With thirteen picks in the MLB amateur draft for two consecutive years, the Pittsburgh Pirates are striving to become a source of young talent. With Pittsburgh fighting to compete with the big budgets in baseball these days, the strategy will hopefully lift them to the playoffs since 1992. The 26 year drought for the city of Pittsburgh has been long and frustrating but there are reasons to be hopeful for the future. So in this preview, we would like to give you some insight for what Pittsburgh fans will see out of these young hopeful prospects for years to come.
3B Peter Potter (Stanford) 17th Overall Selection- Potter is considered to be the best fielding prospect in the entire draft class this year. His glove work is superior among all other players at any position. The 21 year old switch hitter shows good contact but tends to swing at bad pitches at times. He lacks present power in his swing and is unlikely to add a lot of pop but potentially could hit 15 homers in a major league season. Many teams were rumored to be interested in Potter and as a projected late 1st rounder or early 2nd rounder we was drafted higher than expected. In the Pirates organization he may experience an internal block at 3B but should find a future at another infield position, likely second base.
MLB Comparison- 3B Bill Mueller
RF Jarod Cain (Arizona State) 45th Overall Selection- Cain is a power lefty bat out of Arizona State that shows impressive polish for an amateur player. He has more present contact than you would expect from many power bats coming from college but does need improvement in every facet of the game. None of his baseball characteristics jump off the page but he seems to have a solid approach which hopefully will lead to significant improvements in his game. He fell a little in the draft as he was projected as later 1st rounder or early 2nd rounder. Rumors from people inside the Pirate organization were that not much scouting was done on this player he wasn't originally on the team's radar but were intrigued by him when they saw him slipping. Cain has the potential to hit 25+ homers in the majors which we consider to be a safe estimate.
MLB Comparison- OF Ryan Westmoreland (minus speed)
SP Leo Monajas (LSU) 69th Overall Selection- Monajas is a Dominican lefty pitcher that shows solid control and power currently. He lacks "stuff" for his pitchers at the moment but the organization is confident that can be improved with work in the minors. He tops out at about 94 MPH right now but has been known to give up homers and that is going to be something he needs to work on to be successful. He throws a solid fastball and curve with a below average circle change and two-seamer. Leo is a player that has tools that you look for in a young pitcher and hopefully can be successful in years to come.
MLB Comparison- P Wade Milley
LF Justin Case (Vanderbilt) 76th Overall Selection- What was his parents thinking with this name? Anyways, Case is a lefty bat out from Texas that shows good present contact and projects to be a players with plus contact and plus speed along with being a solid fielder. With other good prospects in the system in the OF, will Case be the odd man out and be offered as trade bait in the future? In any case, Justin seems to be a player with a good approach at the plate and tools to get the job done.
MLB Comparison- David Murphy
SP Keith Finch (Georgia Tech) 77th Overall Selection- The Pirates had some other organizations stratching their heads by picking him in the 3rd round when others had him targeted as a mid fourth round pick. Finch is a 20 year old that shows plus control of his pitches as well as average power. He tops out about 90 MPH right now and has underwelming "stuff". As a starter, the Pirates hope he will add another pitch and continue to refine his approach on the mound. He certainly needs work in the minors but he seems to fit the mold of pitchers that Pittsburgh has been targeting.
MLB Comparison- P Jeremy Hellickson
RP Mickey McDonald (Georgia Tech) 96th Overall Selection- This pick was certainly unexpected from the Pirates as he doesn't fit the system as well as other players in the draft. McDonald had been slipping in the draft and Pittsburgh felt compelled to take a chance with him and see if he could become a usefull bullpen piece. He has a good fastball and cutter presently and a below average circle change so with some work he has a good pitch selection to work with for a relief pitcher.
MLB Comparison- RP Chuck Arnold
2B Leon Hussey (Florida State) 105th Overall Selection- Leon appears to be a solid second baseball that does everything at least at an average level. He may be able to develop solid contact and at least become a useful bench piece for a major league team. Makes all the plays in the field that he is supposed to but is not flashy.
MLB Comparison- 2B Sean George
RF Alejandro Velasco (Georgia Tech) 107th Overall Selection- Another draftee out of Georgia State? Velasco is a lefty hitter and arm that had a successful college career at George Tech. Alejandro is 21 years old and shows solid contact and has a reliable glove in the field. He is borderline guy that if progresses right could be a starter for a team but is more likely a solid bench piece in the future.
MLB Comparison- RF Drew Farber
SP Jeff Lankford (Newark, NJ) 129th Overall Seleection- A high school pitcher that the Pirates regard to him as having a high ceiling. His skills aren't spectacular and nothing jumps off the board but seems to be solid. He tops out at about 92 MPH and has a solid sinker. Lankford is an interesting guy to watch in the future, sink or swim with this prospect.
MLB Comparison- P Derek Lowe
1B Mark Eyar (LSU) 135th Overall Selection- The man from Taiwan, a contact oriented lefty first baseman that has a solid glove as well. This pick probably is trying to address a shortage of 1B prospects in this system and likely doesn't have a high ceiling but anything is possible, right?
MLB Comparison- 1B Bryan Griffith
SP Wade Bellinger (USC) 136th Overall Pick- A pitching prospect that the Pirates would consider quite similar to Sammy Navaf but likely has a lower ceiling than Navaf. The lefty has been rumored to be working on a gyroballto add to his fastball and curve. He reaches about 91 MPH on the radar gun and doesn't project to add much to that figure.
MLB Comparison- P Joey Allen
SP Doug Kadysiewski (Columbus, OH) 156th Overall Selection- I was speaking to some people in the Pirates front office and this name kept poping up as a player that they were exciting to see fall to them in this draft. He fell to the 6th rounder as a righty pitcher and also shows a pretty impressive bat for a pitcher. His "stuff" needs a lot of work before he will be ready to move along in the system but none-the-less the Pirates seemed excited about this 6' 10" high schooler from Ohio.
MLB Comparison- unknown, too early to tell
LF Yanick Devincenzi (Stetson) 165th Overall Selection- Yanick is a player that actually shows impressive tools in the 6th round with good speed and a good glove. He projects to be a contact hitter that hopefully in the future could serve as a platoon versus lefty pitching. He figures to be a guy that could stay with the Pirates and be a useful contributor for years to come.
MLB Comparison- OF Mark Padgett
No comments:
Post a Comment