Battling Bucs : Top 50 Prospects: 1-25

25. Connor Joe: The Pirates selected Joe with the 39th overall pick in this past draft. He is a bat first player that the Pirates seemed to select a little early as Baseball America rated him 102nd overall. In his college career Joe split his time between first base, the outfield and catcher. The Pirates have announced they plan to get him work at catcher but there is a crowded situation in A and A+ so it is going to be difficult. Joe's power is more gap power than over the fence but he scouts do like his hitting ability and he possess great plate discipline. He obviously has more value if he can stick at catcher but I don't see that as likely. Due to injuries Joe has yet to make his debut but should start the 2015 season in A ball.
24. Taylor Gushue: The Pirates selected Gushue in the 4th round of the most recent draft. He was drafted as a junior out of college but he was a very young junior as he graduated high school early and began attending college early. Due to his special circumstances he is actually closer to the age of a sophomore and probably has a little more room to develop than your average college draftee. Gushue is a solid defensive catcher who has decent power but looks like a below average hitter right now. Last season he got off to a hot start in A- but cooled off as the year progressed. As with Joe and many other catchers I have discussed there is a crunch in A and A+ so it will be interesting to see how playing time is split up. My guess is Gushue will be the regular catcher in A ball.
23. Chad Kuhl: Kuhl was selected by the Pirates in the 9th round of the 2013 draft. Like a lot of Pirates pitchers Kuhl's calling card is his sinker which he uses to induce a lot of groundballs. After an impressive debut in 2013 the Pirates sent Kuhl to A+ last year and he posted solid results inducing a lot of groundballs, showing good command and missing few bats. Kuhl should start the season in AA and will get a chance to see if his skills will lead to success in the upper minors. To me Kuhl looks like another Brandon Cumpton and if he does indeed become that it would be excellent value for a 9th round selection.
22. Stetson Allie: I'm sure most of you are familiar with Allie's story as he was drafted as a hard throwing right handed pitcher with control problems. Well the control problems never resolved themselves so the Pirates opted to switch him to a position player because of his plus plus power. Allie has tremendous power and it is that which makes him such an intriguing hitting prospect. In 2013 Allie had a monster season in A ball but once he moved up to A+ he looked overmatched. Nonetheless the Pirates pushed Allie to AA to begin the 2014 season. Allie had a very solid season but still struggles with strike outs. At first base Allie seems to be developing into a good defensive first baseman. Allie has been eligible for the Rule V draft the last two years but the Pirates haven't added him to the roster but he hasn't been selected either. The Pirates could have him repeat AA but with how aggressive they were with him he will probably get bumped up to AAA. If he succeeds there and Hart struggles maybe he could even see time in the majors as the right handed half of the first base platoon.
21. Luis Heredia: It wasn't all that long ago when Heredia was a top prospect for the Pirates having signed as a 16 year old for a 2.6 million dollar bonus. After a fairly promising debut campaign Heredia has yet to build upon it and has fallen back. He has spent the last two seasons in A ball but he showed little improvements this last seasons. When signed, Heredia threw in the low 90s and he still throws in about that range. The development just hasn't been there for Heredia but 2015 is going to be just his age 20 seasons so there is still plenty of time for him to break out. He has had some conditioning issues which are now hopefully behind him. The talent that made him such a sought after commodity ion the international market is still there but Heredia is Rule V eligible at the end of the seasons so it would be great if he would show something this upcoming seasons to make the decision to protect him an easy one. I can't see the Pirates sending Heredia to A ball for a 3rd straight season so he will probably move up to A+ hopefully with promising results.
20. Gage Hinsz: The Pirates drafted Hinsz in the 11th round of the 2014 draft. It was thought the Pirates wouldn't be able to sign him do to his bonus demands but the Pirates managed to sign him by giving basically every available dollar they had (without surrendering a draft pick). Drafted out of Montana Hinsz's high school didn't even have a baseball team so his skills his fully based upon playing American Legion ball. Naturally he is quite a raw pitcher who has a lot of room for development. Hinsz fits the profile of the Pirates tall projectable right handed pitcher and he currently throws in the low 90s with the potential to add more velocity. Hinsz has a lot of upside but will require a lot of work. In the past the Pirates have sent guys like Hinsz to A- but this was before they had a team like Bristol. I'm guessing with Hinsz being so raw we will see him pitch for the Bristol team.
19. Jordan Luplow: Another guy I'm probably higher on than most Luplow was drafted this past year by the Pirates in the 3rd round. Luplow is a player that doesn't really have any weaknesses or great strengths. He is a good contact hitter who until his junior season didn't show much power. Luplow has a solid throwing arm and will probably end up as a right fielder. During his college career he made strides to cut down on his strike outs. In his debut Luplow had a solid consistent unspectacular season. One thing to watch out for is in his college days Luplow struggled with injuries hurting both shoulders and one of his knees. Luplow is an advanced college hitter who had success in A- and that is the type of hitter the Pirates tend to aggressively promote to A+. Luplow will likely start there and I think he will surprise.
