Pittsburgh Pirates Top 20 Prospects

by John Sickels on Mar 2, 2006 2:45 PM EST in News

PITTSBURGH PIRATES TOP 20 PROSPECTS LIST

Neil Walker, C, Grade B+
Andrew McCutchen, OF, B+
Tom Gorzelanny, LHP, B
Paul Maholm, LHP, B-
Jose Bautista, 3B, C+
Chris Duffy, OF, C+
Nate McLouth, OF, C+
Matt Capps, RHP, C+
Ronny Paulino, C, C+
Craig Stansberry, 2B, C+
Jonah Bayliss, RHP, C+
Brent Lillibridge, SS, C+
Chad Blackwell, RHP, C+
Josh Sharpless, RHP, C+
Matt Swanson, RHP, C+
Javier Guzman, SS, C+
Bryan Bullington, RHP, C+
Adam Boeve, OF, C+
Rajai Davis, OF, C
Jason Quarles, RHP, C

Like Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh has a lot of guys who could turn into something interesting. All of those Grade C+ guys have a chance to be valuable, and there are some Grade C guys not far behind. . .John VanBenschoten in particular.

The problem for the Pirates is that the only two guys with real star potential on the offensive side are Walker and McCutchen, and neither is a sure thing just yet.

Among the pitchers, Gorzelanny has the highest upside but is also not a sure thing just yet. He does deserve more attention than he's received on a national level, however, and in many fantasy leagues he could be a bargain pickup. Take a look at him. He has better-than-average stuff, with improving command.

Relievers Bayliss and Blackwell, acquired in the Redman deal from Kansas City, could both be solid middle men, Bayliss as soon as this year.

0 recs | Comment 26 comments

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Comments

Eldred

Where would he have ranked and at what grade?
Also, do you think he will eventually be the starting 1B for the Pirates?

Rays in '08....

by youALREADYknow on Mar 2, 2006 2:47 PM EST 0 recs

C+

C+. I have severe doubts about his contact ability.

by John Sickels on Mar 2, 2006 3:35 PM EST up 0 recs

Jose Bautista

John,
Do you think Bautista is the Pirates 3B of the future?

I see a possible trade of Randa mid-season, opening a spot for Bautista in the second half to show his stuff(be it good or bad).

Go Pirates!!!

by cool hand Charlie on Mar 2, 2006 2:52 PM EST 0 recs

3b

sounds reasonable. I don't see Bautista as a star but he should be OK in the short and medium terms.

by John Sickels on Mar 2, 2006 3:35 PM EST up 0 recs

C

John,
With Doumit and Cota this year and Walker and Paulino in the wings, how do you see the C position playing out for the next three years?

by The Colonel on Mar 2, 2006 3:11 PM EST 0 recs

doumit

My bet is that Walker ends up at another position.

by John Sickels on Mar 2, 2006 3:36 PM EST up 0 recs

Have to ask

John what do you think about Jack Wilson and his contract extension?

by colinadam on Mar 2, 2006 3:15 PM EST 0 recs

wilson

it strikes me as an overpriced contract for a small market team, but I can understand why they did it. If he stays healthy it's not the worst contract in the world. 3 years isn't as bad as, say, 5 years.

by John Sickels on Mar 2, 2006 3:39 PM EST 0 recs

bauserman

what about joe bauserman, i know he is fairly young but what kind of future does he hold for the pirates?

Talent can not make up for hard work.

by thook007 on Mar 2, 2006 3:50 PM EST 0 recs

Corley, Boone

Any thoughts on Brad Corley and James Boone? What makes Lillibridge a better prospect than those two chosen ahead of him?

by DSman on Mar 2, 2006 4:43 PM EST 0 recs

corley and boone

both corley and boone are Grade C prospects. As outfielders they have less potential defensive value and more pressure to hit than infielder Lillibridge.

by John Sickels on Mar 2, 2006 5:17 PM EST 0 recs

Maholm

Why so low? I generally have him in my mind as ~ B+.... is there something I'm missing? His stuff isn't electric, but he's always had good control, an dhe performed well when in way above his head last year. As for Boone and Corley, what would it take for them to leap to say, B status?

by escroll on Mar 2, 2006 5:34 PM EST 0 recs

His peripherals...

...didn't really support the ERA; in particular, he had a much lower hit rate than you'd expect from batted ball numbers, and that'll probably regress in '06. The ML walk rate was also a bit high, and when you combine that with the average-ish stuff, it looks like a pitcher who might need some adjustment time once teams get a second look at him.

I think he'll be similar to the pre-'05 Mark Redman once he establishes himself, a solid mid-rotation lefty.

by Vlad on Mar 2, 2006 6:38 PM EST up 0 recs

agree

I agree with this assessment, which summarizes my thoughts about Maholm well, even the Redman comparison.

by John Sickels on Mar 2, 2006 7:16 PM EST up 0 recs

If I may, let me pick your brain...

...on a few guys who didn't make the book: Jon Albaladejo, Mike Connolly, Steve Duguay, and Mike McCuiston.

by Vlad on Mar 2, 2006 6:33 PM EST 0 recs

injury history

is there any way to evaluate an organization's ability to prevent/effectively treat injuries? just thinking about the string of pitchers drafted early by the pirates that ended up hurt (Burnett, JVB, Bradley, etc.) bad luck? overuse as amateurs? weak training staff? seems like a lot of those "sure things" have been cut up a lot...

by primocruz on Mar 2, 2006 11:37 PM EST 0 recs

McCutchen

How much power do you think that he might add? There is a WHOLE lot to like about him if he can get to the 12-17 range.

by zywica on Mar 3, 2006 2:26 AM EST 0 recs

12-17 range?

Are you asking if he could hit 12-17 HR's per season? I'm not sure what you are trying to ask. I've seen McCutchen play about 20 times and he could easily project to 20+ homeruns in the major leagues. He bat speed is top of the scale and he generates good backspin on the ball. I don't think you will see huge power numbers in the next year or two but as he fills out and gets used to the grind of pro ball, the power should come out.

by PolkCountyRay on Mar 3, 2006 7:28 AM EST 0 recs

I guess

I'm asking what the over/under would be right now, not his power ceiling, if everything works out. I agree that his bat speed should bode well. And I picked 12-17, because I think that's the level that he could be quite a player, given his other plate skills, athleticism, and potential as a base stealer.

by zywica on Mar 3, 2006 6:55 PM EST up 0 recs