Pittsburgh Pirates Top 10 Prospects for 2017
The Pittsburgh Pirates took a step back in 2016 after a number of years consistently challenging for the playoffs. Can their farm help them return to contention in 2017?
An Introduction
Our minor league top 10 series is coordinated by Benjamin Chase, one of our contributors at Call to the Pen.
He has pored over thousands of minor league games over the course of the year via milb.tv along with speaking with a number of team and independent scouts. These lists are based out of those conversations.
Each system will have prospects from 10 to 1, and then finish with one newcomer to the system that is worth keeping an eye on that is not in the top 10 at this time.
Conversations are certainly encouraged in the comments section on each system as we go along!
All seemed to change when Neal Huntington was brought in as the general manager of the team in 2007
Pirates System Review
The Pirates spent nearly 20 years mired in mediocrity, continually swinging and missing from their own system and never really producing the guys they needed to take that next step as an organization.
That all seemed to change when Neal Huntington was brought in as the general manager of the team in 2007 and immediately began an overhaul of the minor league system on up, putting big emphasis on producing consistent players from that minor league system in order to compete in a mid-level to lower-tier financial market.
The Pirates have done a tremendous job building up their team through their minor league system as they now have arguably the best outfield in the league with all home-grown players in Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, and Gregory Polanco.
They also boast a number of pieces in the major league team that came through the minor league system along with guys that they signed as international free agents such as Jung Ho Kang, Jordy Mercer, Tony Watson, and Gerrit Cole.
The Pirates are now heavy in trade rumors this offseason with their star Andrew McCutchen due to his contract soon to expire after 2017 and wanting to get something for him rather than letting him walk, and also because they have players ready in their system to step up.
The 2017 Pirates could be younger, but they could be even better than the 2016 version.
Let’s take a look at the top 10!
Next: #10
10. Alen Hanson, 2B
Birthdate: 10/22/92 (24 years old)
Level(s) Played in 2016: AAA, MLB
Stats in 2016: .266/.318/.389, 8 HR, 36 SB
While Hanson’s ceiling may not be what it was once considered to be when he first broke through in the early 2010s, he’s continued to show he has a high floor as a utility player around the infield at the pro level, even if he isn’t likely to be the elite middle infielder many were hoping for a few years ago.
Hanson has plus speed that he uses to key his hitting, putting plenty of balls on the ground, and when he keeps his focus on line drives, he does very well, but he does have enough strength that he can fall in love with pulling the ball a bit, especially from his natural right side, and that hurts his hitting when he gets into that path.
Hanson has plus speed that he uses to key his hitting, putting plenty of balls on the ground
Hanson can run in the field, but his natural instincts in the field are less than excellent. He also has a below-average arm, so playing full-time at short isn’t in his future, but he’s shown solid enough glove work to still be able to play a little as needed at the position.
He has shown the ability to handle multiple positions over multiple days of the week without hurting his focus, which is a huge plus for his major league path.
One scout really keyed this to me when he encouraged me to watch Hansen and then watch early Josh Harrison and try to find the big difference. It’s awfully hard to see a lot of difference in the two in their raw skill sets as you watch.
Hanson will most likely work off the bench in Pittsburgh to open the year, though Kang’s legal troubles this offseason may give him a chance to open the season starting much like Harrison has in the past.
Next: #9
7. Nick Kingham, RHP
Birthdate: 11/8/91 (25 years old)
Level(s) Played in 2016: rookie, high A, AA
Stats in 2016: 46 IP, 2.93 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 3.35 BB%, 20.11 K%
Kingham had put himself on the cusp of the big leagues before having Tommy John surgery in early 2015. He came back in the second half of 2016 to throw a few innings, so he’ll have another year of getting his arm healthy in 2017, but he showed to be back right in line in performance.
Kingham when healthy has a fastball that works in the low- to mid-90s with excellent sink along with a curve that does excellent in also creating weak contact.
His change showed excellent in his return, after ticking up in his last year before surgery, when it was flashing consistent plus and definitely above-average. He can get swing and miss on the pitch with some level of cut to the pitch and excellent arm deception on the pitch.
Kingham is not a guy who will likely ever be an ace pitcher, but he’s already shown tremendously well and should be a solid mid-rotation guy that eats up innings creating weak contact and avoiding extra base runners.
Kingham will likely open in AA or AAA and get a quick call to the big league club the first opening he’s needed.
Next: #6
6. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B
Birthdate: 1/28/97 (19 years old)
Level(s) Played in 2016: rookie, low A
Stats in 2016: .266/.323/.397, 6 HR, 6 SB
The son of former big league third baseman Charlie Hayes, Hayes has some excellent baseball smarts and used his talent to get selected as #32 overall in the 2015 draft.
The Pirates left Hayes in extended spring to start the year, but he moved up and played in the full-season South Atlantic League in his first full year, getting 65 games in.