18. Clay Holmes: Holmes was part of the 2011 draft class where the Pirates basically decided to just blow up the old draft system. Drafted in the 9th round the Pirates signed Holmes for a record 1.2 million dollars. Holmes is another typical projectable right handed pitcher for the Pirates as he is 6' 5" and throws in the low 90s with the potential to add more. In 2013 Holmes posted a terrific 2nd half in A ball and was a prime breakout candidate for 2014 but unfortunately he ended up missing the entire season due to Tommy John surgery. Holmes has quite a high ceiling so hopefully he will be back to full health in 2015 and be able to spend most of the season at the A+ level.
17. Willy Garcia: Garcia is a tough player to get a read on. He possesses a great arm, has average speed, plus power and is a decent hitter but has basically no plate discipline. He consistently strikes out at a 30% clip while walking just around 5% of the time. It’s a combination that would usually lead to a player not being a prospect but Garcia is rather young so that makes his skill set quite intriguing. The Pirates thought highly enough of Garcia to protect him from the Rule V draft so clearly they are high on him. It is difficult to imagine Garcia succeeding if he doesn't either improve his walk rate or cut down on his strike outs but he is young enough yet where either is possible. Garcia is coming off a good season in AA but the Pirates already have quite a few outfielders for AAA so I'm guessing he'll repeat the level and hopefully show better plate discipline.
16. Trey Supak: Supak was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2014 draft and signed for 1 million dollars. Like basically all other prep pitchers the Pirates draft he fits the tall projectable mold. Supak throws a low 90s fastball, a curve and a changeup. Like nearly all prep pitchers the secondary pitches need some work. His biggest current issue is a lack of stamina as he loses velocity as he goes deeper into games. Supak had a solid showing in rookie ball this past season and is a very intriguing pitching prospect to watch. The talent is there for him to be an upper rotation arm but he is still young and very far away. Supak will likely play the 2015 season in A-.
15. Andrew Lambo: With Lambo it is all about his floor. Lambo looks capable of stepping up and filling a starting outfield job right now. The Pirates originally acquired Lambo along with James McDonald from the Dodgers for Octavio Dotel. Lambo struggled in his first 2.5 years with the Pirates before breaking out in 2013. The Pirates appeared ready to give Lambo the starting 1B job last year but due to a poor winter and Spring Training went with Ishikawa instead. Lambo is currently buried on the Pirates depth chart both at 1B and the corner outfield positions but he makes for a solid depth piece and would probably be quite a serviceable starter if pushed into duty. There isn't a huge upside here but Lambo is probably about as safe as any prospect the Pirates have in the system.
14. Cody Dickson: Our second and last left handed pitcher on the list. With recent trades of Blake Taylor and Joely Rodriguez Dickson has no competition for the top left handed pitcher in the system. Drafted in the 4th round of the 2013 draft Dickson was a popular choice for a breakout player in 2014 but he didn't real break out instead posting just a solid season in A ball. Dickson has quite an intriguing arsenal including a fastball that can touch 95 and a curve and changeup with potential. Like a lot of low level pitchers Dickson has some control issues but if he can improve upon them he has the stuff to be a solid mid rotation starter. Dickson's overall line in 2014 was just ok but on a positive note he did finish much better than he started so hopefully that is a sign of good things to come. Hopefully he will continue to build upon his success as he moves up to A+ in 2015.
13. JaCoby Jones: When Jones was drafted in 2013 the general consensus of scouts was that he was more of an athlete than a baseball player which basically meant he is quite athletically gifted but doesn't really have solid baseball skills. He was also a man without a position with most thinking he would be best suited for the outfield. The Pirates had him initially playing the outfield but moved him to shortstop in 2014. Jones went on to have a monster season in A ball now as a college draftee this needs to be looked at with a bit of skepticism but still it was good to see. Jones showed plus power leading the system with 23 home runs. He also possesses good speed, and good contact skills though he strikes out a fair amount. In the long term it is difficult to tell jut where Jones will play but he definitely has the physical ability to handle a more demanding position like 2B, SS or CF. Jones has a big upside but also is quite a risky bet. If Jones continues to hit the Pirates will obviously find a place for him. He should start the year in A+ and could move up to AA during the season if he continues to hit well.
