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 (Clay Holmes, Jacob Stallings, Kevin Newman and Bryan Reynolds), 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, Nick Burdi and Stephen Alemais), 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 – 3-for-7, RBI
3. Cole Tucker, SS, Indianapolis – 2-for-6, 2B, 2 BB
4. Oneil Cruz, SS, Altoona – 1-for-3, RBI, BB
5. Travis Swaggerty, CF, Bradenton – 1-for-4
6. Kevin Kramer, 2B, Indianapolis – 2-for-7, RBI
7. Will Craig, 1B, Indianapolis – 2-for-7
8. Jason Martin, OF, Indianapolis – 3-for-6, 2 2B, RBI, BB
9. JT Brubaker, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
10. Calvin Mitchell, OF, Bradenton – DNP
11. Cody Bolton, RHP, Altoona – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 SO
12. Tahnaj Thomas, RHP, Bristol – DNP
13. Braxton Ashcraft, RHP, Morgantown – DNP
14. Lolo Sanchez, CF, Bradenton – 0-for-3
15. Pablo Reyes, Util, Pirates – In Majors
16. Braeden Ogle, LHP, Bradenton – DNP
17. Michael Burrows, RHP, Morgantown – DNP
18. Jared Oliva, CF, Altoona – 0-for-4
19. Ji-Hwan Bae, SS, Greensboro – 2-for-3, 2 BB, 2 SB
20. Max Kranick, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
21. Luis Escobar, RHP, Indianapolis – DNP
22. Osvaldo Bido, RHP, Bradenton – DNP
23. Eduardo Vera, RHP, Indianapolis – 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
24. Gage Hinsz, RHP, Altoona – DNP
25. Aaron Shortridge, RHP, Bradenton – 8.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO
26. Blake Weiman, LHP, Indianapolis – DNP
27. Steven Jennings, RHP, Greensboro – DNP
28. Brandon Waddell, LHP, Indianapolis – DNP
29. Jesus Liranzo, RHP, Altoona – DNP
30. Rodolfo Castro, 2B, Bradenton – 1-for-4, 2 RBI
Indianapolis lost 3-2 to Norfolk in the first game of a doubleheader. Cam Vieaux got the start and went five shutout innings on five hits. Despite a somewhat short outing with no damage, plus just one walk and one strikeout, Vieaux needed 87 pitches to get through his outing. This is the first time he has thrown shutout ball in 13 Triple-A starts. Dovydas Neverauskas took over in the sixth and ran into trouble right away, giving up three runs in the inning.
The Indians scored two runs in the first inning and then that was it for the game. Jake Elmore crossed the plate on a wild pitch, then Will Craig scored on a Kevin Kramer single. Craig had two hits. Cole Tucker had a single and a walk. Jason Martin hit his 20th double.
Indianapolis won game two by a 3-2 score. Eduardo Vera, who recently moved to the bullpen, got a spot start and allowed two runs over four innings. Jake Brentz got the win with two scoreless frames and Montana DuRapau got the save.
Jason Martin and Ke’Bryan Hayes each had two hits and an RBI. Martin picked up his 21st double. Hayes added a run scored. Cole Tucker hit his 11th double, walked and scored a run.
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Altoona won 2-0 over Richmond. Cody Bolton got the start and it was a strong one. He went five shutout innings, allowing four hits and two walks, while striking out three batters. He needed just 64 pitches to get through his night. Clay Holmes followed Bolton, making his second rehab appearance. Holmes tossed two shutout innings. He retired the side in the sixth on ten pitches, then allowed a lead-off triple in the seventh. That was followed by three straight strikeouts to end his night. Angel German tossed a scoreless frame and Blake Cederlind recorded his first save working around an error in the ninth.
The Curve got their second run on an RBI double from pitcher/pinch-hitter Beau Sulser. He was one of two pinch-hitters for the pitcher’s spot (Bralin Jackson was the other) and they both hit doubles. Brett Pope had two hits and scored on Sulser’s double. Oneil Cruz had an RBI single and he drew a walk.
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Bradenton won 4-1 over Dunedin. Aaron Shortridge had one of the top outings of the season, going eight shutout innings on two hits and one walk, with four strikeouts. He threw 62 of 90 pitches for strikes. He now has a 3.26 ERA through 118.2 innings. Hunter Stratton allowed a solo homer in the ninth for the lone run.
Rodolfo Castro had the big hit of the game, driving in two runs with a second inning single. Castro would come around to score on a wild pitch. Raul Hernandez added an insurance run with an RBI single in the third inning. He had three hits and scored a run. Deon Stafford had a single, two walks and a run scored. Daniel Amaral reached on his tenth double, a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
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Greensboro lost 7-2 to Asheville. Alex Manasa had a strong start, giving up one run over five innings on three hits, no walks and seven strikeouts. He threw 45 of 66 pitches for strikes and posted a 6:2 GO/AO ratio. Manasa reached 100 strikeouts with his last punch out of the night. Cristofer Melendez followed with two runs (one earned) over two innings. Alfredo Reyes made his third relief appearance and he allowed a solo homer. He has given up four runs in 2.2 innings. Michael LoPresti took over in the ninth and gave up three runs, though they were all unearned.
