The MLB named it’s Top 100 prospects for the 2014 season and the Pittsburgh Pirates are well represented. Six players in the Bucco pipeline were named to the list which ranks second in the NL Central behind the Chicago Cubs seven players.
Here are the Pirates representatives and their ranking.
#74 Joshua Bell – Bell played 119 games for Class-A West Virginia last season bating .279/.453/.806 with 37 doubles, 13 home runs and 76 RBI.
#67 Alen Hanson – Hanson played a combined 127 games between High-A Bradenton and AA Altoona. In 92 games for the Marauders, Hanson batted .281/.444/.783 with 23 doubles, 8 triples, 7 home runs, 48 RBI and 27 stolen bases before being called up.
#45 Austin Meadows – The 2013 first round draft pick had no troubles adjusting to minor league ball as he put up great numbers for the GCL Pirates. He posted a .294/.519/.918 lines with 11 doubles, 5 triples, 5 home runs and 20 RBI in 43 GCL games. He was called up to Low-A Jamestown for their first round playoff series (Lost in 5 games) where he went 9-for-17 with 2 home runs, 2 RBI and 8 runs scored.
#27 Tyler Glasnow – The Pirates minor league pitcher-of-the-year had a breakout season with Class-A West Virginia as he went 9 – 3 with a 2.18 ERA in 24 starts for the Power. He struck out 164 batters in 111 1/3 innings while only walking 61.
#16 Jameson Taillon – The highly-touted pitching prospect made the jump to AAA at the end of last season after posting a 4 – 7 record with AA Altoona while posting a 3.67 ERA. In a combined 147 1/3 innings between the two squads, Taillon struck out 143 batters while walking 52. If all goes according to plan, you could see him in Pittsburgh by the end of June.
#13 Gregory Polanco – Polanco started last season in High-A Bradenton, but finished it by playing two games for AAA Indianapolis. He hit a combined .285/.434/.791 with the three teams while hitting 30 doubles, 12 home runs and 71 RBI while swiping 38 bases in 49 attempts. He, like Taillon, could get the call to the majors around the end of June where he would fill the RF spot making Pittsburgh one of the best outfields in the league.
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(Photo Credit: Mark Olson)
