As we gear up for another year of Pittsburgh Pirates baseball, we wanted to bring you a new perspective. We are going to deep dive into the Pirates organization to try and find a diamond in the rough.
Will any of these Pittsburgh Pirates prospects be the next star of the organization? The cards are certainly stacked against them. However, they have strong skill sets and may not be getting the press they deserve. Let’s take a look.
OF Calvin Mitchell (MLB Pipline rank – 15th, Prospects1500.com – 15th)
Mitchell is an interesting prospect that has a good frame. Mitchell has the ability to put on mass and could be an effective Outfielder for the Pittsubrgh Pirates in the not so distant future. The major concern for scouts at the current moment is his approach at the plate. The Pirates saw Mitchell as an up and coming outfielder on the prep circuit. He showed great patience at the plate and good pop.
Mitchell did struggle at the plate to start his professional career. He looked lost at times and certainly that he may be in over his head. He did a nice job in his last 100 AB’s of making solid adjustments, showing his aptitude as a professional baseball player . Mitchell ended the season with a .245/.351/.704 slash line for the gulf coast Pirates. He is not known for his fielding or speed, most scouts say, so he will have to improve those numbers.
What makes Mitchell an interesting prospect? It is the simple fact that he crushed the ball up until his first season in the GCL. To get back to his roots, he needs to stop trying to crush everything that meets the eye. He needs to reform back to his old ways of a patient hitter that hit the ball extremely hard, just not always out of the ballpark. We believe that he has the ability to re-discover that approach, which could put him well on his way to being a solid professional.
P Nick Burdi (MLB 30th, Prospects1500 22nd)
Nick Burdi was a hot topic after the 2017 rule 5 draft occurred.
The Pittsburgh Pirates traded for Burdi after the Phillies selected him. Burdi brings a plus-plus Fastball to the table. It is well known that he can touch the upper 90’s with that fastball to go along with an already well-developed slider.
Burdi has had trouble staying healthy in his career, but let’s be honest, he was an easy selection for this list based on talent alone. Burdi will have to make the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 40-man roster out of Spring Training due to Rule 5 draft requirements, however. Looking into his past, he was originally drafted 46th overall by the Minnesota Twins. He was regarded highly in the organization, but could not stay on the field. A bone bruise in 2016 kept him out of the majors and then he tore his UCL in May of 2017 after a solid start.
In 2017, Burdi pitched 17 innings for Chattanooga (AA) striking out 20 batters. He limited opposing hitters to four walks and only one homerun. Burdi’s best chance at lasting major league success lies in the bullpen. A question mark to many of the Pirates fanbase, he could make himself at home with that high 90’s fastball and hard diving slider.
Max Kranick (MLB 29th, Prospects1500 33rd)
Kranick was originally committed to pitch for the Virginia Cavaliers in 2016, but the Pittsburgh Pirates weren’t going to let that happen. Pittsburgh selected Kranick in 2016 with the 345th overall pick. The Pirates went big for Kranick, spending $300,000 on the prospect when most players in that selected draft range draw a $100,000 signing. Kranick was a Pennsylvania standout pitcher in 2016 and the Pirates liked the upside they saw. That upside includes a low 90’s fastball, which he does seem to command pretty well.
The Pirates also saw secondary pitches that needed a lot of work, but could be developed with time. It is well known that his best secondary pitch at this time is his change-up. Kranick has great size on the mound at 6’3”. He commands the strikezone well, for his inexperience in the pros. Kranick spent time in 2017 with both Bristol and the GCL Pirates. He combined for 24.1 innings in that time and a 1.11 ERA. He is not a high strikeout pitcher and does not scale to be one. Instead, he relies on steady control with his offerings. Kranick was forced to take an assignment with the short season club due to have shoulder fatigue at the end of extended spring training. What excites the Pirates about Kranick is that there is room for growth with this kid and with some patience, he could be a solid bullpen arm down the road for the Bucs.
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