Pirates boast top-heavy farm system
The start of the 2007 season certainly hasn't been dull for those in the Pittsburgh Pirates farm system.
News item No. 1, of course, was the move former first-round pick -- and native son -- Neil Walker is making. Less than a year after being the starting catcher for the U.S. team at the Futures Game in Pittsburgh, Walker is working on becoming a third baseman. The move makes sense in several ways, the most important of which is that Walker's bat will be ahead of his defense and this will get it to the big leagues faster. He and fast tracker Andrew McCutchen could arrive soon and provide a nice jolt of energy and offense to back up that young pitching staff, with McCutchen seeing Pittsburgh as early as September.
The second news item surrounds last year's top pick, Brad Lincoln. The Pirates have had more than their share of arm injuries fell pitching prospects, so everyone gasped when Lincoln had some elbow issues. There hasn't been a collective sigh yet, but it looks like it's not serious and the No. 4 overall pick should be just a little delayed in his first full season.
Beyond those three names, there is a noticeable dropoff, at least in terms of marquee talent. That doesn't mean the farm system won't continue to help funnel contributors to Pittsburgh to join a large corps of homegrown players in the big leagues. The Triple-A pitching staff will have several arms, now healthy, who could help out, and a couple of speedy outfielders could come before, after or during McCutchen's arrival to assist.
It would be a huge leap to say the Pirates will compete for the NL Central title now after so many consecutive losing seasons. But for the first time in a long time, if the young players already there continue to improve and are joined by some of the farm system's best, the light at the end of the tunnel seems legitimate.
Climbing the Ladder
Triple-A Indianapolis
Brian Bixler, SS
Bixler, a 2004 third-round pick, has kind of snuck up on people in a hurry. In 2006, he began the year with Class A Advanced Lynchburg but finished -- and finished strongly -- with Double-A Altoona. He's a very athletic player who runs well and can play the middle infield well, showing range and agility in both directions. He has solid-average tools across the board, both offensively and defensively. A fundamentally sound, blue-collar type without much experience above Class A, a push to Triple-A will be a great challenge for him but one the Pirates are confident he can meet, even if there are some early bumps in the road. He'll get some time at short and second this spring to get some experience just in case. Should Jack Wilson or Jose Castillo go down (or a trade occurs), Bixler likely would be the first one called up as a replacement.
The BVB rotation
OK, it's not exactly the former DVD trio of Texas Rangers fame, but Sean Burnett, John Van Benschoten and Bryan Bullington certainly make an intriguing trio. The three former first-round picks are all on the road back from a variety of arm injuries. Burnett pitched last year but was working on building arm strength. Van Benschoten missed all of 2005 and made it back for just 22 2/3 innings in 2006. Bullington missed all of the 2006 season. All three are healthy and could compete for a spot at the back end of the Pirates' rotation. It's more likely, however, the trio will start the year in the Indianapolis rotation.
| 2006 Organizational Record | |||||
|
LEVEL AAA AA A (Adv) A SS R |
LEAGUE IL EL CAR SAL NYP GCL |
TEAM Indianapolis Altoona Lynchburg Hickory Williamsport Pirates TOTAL: |
W 76 75 63 67 28 27 336 |
L 66 64 75 70 47 26 348 |
PCT .535 .540 .457 .489 .373 .509 .491 |
 |
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Others to watch: Joining BVB in the rotation should be Shane Youman, who truly grinded it out to get to where he is. The Minor League veteran is on the 40-man roster after going 11-2 with a 2.29 ERA in 2006, pitching his way from Double-A to the big leagues. ... Indy's bullpen could end up being the deepest in the Minors, with Jonah Bayliss, Brian Rogers, Josh Sharpless, Jesse Chavez and Juan Perez all lining up in the 'pen if they don't make the big-league team. ... Remember Brad Eldred? He had a lost year in 2006 because of injuries, but he hit 40 homers in 2005 and 38 the year before that. He'll try to regain that power stroke as the Indians' first baseman. ... Rajai Davis will try to get on base as much as possible in front of Eldred. He stole 45 bases in 100 games in 2006.
