Pittsburgh Pirates: Top 10 Rookie-Eligible Prospects for 2018

10. Lolo Sanchez, OF

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 4/23/1999 (18)
2017 teams/levels played for: Gulf Coast League Pirates
2017 Stats: .284/.359/.417, 234 PA, 4 HR, 14 SB, 21/19 BB/K

Info: Originally signed in 2015 for $450K, Sanchez spent his first stateside season in 2017. His performance may not jump off the statline based on raw stats, but when you consider that he was among the league’s leaders in nearly every offensive statistic while also walking more than he struck out, it’s an incredibly impressive season.

Sanchez’s pitch and zone recognition is incredibly advanced, which allows all the rest of his offensive skills to play up

Sanchez’s pitch and zone recognition is incredibly advanced, which allows all the rest of his offensive skills to play up. While he is likely going to only project to average power, he will be able to play that up, especially with doubles and triples.

Defensively, Sanchez is a special centerfielder, already with fringe-plus instincts in center field with an above-average arm. On top of those instincts, Sanchez has double-plus speed that allows him to fly to the ball, and he uses his speed extremely well on the bases.

Sanchez has a high ceiling, feasibly as high as any position player in the Pirates system and as high as has been in the Pittsburgh Pirates system in many years. He’ll likely open the season in extended spring, but if he shows he’s ready, it would not surprise if he heads to full-season ball once he’s sent out from extended spring.

9. Bryan Reynolds, OF

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 1/27/1995 (23)
2017 teams/levels played for: high-A San Jose Giants
2017 Stats: .312/.364/.462, 540 PA, 10 HR, 5 SB, 37/106 BB/K

Info: After an impressive career with Vanderbilt, many assumed Reynolds would be a first-round selection, but he fell to the Giants in the second round due to some polish still needed in his game and a lack of a true plus skill in his balanced skill set.

Reynolds has a balanced, level swing from both sides of the plate, which allows him to create plenty of contact, but also limits the amount of power he is able to generate, in spite of showing fringe-plus power in the cage when he reaches back and cultivates his swing for big hits.

He’s an average armed outfielder, but has above-average range in a corner and would be able to move quickly if he moved to a corner. If he was able to get into his power swing, he’d also move quickly as well, but even then there’s question as to exactly how much upside there would be.

Reynolds will open in AA in his first season in the Pittsburgh Pirates system, and he could reach the majors quickly, though he is likely to be a guy who plays a long time as a fringe-starter or very good 4th outfielder.

Next: #7 and #8