Mitchell, OF, Bradenton – 1-for-5
10. Cody Bolton, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
11. Tahnaj Thomas, RHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
12. Braxton Ashcraft, RHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
13. Lolo Sanchez, CF, Greensboro – 0-for-2, RBI, 2 BB
14. Pablo Reyes, Util, Indianapolis – 1-for-4, RBI
15. Clay Holmes, RHP, Pirates – In Majors
16. Braeden Ogle, LHP, Greensboro – DNP
17. Stephen Alemais, 2B/SS, Altoona – Out for the Season
18. Michael Burrows, RHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
19. Jared Oliva, CF, Altoona – 1-for-4
20. Ji-Hwan Bae, SS, Greensboro – 0-for-4, RBI
21. Max Kranick, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
22. Luis Escobar, RHP, Indianapolis – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO
23. Osvaldo Bido, RHP, Greensboro – 5.0 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
24. Eduardo Vera, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
25. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Altoona – DNP
26. Aaron Shortridge, RHP, Bradenton – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
27. Blake Weiman, LHP, Altoona – 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO
28. Steven Jennings, RHP, Greensboro – DNP
29. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Indianapolis – DNP
30. Jesus Liranzo, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
Indianapolis won 4-1 over Gwinnett. Luis Escobar got his third start and went five innings for the first time, allowing one run on three hits and two walks, while striking out five batters. He now has a 2.51 ERA in Indianapolis, though it is 1.50 as a starter, which means he is likely staying in the rotation for the near future. Escobar was throwing 94-96 early, dropping down to 93-94 as his pitch count (89 total pitches) got higher. He was throwing his changeup often with success, and his curve was used as an out pitch.
Sean Keselica and Yefry Ramirez each tossed a shutout frame, while Tyler Lyons got the save with two scoreless. Ramirez was making his debut with the Pirates after coming over in a trade with the Orioles. He walked three batters in his inning and threw just 12 of 27 pitches for strikes.
Every Indianapolis run was unearned. Will Craig scored from second on a bunt and throwing error in the second inning. The first two batters reached in the sixth on errors, which was followed by an RBI ground out by JB Shuck and a two-run single by Christian Kelley. Will Craig had a single and his ninth double, scoring two runs. He had the only multi-hit game. Jake Elmore went 1-for-2 with a walk (the only one for Indianapolis), raising his average to .387, which leads the league.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Altoona lost 5-4 to New Hampshire. Austin Coley got the start in what was basically a bullpen game, since he isn’t stretched out to start. He went two innings and allowed one run, before giving way to Beau Sulser, who had dominated this season prior to today. Sulser had an 0.61 ERA, an 0.78 WHIP and a .134 BAA through his first 29.1 innings. In three innings tonight, he allowed three runs on eight hits. Blake Weiman tossed two shutout frames, then Joel Cesar gave up one run in his two innings to take the loss.
The Curve started their scoring in the second inning on a solo homer by Hunter Owen, his 11th of the season. In the fourth inning, Jason Delay broke an 0-for-18 skid with a ground ball single through the infield that brought home two runs. Jerrick Suiter capped the scoring with an RBI single in the fifth. Owen had the only multi-hit game, adding a single, walk and run scored to his home run. Logan Hill hit his 15th double.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bradenton lost 8-7 to Tampa on a walk-off single in the ninth. Aaron Shortridge started and had a rough night, giving up five runs on seven hits and two walks, in five innings. He had five strikeouts, a 5:3 GO/AO ratio and threw 53 of 80 pitches for strikes. Allen Montgomery, who is over from Pirate City for the weekend, tossed two shutout innings on one hit and three walks. Nick Mears lost it in the ninth, giving up a total of three runs in 1.2 innings.
Travis Swaggerty hit his fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot in the seventh inning. He also walked and scored a run. Deon Stafford hit his first home run of the season, also a two-run shot. Chris Sharpe had three singles, two runs scored and an RBI. Lucas Tancas drove in a run with his 16th double, then added an RBI single later in the night. Robbie Glendinning had two hits. Every batter in the lineup had at least one hit, totaling 14 hits on the night. Swaggerty had the only walk.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Greensboro lost 7-3 to Lakewood. Osvaldo Bido was one of the top pitchers in the system in April, but he has recently run into a lot of trouble on the mound. After giving up seven runs in his last outing, he gave up five earned runs over five innings on Friday. Bido allowed eight hits, with two walks and two strikeouts. He threw 59 of 91 pitches for strikes and had a 7:2 GO/AO ratio. He now has a 3.88 ERA through 60.1 innings this season. Cam Alldred went three innings, allowing one run on six hits. Yerry De Los Santos took the ninth and retired the side in order.
The Grasshoppers had just two hits on the night and ended up scoring their three runs in the eighth inning on a single, three walks, two wild pitches and a fielder’s choice that resulted in no outs. Grant Koch had the seventh inning single, while Connor Kaiser’s fifth inning single was the only other hit. Lolo Sanchez had two walks, an RBI and his Pirates leading eighth outfield assist.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
The DSL season begins tomorrow.
You can view the season preview here.