| 2006 Organizational Leaders | ||
|
Average Home Runs RBIs Stolen Bases ERA Wins Strikeouts Saves |
.305 26 100 63 2.29 14 148 27 |
Brent Lillibridge Steve Pearce Brad Corley Pedro Powell Shane Youman Landon Jacobsen Todd Redmond Brandon Knight |
| Complete MiLB statistics |
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Double-A Altoona
Andrew McCutchen, OF
When McCutchen, the Pirates' first-round pick in 2005, skipped a level and jumped to Double-A at the end of last year, it was a challenge to see how he would respond. When he hit .308 over 20 games to help finish the season with a .294 average, 17 homers and 23 steals, he officially jumped on the fast track. He'll start just his second full season in Altoona at age 20. He has the ability to hit for average, managing the strike zone well and using the whole field. He's shown surprising early power from a 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame. He's an above-average center fielder with above-average speed and makeup that is off the charts. The Pirates felt they could push him to Double-A, in fact, because of his makeup and ability to handle pressure. Now in big-league camp, it would not be shocking to see McCutchen reach Pittsburgh in September, meaning he could be ready for a full-time job in 2008.
Josh Shortslef, LHP
Injuries have held the big left-hander back, as the 2000 sixth-round draft pick threw only 77 2/3 innings last year. The Pirates liked his arm and his stuff enough to put him on the 40-man roster for the first time during the offseason. When healthy, Shortslef has a fastball that sits in the 92-93 mph range. He complements that with a plus hard slider. He's working on developing a changeup. On any given day, his stuff is good enough to get big-league hitters out. All he needs now is to find a level of consistency. He worked hard with a trainer in the offseason, dedicating himself to conditioning to prepare for what could be a breakthrough year. He's only thrown 60 2/3 innings above Class A, so this will be a good test for him.
Others to watch: A lot of eyes will be on Neil Walker as he makes the move from behind the plate to third base. He'd been very impressive at the hot corner in early Spring Training action. ... OF Nyjer Morgan will bring his plus speed back to Altoona. He played 56 games there last year and hit .306 with 21 steals (he totaled 59 thefts in 2006). He's swiped 164 bags in 383 career Minor League games. ... Javier Guzman, who split time between second and shortstop in Altoona a year ago, should at least start this season there. He was a Carolina League All-Star in 2005. ... On the mound, Wardell Starling should start where he finished last year. He'll be trying to build on what may have been a breakout 2006 season that saw him finish with a 2.98 ERA and .228 opponents' batting average in 160 1/3 innings across two levels. ... Lefty reliever David Davidson pitched at three levels in 2006, finishing in Altoona. Over 76 innings, he had a 2.01 ERA, 96 strikeouts and a .193 opponents' batting average. ... He could be joined in the Altoona bullpen by Romulo Sanchez, who also saw action at three levels last year.
Video: Neil Walker's Futures Game diary
Class A Advanced Lynchburg
Shelby Ford, 2B
The Pirates' third-round pick in 2006, Shelby is a switch-hitting second baseman out of Oklahoma State. He's got solid-average tools across the board, from arm strength and range defensively to bat speed from both sides of the plate. A lean and wiry athlete, the Pirates are excited because Ford put on 20 pounds during the offseason through a strength and conditioning program. He never really lifted weights before and worked extremely hard from instructs on to get ready for his first full season. The work could pay off as he should improve on the .452 slugging percentage he posted in his debut (28 extra-base hits in 62 games).