Hayes has the chance to be a guy who drastically surpasses his father’s overall production
Hayes has the chance to be a guy who drastically surpasses his father’s overall production. He’s not a great runner, but he’s very smart on the bases, and as evidenced by his six steals, he knows when to picks his spots well.
Hayes may not be a great raw runner, but he has tremendous quick twitch that allows him to be a plus fielder at third with a fringe-plus arm.
Hayes already flashes plus raw power and has extremely fast hands through the zone. He has work to do on his pitch recognition, but that’s not surprising for a teenager in his first full pro season.
Hayes will likely see high-A to open 2017.
Next: #5
5. Josh Bell, 1B
Birthdate: 8/14/92 (24 years old)
Level(s) Played in 2016: AAA, MLB
Stats in 2016: .295/.382/.468, 14 HR, 3 SB (minor league stats only)
Bell is a guy who has been on the prospect radar since he was drafted in the 2nd round in 2011. He was given a significant bonus in one of the last non-slotted drafts to buy him away from his college commitment.
Bell has taken his time to develop, but he’s certainly turned into exactly the type of player that the Pirates had envisioned, with tremendous ability to make contact from both sides of the plate as a switch hitter with tremendous raw power.
Bell is an extremely intelligent player, and he has worked hard to become tremendous at pitch recognition
Bell is an extremely intelligent player, and he has worked hard to become tremendous at pitch recognition, holding him to limited strikeout rates for a big guy. He’s also someone who has excellent work ethic, so even at 240-250 pounds, he’s athletic enough that he could play outfield.
Bell made the transition to first base full time at the upper minors after working in the outfield on his way up, but it was not due to his defensive issues, more due to a stacked Pirate outfield that they wanted to find a way to help him crack into the big league club.
He may not be a guy to hit 30 home runs in 2017, but he will be a guy who has that kind of ability as he builds into his frame.
Next: #4
2. Austin Meadows, OF
Birthdate: 5/3/95 (21 years old)
Level(s) Played in 2016: short season A, AA, AAA
Stats in 2016: .266/.333/.536 12 HR, 17 SB
There are plenty of arguments for Meadows to be #1 in this list or to be as low as #5. He’s a tremendous talent, and there’s simply no doubt about that. The main issue for Meadows has been remaining healthy.
Meadows had another year of injury issues in 2016, but when healthy, he really showed his elite talent. He was able to have 25 doubles and 11 triples along with his 12 home runs in just 308 at bats, primarily in AA/AAA, which is incredible power, especially for a guy who had a hamstring issue that should have made stretching out those doubles and triples an issue.
Meadows is a guy who has an elite blend of tools outside of his arm in the outfield, which is below-average. Unlike Polanco and Marte, who profile at any of the three outfield positions, Meadows would struggle in right field due to his arm, but he would be an elite fielder at any outfield spot.
Meadows has excellent pitch recognition, and he should be a guy who has the abiliity to put together excellent walk rates in the major leagues. His power and speed should allow him to be a guy who could hit 20+ home runs and challenge for 20+ stolen bases as well.
If McCutchen is still in-house, Meadows will spend the season with Indianapolis in the International League, but he could open up in the major league outfield if McCutchen is moved.
Next: #1
1. Tyler Glasnow, RHP
Birthdate: 8/23/93 (23 years old)
Level(s) Played in 2016: AA, AAA, MLB
Stats in 2016: 116 2/3 IP, 1.93 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 14.62 BB%, 30.97 K% (minor league stats only)
Glasnow is a guy who is an impressive figure on the pitching mound at 6’8″, and he’s been a guy who has been on the prospect radar since being a 5th round selection out of high school in 2011.
Glasnow has an elite fastball that he gets exceptional plane on from his height, reaching upper 90s and sitting consistently in the mid-90s late into games. The fastball gets a ton of swing and miss with heavy late sink on the pitch.
Glasnow features a plus curve to pair with that fastball, and it also gets a ton of swings with a huge break on the curve. That break has been the major issue with the pitch as Glasnow has had struggles keeping the pitch in the zone because it would drop so far on him.
His change is a fringe-plus pitch that can flash as a definite plus pitch at times, especially when he gets on top of the pitch and can get the late cut on the pitch that he can get, which gives him the look of his fastball all the way until the ball darts rather than sinks.
Glasnow has the big issue that most guys of his height do – staying consistently in his mechanics. He takes a big step forward with his long legs, and when he gets off in his landing spot, he can struggle to locate in the zone.
Due to the tremendous movement he gets on his pitches, he will always have some issues with walk rate, but he’ll also get a ton of swing and miss. I’ve been an advocate for a long time for guys to use the split finger more, and Glasnow is a perfect example of a guy who that would work tremendously well as a fourth pitch.
He’ll nearly certainly open the season in the Pirates rotation, and the big righty will figure prominently in top 100 lists this offseason.
Next: Newcomer to Watch