Greensboro got on the board first in this game, putting up two runs in the third inning on a sacrifice fly from Luke Mangieri, then an RBI double from Michael Gretler. Ji-Hwan Bae had a big game, going 2-for-3 with two walks and two stolen bases, giving him 24 steals on the season. Justin Harrer had two hits and a walk. Fabricio Macias had his 15th steal.
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Morgantown won 8-2 over Williamsport in the first game of a doubleheader. JC Flowers had his best start since being drafted. He went four innings, giving up one run on two hits, with no walks and six strikeouts. Flowers had a 2.11 WHIP prior to tonight. He now has 15 strikeouts in his first 13 innings. Denny Roman took the final three innings and gave up one run on two hits, with no walks and three strikeouts. He has given up one run in his last 10.2 innings.
Matt Gorski hit a solo home run in the second inning, his third pro home run. He also added another RBI on a sacrifice fly. Jared Triolo had a single, triple, walk, two runs scored and an RBI. The triple was his third of the season. Blake Sabol hit a single and his fourth double. He scored a run and picked up an RBI. Brett Kinneman drove in two runs with his sixth double. Fernando Villegas went 1-for-3 with his first RBI since being promoted to Morgantown.
In game two, Jesus Valles continued his improved pitching by allowing one run over 5.1 innings, surrendering three hits, with one walk and six strikeouts. After posting a 4.96 ERA over his first seven starts, he has now given up one run over his last 16.1 innings, lowering him to a 3.49 ERA. The only run off of Valles scored after he left. Oliver Garcia took over and let in an inherited run. Garcia stayed on for the seventh and picked up the save in the 2-1 win.
The offense was fairly quiet in this game, doing just enough to win. They had three hits total, but singles by Cory Wood and Kyle Wilkie each brought in a run. The Black Bears had nine total runners in the game and Wilkie with a single and a walk was the only player to reach twice.
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Bristol lost the first game of a doubleheader 4-3 to Kingsport. Luis Ortiz got the start and went six innings, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks, with three strikeouts. He has a 3.08 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in his first 38 innings. CJ Dandeneau took the loss with a run in the top of the seventh.
The offense was spread around with eight players contributing a total of nine hits. Jesus Valdez was the only player with two hits, giving him a .289 average. Chase Murray was the only player without a hit. Francisco Acuna hit his 14th double. Aaron Shackelford hit his 13th double. Daniel Rivero drove in a run with his second double.
Bristol won game two by a 10-2 score. Yoelvis Reyes got the spot start and put together a strong performance. In five innings, he allowed an unearned run on four hits and no walks, while picking up six strikeouts. He was pound the zone, with 42 of 57 pitches going for strikes. Lizardy Dicent allowed a run in the sixth and Enrique Santana pitched a clean seventh to close things out.
The middle of the lineup had a big night, with the 3-7 hitters collected 12 hits and scoring eight runs. Ethan Goforth had three hits and drove in three runs. Jean Eusebio had a single, double and a walk, with two runs scored and two RBIs. Matt Morrow had three hits, two runs scored and an RBI. Jesus Valdez had two hits, two runs scored and two RBIs. Ernny Ordonez had two hits and two runs scored.
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The GCL Pirates had off on Thursday.
Here’s the boxscore.
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The DSL Pirates1 lost 2-1 to the Dodgers Shoemaker. Andy Maldonado started and went three innings, giving up an unearned run. He was limited due to some control issues, including three walks. Eddison Polonia took the loss with one run over three innings. He struck out three batters. Luis Peralta tossed two scoreless innings, striking out three batters.
The offense put together three singles, four walks and four extra-base hits, along with a hit batter and two stolen bases. Despite all of that, they managed just one run. The big issue was going 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Juan Jerez hit his 12th double and drove in the lone run. Francisco Quintero hit his first triple and drew two walks. Luis Tello had a single, walk and a stolen base. Luis Tejeda hit his seventh double. Eliazer Montero stole his 11th base.
The DSL Pirates2 won 8-2 over Colorado. Adrian Mendez got the start and he allowed two runs on five hits and a walk, with three strikeouts in five innings. Through 12 starts, he has a 6.23 ERA in 43.1 innings. Johan Montero followed with four shutout innings on three hits, one walk and four strikeouts. The Pirates now have a 47-11 record.
While Juan Jerez was driving in the lone run for the Pirates1, his older brother Mario Jerez was driving in three runs in this game. The elder Jerez collected his second triple and walked twice. Fabian Urbina had two hits and drove in two runs. He picked up his first pro double and second triple. Alexander Mojica hit a single and his 13th double. He scored a run.
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