Below Deck: Luplow taking on complete look with Curve taken in Altoona, Pa. (Pirates)

Altoona Curve left fielder Jordan Luplow. - AUDREY SNYDER / DKPS

ALTOONA, Pa. -- Jordan Luplow was looking to improve his swing, process and approach at the plate, so last winter the Altoona Curve left fielder headed to Indianapolis.

The Pirates’ 2014 third-round pick was coming off a season where he played in 104 games for high Class A Bradenton, but Luplow hadn’t hit more than 12 home runs in a season since joining the organization. He spent 2014 with the Jamestown Jammers of the short-season New York-Penn League, 2015 with the low Class A West Virginia Power and last season slashed .254/.363/.421 for the Marauders. He hit 10 home runs and notched 54 RBIs with Bradenton, but that wasn’t going to cut it at the next level.

“Everything shows up during the season,” Luplow told DKPittsburghSports.com. “You can’t be thinking about your swing or your hands, your foot, your bat during a game. It’s hard to do that when guys are throwing 95-plus. There’s no time to do it.”



So Luplow, ranked by MLB.com as the Pirates’ 30th-best prospect, went to Indianapolis and spent 3-4 days with Benny Craig, his former coach in the Cape Cod League. Craig helped the former Fresno State standout focus on laying off breaking balls outside the zone and instead working to get the right pitch that he wants to hit.

“Me and him really bonded and just what he says clicks with me,” Luplow said. “As a hitter it’s really good to find someone that you understand and you can connect with.”

That work carried over to Altoona where hitting coach Kevin Riggs picked up where Craig left off, helping Luplow formulate a plan against each pitcher, and the results continue to show. Through 71 games, Luplow has 16 home runs – good enough for fifth-most in the Eastern League – and is slashing .291/.371/.547. He’s also scored 44 runs and is second on the team with 36 RBIs.

After Tuesday night’s game, Luplow had 15 hits in his last 35 at bats, including two home runs. He’s the first Curve player to hit 16 home runs before the All-Star break since 2015. On Wednesday, he was named an Eastern League All-Star, another testament to his power. It’s the first All-Star selection of Luplow’s career.

“I’m just trying to barrel up baseballs,” Luplow said. “Sometimes they just happen to click and go out, but honestly I’m just trying to stay gap to gap and get the right pitch to hit.”

He’s also had at least one hit in each of his past 10 games and Monday night he even hit an RBI single off Orioles’ closer Zach Britton, who was rehabbing for the Bowie Baysox. However, Luplow’s power surge this season isn’t the only positive for Curve manager Michael Ryan. In fact, it might even be overshadowing his work in the outfield.

“He’s been great offensively, but the separator for me is how he’s played left field,” Ryan said, highlighting one gem where Luplow barehanded the ball off the wall and made the throw to second base right on the money.

“He’s been taking pride in his defense and I think that’s helped his offense,” Ryan continued. “He’s taken so much pride in his defense. He’s a really good baserunner and I think that’s taken some of the pressure off of him offensively where he’s becoming a complete player. He’s not really stressing on the success that he has one night on the offensive end and letting that dictate the way he plays. I think that’s helping him.”

Luplow is one of five Curve players who earned a selection to this year’s All-Star game, which will be played July 12 in Manchester, N.H. Altoona’s other All-Star selections, all of whom are first-time All-Stars, include:

• 3B Wyatt Mathisen; 2012 second-round pick; .290/.378/.394
• 2B Kevin Kramer; 2015 second-round pick; .297/.380/.500
• RHP Alex McRae; 2014 10th-round pick; 6-3, 3.58 ERA, 1.35 WHIP through 15 starts; 50 strikeouts, 21 walks
• RHP Montana DuRapau; 2014 32nd-round pick; 11 saves in 12 attempts; 2-2, 1.38 ERA

CLASS AAA INDIANAPOLIS

• Tyler Glasnow struck out a season-high 12 batters, the second consecutive outing where he had double-digit strikeouts. He threw seven scoreless innings and now has 31 strikeouts through 18 innings since June 10 when he was sent back to Indianapolis.

• Austin Meadows remains sidelined with a right hamstring injury.

• Steven Brault improved to 6-0 after surrendering two earned runs during seven innings on June 24. Brault has a 1.48 ERA during his last 10 outings.

• RHP Clay Holmes pitched seven innings and surrendered four hits, tying his season high in innings pitched. Holmes is 5-3 with a 3.92 ERA and 1.53 WHIP. He struck out 48 batters and walked 20 during his last 10 outings.

CLASS A BRADENTON

• Mitch Keller pitched two innings and struck out three batters during an outing on June 24. The 2014 second-round pick also walked one batter and gave up a hit.

• Will Craig, the Pirates' 2016 first-round pick, continues to be a bright spot for the Marauders. Craig notched 25 hits during 72 at-bats thus far in June, including three doubles, one triple and two home runs.

• Ke'Bryan Hayes is 0 for 9 with four strikeouts in his last two games and for the season is slashing .266/.340/.322.

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