Brad Lincoln, RHP
People in Pirates camp got very nervous when Lincoln, the No. 4 overall pick in last year's draft, was shut down with a strained muscle in his forearm, which sometimes is a sign of elbow ligament damage. For now, the Pirates are hoping he'll only end up being about two weeks behind, though his timetable in joining the Lynchburg rotation is dependent on when he's able to begin throwing this spring. When healthy, Lincoln shows a Clemens-like competitiveness and mentality. He's got incredible arm strength and has a four-pitch mix: fastball, curve, slider and changeup. He may need to dial it down a little as a starting pitcher as he moves up in order to go deep in games. A terrific hitter in college, he'll get to swing the bat once he moves up to Double-A. Assuming health, that should happen at some point in 2007.
Others to watch: With Walker's move to third, Steve Lerud becomes the Pirates' best catching prospect. He's a big, athletic guy with some pop in his bat from the left side. But his best tools are behind the plate, where his plus arm and quick release have resulted in 1.8-1.85 pop times down to second. ... 1B Steven Pearce showed some serious pop with 26 homers, 98 RBIs and a .523 SLG in his first full season across two levels. He also struck out only 97 times and could bypass Lynchburg and head straight to Altoona. ... OF Brad Corley was the only player in the Pirates organization in 2006 to drive in 100 runs. He hit .281 for Hickory, though he walked just 18 times and struck out 109. ... Cuban defector Yoslan Herrera has been impressive early in camp. He won't be here for long but could start the season in Lynchburg's rotation to shake off the rust that may be there from not having pitched in two years. ... He could be joined by Todd Redmond, who led the organization with 148 strikeouts while walking only 33 in 160 1/3 innings during his first full pro season.
Class A Hickory
Angel Gonzalez, SS
Gonzalez is a switch-hitting shortstop from the Dominican Republic who will play full-season ball for the first time at age 21. He's got a plus arm and great actions in the field and he's a plus runner (15 steals in 2006), though he needs to learn more about base-stealing (10 caught). He's also shown the ability to drive the ball a little bit. He plays a little overaggressively right now, but the Pirates are excited about his package of tools. He reminds some of a more athletic version of Enrique Wilson when he was younger.
Pitchers from 2006 Draft
The Indianapolis rotation isn't the only one that should be deep and interesting. There's a quartet of college arms that should at least start the year in Hickory. Mike Felix, Jared Hughes, Pat Bresnahan and Steven Macfarland should all be exciting guys to watch develop. Felix is the lone southpaw of the quartet, while Hughes probably has had the most eyes on him over the years as a one-time high school phenom before deciding to go the college route. If things start to click, the Pirates could have another round of pitching depth coming up quickly behind the young starters in Pittsburgh and the rotation in Indianapolis.
Others to watch: James Boone missed nearly all of 2006 because of an injury to his throwing shoulder, not allowing him to play in a Hickory outfield with McCutchen and Corley. He's 100 percent healthy and swinging the bat well. ... 2B Jim Negrych, a local kid out of the University of Pittsburgh, had surgery on his left thumb after tearing a ligament. When he's ready to go, he should head to Hickory as a second baseman with some pop.
Under the Radar
John Van Benschoten, RHP
It may seem odd for a former first-round pick (No. 8 overall in 2001) to be under the radar, but JVB has missed enough time due to injuries that he may have slipped out of the spotlight.
Most organizations saw Van Benschoten as a hitter, not a pitcher, coming out of college in 2001. The former NCAA home run champion appeared as if he was going to make the Pirates look smart by moving relatively quickly through the system and making his big-league debut in 2004. But that's when the bottom fell out. He missed all of the 2005 season and virtually all of last year with shoulder trouble. He's had surgery twice on that right shoulder, but he did throw the ball pretty well when he made it back at the end of 2006. If he's able to stay healthy, Van Benschoten can throw a fastball in the low-90s to go with a curve and slider, both of which can be plus pitches. He just needs to stay on the mound. If he can avoid the injury bug, there's still time for him to be an effective big-league starter.
Nyjer Morgan, OF
A 33rd-round pick in the 2002 draft, Morgan didn't play a whole lot of baseball when he was younger, focusing on a promising hockey career instead. He came back to baseball in college and the Pirates liked his plus, plus speed.