12. Adrian Sampson: The Pirates have consistently been aggressive with Sampson showing they see him as a legit prospect. Drafted out of JuCo college Sampson kind of fell in between a high school draftee and a college draftee but the Pirates opted to treat him like a college draftee and send him to A-. After a great showing there the Pirates aggressively pushed him to A+ in 2013 where he struggled. Despite the struggles he was pushed to AA to begin 2014. The Pirates had Sampson focus on his changeup and it led to solid results prompting a promotion to AAA. Sampson has a low 90s fastball and a good curve and changeup plus he has very good command. The one thing lacking from his repertoire is the ability to miss bats. Sampson will begin 2015 in AAA and has already worked his way up to a relatively high inning count. If he can find a way to start missing a few more bats he could see time in the majors as early as the middle of the upcoming season.
11. Harold Ramirez: Ramirez was the Pirates highest profile international signing in 2011 and he skipped over the DSL right to the GCL to make his pro debut. He had a solid but up and down start that year but the following year in A- saw him experience a bit of a breakout as he showed both power and plate discipline. It looked like he was prime to take a big jump in 2014 but an early hamstring injury and shin splits caused him to miss a big chunk of the year. When he was actually on the field Ramirez posted good results but it was over the course of just more than 200 at bats so we wouldn’t read too much into it. Ramirez is a good all around player showing power, contact, speed and solid defense. The Pirates have a lot of outfielders for the A and A+ levels but Ramirez will receive priority but it is still up in the air whether he showed enough to warrant a promotion of if he will begin the year back in A ball.
10. Elias Diaz: Diaz was the breakout star in the Pirates system last year. Long thought of as just a good defensive catcher Diaz put together a very good offensive campaign in AA last season which combined with his good defensive skills behind the plate make him quite an intriguing player. Diaz moved through the lower levels almost solely based upon his defensive skills but in 2013 he put up decent offensive numbers in a part time role and then this last season he got a chance at regular playing time in AA and took off. Diaz is regarded as a good receiver and has shown a good ability to throw out runners. The Pirates were approached about him at the trade deadline but refused to move him and added him to the 40 man roster this offseason. Diaz is likely to begin the 2015 season as the regular catcher in AAA. Tony Sanchez will occasionally spell him and likely serve as the third catcher to begin the year but if Diaz shows his bat is for real he could become a mid season promotion candidate.
9. Mitch Keller: Taken in the second round of this past draft Keller is the most polished of the Keller/Supak/Hinsz trio the Pirates spent a lot of their draft pool on. Keller throws in the 92-94 range occasionally touching a bit higher and has a curve with a good bit of potential and a change that is a work in progress. Keller appeared as if he would be a tough sign but the Pirates ended up signing him quickly and for slightly below slot. Keller had a very strong debut season and unlike a lot of low level Pirates pitching prospect actually missed a good deal of bats. The Pirates will almost surely send Keller to A- this year where he will continue to build up on innings and will hopefully continue showing off his plus stuff.
8. Cole Tucker: The somewhat controversial 1st round pick of the Pirates in 2014. Tucker was not regarded by outsiders as a first round talent but inside the game he was quickly rising on draft boards and there is a thought he wouldn't have lasted much longer had the Pirates not taken him when they did (the A's would have reportedly selected him with the next pick). Like a lot of selections this past year Tucker was on the young side as he didn't turn 18 until after the draft and last year was officially only his age 17 season. The Pirates thought was that given another year of development which would make Tucker the typical 18 years old he would be a top 5 pick. At 6' 3" Tucker is rather big for a shortstop but there seems to be a belief he has a chance to stick at short. Tucker's offensive value comes from the fact that scouts believe he will fill out as he ages and add some gap power. Tucker had a solid rookie season in 2014 and in the field aside from his first pro game looked just fine. To me a realistic outcome for Tucker would be a better version of the Pirates current shortstop Jordy Mercer. The Pirates usually send their top high school picks to A ball but Tucker is quite a bit less advanced than Meadows and McGuire so it will be interesting to see what they do with him.
7. Reese McGuire: The Pirates top 7 prospects are almost unanimously agreed upon. The order is different for everyone but the players making them up are pretty consistent. For me the player currently occupying the bottom spot of those 7 is McGuire. The Pirates were long linked to McGuire in 2013 and drafted him with their second 1st round pick. McGuire is an insanely advanced high school catcher being one of the few that basically came with no questions about whether he would stick at the position or not. He is also very baseball smart as he has reportedly been calling games since age 10. His defensive talent cannot be questioned but what is fair to worry about is his bat. At the plate McGuire showed good contact skills this past year but basically no power. Scouts seems split on whether his offense will develop enough for him to be an everyday catcher in the majors but his glove seems good enough that he is a safe bet to make the majors on the strength of it alone.
