During a slow offseason that has included some trade rumors, things have been slow lately for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
People love lists and debating lists. Whether it be the best movies of the last 20 years or top IPAs in the beer world, nothing generates a good discussion like rankings. Today Fangraphs released their list of the top 21 prospects in the Pittsburgh Pirates system and for the most part there are not too many surprises. Let’s take a look at a few points of interest from the rankings.
The Headliner
Uber outfield prospect Austin Meadows headlines the system for the Pittsbrugh Pirates, which should come to the surprise of no one.
What was interesting about the entry on Meadows is that author Eric Longenhagen notes that some have suggested that Meadows could be moved to first base if he get slower/has another hamstring injury or if Josh Bell continues to struggle there. It’s an interesting idea for sure, as the bat of Meadows is something that the Pirates will need, anywhere necessary. He has an ETA for 2017, so fans at PNC Park could see him sooner rather than later.
The OTHER Part of the Melancon Trade
Taylor Hearn, one of the players acquired in the Mark Melancon deal last summer, is ranked 13th in the system. He is a hard throwing lefty still in the low minors but unlike Washington who used him in a relief role, Longenhagen notes that the Pittsburgh Pirates are developing him as a starter. He is still fairly far away from the majors, with an ETA of 2020, but he is certainly a name to remember.
A DH?
One thing that I found interesting is that Will Craig, the 9th prospect on the list, is listed as a DH. If you are reading this, I assume you are a fan of the Pirates, a team that resides in the National League and at this time has no use for a designated hitter. In the scouting report section on Craig, it notes that he was a third baseman at Wake Forest and that the Pirates hope that he can improve. If not, he may have to move across the diamond or to the outfield. He could also be an interesting trade chip, but with an ETA of 2019, the Pirates have some time to see what Craig can become before making a decision on him.
Six Have Already Debuted
An encouraging sign after reading the list is that six of the 21 players have already made their debut with the Pirates. Those prospects are Tyler Glasnow (#2), Josh Bell (#4), Steven Brault (#8), Alen Hanson (#10), Elias Diaz (#12) and Trevor Williams (#15). With players like Meadows and Nick Kingham on the verge of making their debuts, this shows why the system have been ranked so positively in recent years.
Things Could Look Real Different Really Quickly
Finally, I would like to discuss the potential Jose Quintana deal. Speculation has been rampant as to what Chicago would want in return for Quintana, and Longenhagen’s list is a great way to visualize who could be moved in such a deal. With the Pirates apparently not willing to move Meadows or Bell, it seems like other players in the top five (Glasnow, Mitch Keller, Kevin Newman) would be involved along with someone like Ke’Bryan Hayes (#6) or Diaz.
But, one of the benefits of having such a deep system is that the team could afford to part with some of these prospects in order to bolster the 2017 rotation. Whether or not a deal can be worked out between the two clubs remains to be seen. It’s still a great sign to see so many potential impact players in the system for the Pittsburgh Pirates, especially since one of the top prospects in baseball could be patrolling the PNC Park outfield very soon.
Photo Credit – Bryan Green – Used under Flickr Creative Commons
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