Morgan's moved slowly since making his debut in the summer of 2003, finally getting out of A-ball for 56 games this past season. Injuries limited him to 60 games in Lynchburg in 2005 and he had to repeat that level to start the season in '06. As a result of the time missed, he doesn't have the amount of pro at-bats you'd like to see in a player his age. He'll turn 27 in July, but he's much younger in terms of experience. He hit a combined .304 last year with 59 steals and .375 on-base percentage. His speed can change the game, both offensively and defensively. If he can show he can handle the competition at higher levels, he'll get his chance soon enough.
Steve Lerud, C
If you were to judge a player simply by numbers, Lerud wouldn't warrant a mention. He's hit .222 as a pro with only flashes of the power that made him a third-round pick out of high school in 2003. Last year in Hickory, he batted .239 with a dozen homers and 146 strikeouts in 117 games.
Defensively, the stats aren't all that much better. He was charged with 35 passed balls, showing he needs some work behind the plate. But he also threw out 37 percent of would-be basestealers, a number that could improve as his other catching skills evolve. He may be far away from making any kind of impact, but if he can start to figure things out, the Pirates will have a lefty-hitting catcher who can catch and throw. Go ask the 29 other organizations how nice it would be to have one of those and you'll understand why the Pirates are hoping Lerud breaks through in 2007.
2006 Draft Recap
No. 1 pick Brad Lincoln threw only 23 2/3 IP after a taxing college season. He was shut down early with an oblique injury and is resting his ailing elbow. ... RHP Jared Hughes (fourth round) threw well during his debut in the New York-Penn League, posting a 2.74 ERA and .170 opponents' batting average over five starts. But he struggled with a move up to Hickory, where he had a 5.77 ERA over 48 1/3 IP. ... Fifth-rounder Pat Bresnahan (RHP) had a 2.25 ERA and held NY-Penn League hitters to a .201 batting average in 68 innings for Williamsport. He finished the season with 34 consecutive scoreless innings. ... OF Austin McClune (seventh round) hit .291 over 42 games in the Gulf Coast League. ... After RHP Michael Crotta (17th round) posted a 2.68 ERA in NY-Penn League, the South Atlantic League was less kind as he got lit up to the tune of a 10.38 ERA over 17 1/3 IP. ... 3B Jared Keel (31st round) hit .313 between the Gulf Coast and NY-Penn Leagues. He hit .432 over 21 GCL games, then slipped to .250 after being moved up a level.
Predictions
Organizational Player of the Year -- Andrew McCutchen
Not exactly a shocking pick here. A case could be made that Walker's bat will take off as he's no longer burdened with the responsibilities of catching. Morgan would make for an interesting sleeper pick and likely will continue to put up good numbers. But McCutchen is easily the best prospect in the system -- he's one of the best offensive prospects in all of baseball. Look for him to continue his fast path to the big leagues, reaching Pittsburgh in September after upping his home run totals enough to go 20-20 in the Minors this season.
Organizational Pitcher of the Year -- Todd Redmond
It's possible that one of the many arms from the 2006 draft could have a huge first full season and win this honor. Or perhaps Shortslef could put it together to get the award. But the guess here is that Redmond will continue to get the job done flying under the radar and will win the organization's pitching Triple Crown.
Quotable
"I feel really good about where we are this year in terms of having prospects. Last year, we didn't have many prospects lining up except at the big-league level. The number of players we've gotten to the Double- and Triple-A levels is outstanding. The number of players from our system in the big leagues has to rank up there among all the teams in baseball. We've got four starters out of our system. We've got John Grabow and Matt Capps, two key guys out of the 'pen. Jose Bautista, Chris Duffy, Nate McLouth, our starting and backup catchers, they're all from the system. I feel great about our player development system in terms of being able to produce guys to the big leagues. And now we're starting to line guys up behind them. Last year, I didn't feel so good. That's definitely a credit to our scouting system." -- Brian Graham, director of player development