6. Alen Hanson: To me Hanson and McGuire are a cut below the other 5 players in the Pirates top 7. What edges Hanson out over McGuire for me is his advanced level. Up until about midway through 2014 the Pirates have had Hanson playing shortstop but his defense has always been questionable there but his bat is undoubtedly capable of allowing him to play 2B or 3B. Hanson has very good power for a middle infielder plus good speed (though he needs some work on stealing bases). He strikes out about an average rate which considering he has decent power is a plus. Hanson had a very solid season at the plate in AA and appears ready to move up to AAA. The Pirates haven't officially ruled out the possibility of him moving back to shortstop but right now he looks like a 2B prospect. The Pirates of course have Neil Walker entrenched at 2B but considering his back issues it wouldn't be totally surprising to see him get an opportunity this year in the majors. There are some questions about his attitude as the AA manager benched him a few times this past season for his work ethic. It is tough to know exactly what was going on but the Pirates have since dismissed the AA manager but that could be totally unrelated.
5. Nick Kingham: Kingham was drafted in the 4th round of the 2010 draft. Kingham throws his fastball in the mid 90s and his two secondary pitches his curve and change can be a thing of beauty though he needs to get more consistent with them. Up until 2014 he missed quite a few bats but that took a step back this season. Kingham seems to be a relatively safe prospect projecting as at least a #4 starter with the potential to be possibly a #2. The lack of strike outs this year was a bit concerning but he has always missed bats in the past so hopefully this was just a small blip. Kingham has displayed good control in the past but has started slipping some the last two seasons it still has been probably average but hopefully he regains his old form this year. Kingham will begin the season in AAA but will almost surely make the majors at some point even if it just for a spot start.
4. Austin Meadows: Meadows was the 9th overall pick in the 2013 draft and was originally compared to Jay Bruce. Meadows was considered an advanced hitter for a prep player when drafted and has had good results since going pro. He currently plays center field but most scouts seem to think he'll have to move to corner eventually but he has the power to make that work. At the plate he is an all around hitter having good contact skills, power and good plate discipline. His 2014 season got off to a late start as a hamstring injury caused him not to play A ball until mid July. Once there he hit well but much like Ramirez the Pirates face a decision on whether the small sample of playing time is enough to warrant moving him up. He is still quite a ways from the majors but Meadows has some major upside as a prospect and this season could be his big breakout year.
3. Josh Bell: Bell is the player who basically broke the old draft system. Bell sent out a letter telling teams not to draft him but the Pirates went ahead and did it anyway and ended up signing him 5 million dollars. Bell is a switch hitter with plus power from both sides of the plate and he has an advanced hitting approach. Bell's 2013 season was considered a disappointment as a knee injury caused him to miss most of the season. However in 2014 Bell had a bit of breakout campaign when he put up big numbers in A+. Bell's power numbers looked a bit underwhelming but he did have the highest slugging percentage of any player in the Florida State League. In the field Bell is considered to be about an average defender in the corner outfield but the Pirates with a few outfielders already in front of him have decided to move him to 1B this year. Bell struggled a bit offensively when he moved to AA so he will return to that level and likely spend most of the year there. If all goes well Bell should have a chance to be promoted to the majors in the middle of 2016.
2. Jameson Taillon: Taillon was selected by the Pirates with the 2nd overall pick in the 2010 draft. Taillon received the biggest signing bonus in the draft that year signing for 6.5 million (#1 pick Bryce Harper received more guaranteed money but less of a signing bonus as he signed a major league deal). He has a great arsenal including a mid 90s fastball and an excellent curve. His change needs a bit of work and he often leaves his fastball up in the zone making him more hittable than he should be. Taillon's results have never been what a lot expected them to be but the talent is there and early on the Pirates have pitchers work on specific things. Taillon had a solid 2013 season and looked ready to follow the same path as Gerrit Cole in 2014 but during the spring he had to have Tommy John surgery which caused him to miss the entire season. The Pirates will likely be careful with Taillon this year meaning either starting him late or shutting him down early. I'm guess he sits out May and the Pirates bring him up in late July or early August if he shows himself ready. The talent is there for Taillon to develop into an ace but he comes with a bit of risk considering he just had Tommy John surgery.
1. Tyler Glasnow: Glasnow is pretty much the unquestioned top prospect in the Pirates system. As I like to saying Glasnow has no ceiling that is how much potential he has. Glasnow started out as just another projectable prep pitcher in a Pirates system that had many of them but he has since broke out in a big way. Glasnow can touch triple digits with his fastball and consistently throws in the upper 90s and he now has a plus curve that misses a lot of bats. Glasnow has struck out over 30% of the batters he has faced each of the last two seasons. His changeup is still a work in progress but he made strides with it this past season. His weakness is his command. The lower level hitters these last two years have been basically not match for him hitting under .200 but he has walked about a batter every other inning. His control showed improvements in 2014 but every once in a while he would have a game where it would just cause him to fall apart early on the game limiting his start. Glasnow has everything needed to be one of the best pitchers in baseball but needs to straighten out his command for that to happen. Next season will just be his age 21 seasons so there is still plenty of time for that to happen. The Pirates are being very cautious with him so he'll likely spend all or nearly all of the season in AA.