The Pittsburgh Pirates have made great strides in rebuilding the organization since the current management team took over in 2007.
Not only has the Major League club come from being cellar-dwellers to playoff contenders, but the farm system has gone from barren to one of the best in baseball as seven of the club’s top prospects have been placed on MLB’s Top 100 prospects list.
The seven prospects are the most that any team in the majors has on the list.
12) RHP Tyler Glasnow – The Pirates reigning minor league pitcher-of-the-year repeated his strong showing from 2013 with another outstanding season going 12-5 for Class-A Bradenton while posting a staggering 1.74 ERA in 23 starts (124 1/3 innings) while striking out 157 and walking 57.
31) RHP Jameson Taillon – The Pirates first round pick (2nd overall) in the 2010 draft remains in the top-half of the list despite missing most of the 2014 season due to Tommy John surgery. Taillon is in line to fully participate in spring training, but an appearance in Pittsburgh is highly unlikely this year.
34) OF Josh Bell – Bell made a large jump on the list (74th last year) after a solid year between High-A Bradenton and Class-AA Altoona in 2014.
Bell was named to the Florida State League (High-A) All-Star game after putting up a slash line of .335/.384/.502 with an .886 OPS, nine home runs, 20 doubles and 53 RBI in 84 games (363 PA). Bell also posted a .287 average (27-for-94) in 24 games with Class-AA Altoona with two doubles and seven RBI.
The 22-year-old from Irving, Texas has been working at first base to help the organizations lack of prospects at the position, but could still make the Majors as an outfielder.
46) OF Austin Meadows – The centerfield prospect also battled injuries for most of the 2014 season (hamstring) before being able to establish himself at Class-A West Virginia. Meadows posted a slash line of .322/.388/.486 with an .874 OPS, three home runs, 13 doubles and 15 RBI in 38 games (165 PA).
64) C Reese McGuire – The organization’s second selection of the first round (14th overall) of the 2013 draft had a solid year at Class-A West Virginia behind and at the plate. McGuire posted a slash line of .262/.307/.334 with a .642 OPS, three home runs, 11 doubles and 45 RBI in 98 games (427 PA).
The Pirates backstop of the future threw out 39% (49-for-126) of runners trying to steal while posting a .987 fielding percentage.
74) RHP Nick Kingham – Kingham is the closest prospect to the Majors as he made the jump from Class-AA Altoona to Class-AAA Indianapolis last season. Kingham posted a 5-4 record for Indy with a 3.58 ERA, 65 strikeouts and 27 walks.
92) SS/ 2B Alen Hanson – Hanson made the biggest drop out of the seven prospects on the list falling from 67th after some defensive difficulty at shortstop and behavioral issues led to him spending time on the bench at Class-AA Altoona.
However, Hanson did make a switch to second base towards the end of the 2014 season and finished the year with a .280 average, 11 home runs, 21 doubles, 12 triples and 58 RBI.
If Hanson can correct his difficulties on and off the field, he could be able to work his way back up the list and up the system.
(Photo Credit: MLB)
