Prospect Watch: Andrew Lambo Hits His 19th Homer of the Year

TOP OF THE SYSTEM A look at how the current top 20 prospects did today.  Note that this list doesn’t include players currently in the majors. If a player is in the majors, he will be removed, everyone below him will be shifted up a spot, and a new player will be added to the bottom of the list. Rankings are from the mid-season rankings, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player page. 1. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Altoona (3-5, 2.93) - DNP 2. Gregory Polanco, CF, Altoona (.313) - DNP 3. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, West Virginia (4-1, 2.60) - DNP 4. Alen Hanson, SS, Bradenton (.293) - 1-for-5 5. Austin Meadows, CF, 2013 1st Round Pick, Unsigned 6. Josh Bell, RF, West Virginia (.289) - 0-for-3, RBI 7. Nick Kingham, RHP, Altoona (1-1, 3.75) - DNP 8. Luis Heredia, RHP, West Virginia Power (1-0, 0.00) - DNP 9. Reese McGuire, C, GCL Pirates (.000) – DNP 10. Dilson Herrera, 2B, West Virginia (.281) - 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI 11. Tony Sanchez, C, Indianapolis (.306) - In Majors 12. Barrett Barnes, CF, West Virginia (.257) - 1-for-4, BB 13. Kyle McPherson, RHP, Indianapolis (0-1, 19.29) – Triple-A DL 14. Stetson Allie, 1B, Bradenton (.286) - 0-for-3, 2 BB 15. Wyatt Mathisen, C, West Virginia (.185) - Low-A DL (UPDATE 6/22) 16. Clay Holmes, RHP, West Virginia (2-5, 5.08) - 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, 0 HR 17. Stolmy Pimentel, RHP, Indianapolis (0-0, 0.69) - DNP 18. Vic Black, RHP, Indianapolis (0-2, 2.52) – DNP 19. Harold Ramirez, CF, Jamestown (.241) - DNP 20. Blake Taylor, LHP, GCL Pirates (0-0, 0.00) – DNP   ORDER YOUR 2013 PROSPECT GUIDE The 2013 Prospect Guide is now available, and is the perfect resource to follow the minor league system during the 2013 season. You can order your copy on the products page of the site. Order together with the 2013 Annual and save $5!   DAILY SUMMARY Top Pitcher: Kris Johnson, LHP (7-3, 2.80) – 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR Top Hitter: Andrew Lambo, LF-RF (.255) – 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB Home Runs: Andrew Lambo (5), Josh Harrison (4), Chase d’Arnaud (3)   Andrew Lambo hit his 19th homer of the year. AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS Box Score Result: Indianapolis 5, Rochester 3 Starting Pitcher: Kris Johnson, LHP (7-3, 2.80) – 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR Top Hitter: Andrew Lambo, LF-RF (.255) – 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB Other Notable Performers: Chase d’Arnaud, SS (.229) – 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI Josh Harrison, 2B (.306) – 1-for-5, HR, RBI Game Notes: Indianapolis won thanks to another great start from Kris Johnson, and home runs from Andrew Lambo, Chase d’Arnaud, and Josh Harrison. Lambo hit his fifth homer of the year with Indianapolis, and his 19th of the season between Double-A and Triple-A. Harrison hit his fourth of the year, while d’Arnaud hit his third. Johnson has given up three earned runs in 19 innings over his last three starts. Coming into tonight he had a 2.44 ERA in 62.2 innings as a starter this year.   AA: ALTOONA CURVE    Altoona was suspended due to rain.   A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS   Box Score Result: St. Lucie 4, Bradenton 0 Starting Pitcher: Matt Benedict, RHP (0-8, 4.98) – 6.0 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 HR Top Hitter: Eric Avila, 3B (.226) – 2-for-4 Other Notable Performers: Alen Hanson, SS (.293) – 1-for-5 Stetson Allie, DH (.286) – 0-for-3, 2 BB Game Notes: The Marauders picked up six walks and six hits on the night, but also struck out 11 times and didn’t have any extra base hits. Matt Benedict didn’t have a bad start, but was hurt with two runs coming off of errors. Eric Avila was great last year in West Virginia after the SAL All-Star break. This year he looks like he could be heating up at the plate, with a .996 OPS in 41 at-bats in June, after a .923 OPS in 16 at-bats in May. Both are small sample sizes, but Avila is hitting well after a horrible April (.194 OPS in 36 at-bats).   A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER Box Score Result: West Virginia 6, Hagerstown 1 Starting Pitcher: Clay Holmes, RHP (5.08) – 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, 0 HR Top Hitter: Walker Gourley, DH (.342) – 3-for-3, BB, 2 RBI, SB Other Notable Performers: Dilson Herrera, 2B (.281) – 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI Francisco Diaz, C (.265) – 2-for-4, 2B Ryan Hafner, RHP (5-0, 2.72) – 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 HR Game Notes: Clay Holmes continued struggling with his control this year. He now has a 44:47 K/BB ratio in 67.1 innings on the season. In his last ten games he has a 30:26 K/BB ratio in 44.1 innings. There might be hope for Holmes though. Ryan Hafner had similar control issues last year. He has returned to West Virginia this year and has been dominant. There are still some control problems, with 21 walks in 46.1 innings. However, he has a 59:21 K/BB ratio in those 46.1 innings, and has been much more dominant this time around, which could be due to a new slider that he added over the off-season.   A-: JAMESTOWN JAMMERS   Jamestown was suspended due to rain.   RK: GCL PIRATES   Box Score Result: Pirates 3, Blue Jays 1 Starting Pitcher: Cesilio Pimentel, LHP (3.38) – 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 0 HR Top Hitter: Justin Maffei, CF (.278) – 2-for-4, 3B Other Notable Performers: Oderman Rocha, RHP (1-0, 3.38) – 3.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR Luis Urena, RF (.250) – 2-for-4, 3B Candon Myles, LF (.615) – 2-for-4, SB Game Notes: Cesilio Pimentel and Oderman Rocha combined for six strong innings for the GCL Pirates today. Pimentel was working in the 87-90 MPH range from the left side, while Rocha came in throwing 88-91 MPH from the right side, with an effective back door slider. Luis Urena, Justin Maffei, and Candon Myles all picked up two hits. The Pirates took the lead when Maffei led off the fifth inning with a triple, and scored when Chris Diaz grounded out to second.