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 – 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO
2. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Indianapolis – 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
3. Oneil Cruz, SS, Bradenton – DNP
4. Travis Swaggerty, CF, Bradenton – 1-for-6, HR (3), RBI, 2 BB
5. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – 1-for-3, HR (3), RBI, BB
6. Will Craig, 1B, Indianapolis – 2-for-4, 2B, RBI
7. Jason Martin, OF, Indianapolis – 1-for-4, HR (3), RBI
8. JT Brubaker, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
9. Calvin Mitchell, OF, Bradenton – 3-for-8, 2B
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 – 2-for-5, RBI, BB, SB
14. Pablo Reyes, Util, Indianapolis – 0-for-3, BB
15. Clay Holmes, RHP, Pirates – In Majors
16. Braeden Ogle, LHP, Greensboro – 0.2 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO
17. Stephen Alemais, 2B/SS, Altoona – Out for the Season
18. Michael Burrows, RHP, Extended Spring Training – DNP
19. Jared Oliva, CF, Altoona – 0-for-3, BB, SB
20. Ji-Hwan Bae, SS, Greensboro – DNP
21. Max Kranick, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
22. Luis Escobar, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
23. Osvaldo Bido, RHP, Greensboro – DNP
24. Eduardo Vera, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
25. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Altoona – DNP
26. Aaron Shortridge, RHP, Bradenton – 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
27. Blake Weiman, LHP, Altoona – DNP
28. Steven Jennings, RHP, Greensboro – DNP
29. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Indianapolis – DNP
30. Jesus Liranzo, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
Indianapolis won 4-3 over Louisville. Mitch Keller had his best and longest outing of the season. He gave up one run on six hits, with one walk and six strikeouts, going seven innings for the first time this year. Keller got some help from Louisville, as they were swinging first pitch often without any success, except a three batter stretch in the third inning when they scored their only run. Keller was coming off of a strong outing last week, when he gave up two runs over six innings and struck out eight batters. He threw 95 pitches tonight, 66 for strikes. After Dovydas Neverauskas threw a scoreless eighth, Jake Brentz had quite the adventure in the ninth while picking up the save. Guarding a three-run lead, he allowed two runs on four hits and a walk.
The Indians got a home run from Jason Martin to lead-off the game, his third of the season. Kevin Kramer also connected on his third homer, a solo shot in the fourth. Ke’Bryan Hayes drove in a run with his 17th double of the season, which leads all Pirates and the International League. Will Craig drove in the fourth run for Indianapolis with his fourth double of the season. He has 30 RBIs.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Altoona lost 5-0 to New Hampshire. Sean Brady got the start and allowed just one earned run, but he gave up a total of three runs on ten hits in his 6.1 innings to take the loss. Those two unearned runs scored after he left in the seventh, as reliever Vicente Campos let in both inherited runners, then two more of his own.
It was a very quiet game on offense, with six runners reaching base safely for Altoona. Hunter Owen hit his 11th double, but left for a defensive replacement after being hit by a pitch in his second plate appearance. Jared Oliva had a walk and stole his seventh base. Mitchell Tolman had a single and a walk. Logan Hill lost an eight-game hit streak. Jason Delay (batting .371) had just his second 0-for-4 (or more) night of the season.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
Bradenton had their game suspended in the top of the fourth inning with a 3-1 lead on Monday night. Aaron Shortridge allowed one run over his three innings. Travis Swaggerty hit his third homer. Calvin Mitchell went 2-for-2 with a single and his ninth double. Chris Sharpe drove in two runs.
The game resumed on Tuesday morning and the Marauders ended up winning 7-2. Ike Schlabach took over for Shortridge and allowed one run over four innings for the win. Nick Mears tossed shutout ball over the final two innings. He has allowed one earned run in nine innings since being promoted to Bradenton. Mears is holding batter to a .119 average this season.
Bradenton added four runs in the eighth inning, as Lucas Tancas drove in three runs with a bases loaded double. It was his second double of the game and 11th of the season. Jesse Medrano singled in Tancas to cap off the scoring.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
In the regularly scheduled game for Tuesday, which was now seven innings, Nicholas Economos got his first High-A start. He went five innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks, with three strikeouts. He had 50 strikeouts in 32.2 innings with Greensboro this season. Austin Coley, who has been rehabbing a 2018 arm injury this spring, followed with a shutout inning on one hit and two strikeouts. It was his first appearance since August 1, 2018.
The offense had a few chances to score but couldn’t capitalize. They had two men on in the third inning. They picked up three hits in the fourth inning, but there was a double play and a runner thrown out at home. The sixth inning started with two singles, before a double play ruined a potential rally. Chris Sharpe had two hits. Lucas Tancas hit his 12th double.
You can view the season preview here.
Greensboro won 10-7 over West Virginia. Colin Selby made his second start and gave up two runs over five innings. He allowed just two hits, but they were both solo homers. Selby walked one and struck out six. The lone run he allowed in his season debut was also on a home run. Cristofer Melendez followed and threw 2.2 shutout innings on one walk, no hits and five strikeouts. He threw 27 of 34 pitches for strikes. Braeden Ogle had a rough outing, partially due to the defense behind him. He got the last out of the eighth inning and the first of the ninth, but gave up five runs, with just two of them being earned. Yerry De Los Santos recorded the final two outs on strikeouts.
The offense included 23 runners on base and 21 at-bats with runners in scoring position. Lolo Sanchez reached three times in six trips to the plate, with two singles and a walk. He scored twice and picked up an RBI. Fabricio Macias also reached three times and scored twice. He hit his third double and drove in three runs. Kyle Mottice reached four times on two hits and two hit-by-pitches. He now has a .569 OBP in 13 games. He also stole his seventh base, giving him 23 steals in 24 attempts as a pro. Mason Martin, Rodolfo Castro, Pat Dorrian and Justin Harrer each had two hits. Castro and Martin both drove in two runs.
Here is the boxscore from the MiLB site.
You can view the season preview here.
