Dissecting the Pirates Farm System

Over the past several years, the Pirates farm system has steadily improved under the watch of general manager Neal Huntington.  At the moment, prior to the official graduation of Gerrit Cole, it may be at its zenith.  The farm system is absolutely loaded with both pitching and hitting prospects.  For fun, I decided to break the farm system into two systems, one consisting of just pitchers and the other of hitters. From there, I'll compare each Pirates farm system to farm systems league-wide, identifying those that that one or both of the Pirates farm systems are clearly stronger than.  This will show how incredible the Pirates farm system currently is and how balanced it is as well.

Buried Treasure Exclusive Interview: Mike Jefferson

By now, it's pretty clear what this series is about.  This is the fourth installment of an interview series that poses questions to members of the Pirates organization and gets answers back.  First was pitcher Michael Colla.  Outfielder Mel Rojas Jr. followed him.  Third was pitcher Zack Dodson. Next up, pitcher Mike Jefferson. Enjoy after the jump.

#11 Pirates Prospect - Jose Osuna

Buried Treasure Top 30 Prospects
#11 - Jose Osuna

Measurables: 6'2, 213
Bats: R, Throws: R
Position: 1B
Acquired: IFA, 2009
Bonus: $250,000
DOB: 12/12/1992
Buried Treasure 2012 Top 20: Not Ranked

Buried Treasure Exclusive Interview: Zack Dodson

By now, it's pretty clear what this series is about.  This is the third installment of an interview series that poses questions to members of the Pirates organization and gets answers back.  First was pitcher Michael Colla.  Outfielder Mel Rojas Jr. followed him.  Next up, pitcher Zack Dodson. Enjoy after the jump.

Industry Sources: Top Prospect Lists and Organizational Rankings

The last few weeks have been huge for prospecting.  Several top 100 lists, top 10 team lists, and organizational rankings have been published.  That includes lists and rankings from the major industry sources, Keith Law, John Sickels, Jonathon Mayo, Baseball America, and Baseball Prospectus among others.  Below is a sort of compilation, along with analysis, of those lists and rankings.  Format is by category.

International Pitching Prospects: Trend or Concidence

Quick, name the Pirates best pitching prospect brought into the organization via international free agency.  Luis Heredia probably came immediately to mind and that would fall in line with consensus view point used to answer the given challenge.   Then it gets difficult.  Name the second best pitching prospect for the Pirates acquired as an international teenager.

2012 Biggest Prospect Disappointments

The Pirates farm system had a very good year in 2012.  Top pitching prospects Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, and Luis Heredia pitched well and stayed healthy.  In the positional player department, young Latin American prospects Alen Hanson and Gregory Polanco enjoyed massive breakout seasons.  Several other players - Kyle McPherson, Jeff Locke, Nick Kingham, Barrett Barnes, Clay Holmes, Tyler Glasnow, and Wyatt Mathisen, among others - also performed well.  The net overall result was a resounding positive.  That said, it doesn't mean the system was without it's share of failures.  Looking at those failures might not be as enjoyable as the examining the success stories, but it's important to recognize the system's shortcomings. Six players that took a step backwards are listed below.

#16 Pirates Prospect - Dilson Herrera

Buried Treasure Top 30 Prospects
#16 - Dilson Herrera

Measurables: 5'10, 150
Bats: R, Throws: R
Position: 2B
Acquired: IFA, 2010
Bonus: $220,000
DOB: 04/03/1994
Buried Treasure 2012 Top 20: Not Ranked

The Pirates' Future At Shortstop

With Clint Barmes is entering the final year of his contract, the Pirates were reportedly looking for a shortstop in the Joel Hanrahan trade. Now that it appears that the club will not be receiving shortstop Jose Iglesias in return for the closer, what does the short term future look like at the position? 

Payroll Options: 2014 and Beyond

The Neal Huntington era of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization is coming to a head.  There has been success - the Pirates have been in contention for a playoff spot well into the summer the past two years - mixed with failures - contention has turned into losing seasons thanks to back-to-back epic collapses.  Because of that mix, Huntington's job is in question.  Fortunately for him, the Pirates should still be competitive the next few years, thanks in large part to superstar Andrew McCutchen and a group of veteran players, notably A.J. Burnett, Wandy Rodriguez, Clint Barmes, and brand-new Pirate Russell Martin.  All four of those players have something else in common in addition to donning the black and gold.  All four have their current contracts expire by the end of the 2014 season at the latest.

Crystal Ball: The Pirates Farm System

Right now, Buried Treasure's top 30 prospects are being unveiled (check those out here).  That list, along with various prospect lists put out by Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, and Minor League Ball, outlines the state of the Pirates farm system right now.  However, throughout next season, that farm system will continue to change and evolve.  When the season completes, more lists will come out that take the temperature of the Pirates farm system.

International Bounty: 2012

Julio De La Cruz at the plate.

The Pirates have willingly spent significantly more money in Latin America during Neal Huntington's tenure.  Part of the new emphasis in Latin America has come from a directive put forth by team owner Bob Nutting.  Thus far, the results have been mixed.  Overall, the Latin American pipeline has been a boon over the past few years, with Starling Marte, Luis Heredia, Alen Hanson, and Gregory Polanco all becoming top prospects in all of baseball.  Interestingly, Heredia is the only player of the four who received a significant bonus, which turned out to be a seven-figure bonus.

As long as we're jumping to conclusions

Ok, I'll admit that title is pretty snarky. I've said a number of times in a number of places to a number of people that I think it's too early in the season to learn anything meaningful from the results. For the most part, this has been aimed at the results from Pittsburgh's major league ballclub. At the same time, I want to take a look at some things that we've seen from the Pirates' minor league affiliates. Therefore, I'm going to ignore the admittedly small sample sizes and take a look at what we've seen so far from down on the farm. If you want to point out that this is pretty hypocritical, go ahead. That's probably true. Still, I will start off by pointing out that since it is early in the year, a lot can change (for better or worse). Of course, you already knew that. Anyway, here what we know beyond a shadow of a doubt about the Pirates' minor leaguers.

Minor League Daily Update - 4/13/2012

The Indians dropped another close game, this time losing to the Columbus Clippers 5-4.  Jeff Locke had a rocky outing as the starter, giving up 5 earned runs on 8 hits in 5.0 innings.  Locke did not walk a batter and struck out 3.  Daniel Moskos pitched a perfect inning in relief.  At the plate, Starling Marte hit leadoff and went 1-4 with a strikeout.  Jordy Mercer went 1-4 with 2 strikeouts, but the one hit was a three run blast.  Eric Fryer went 1-4 with a run scored.  Brandon Boggs managed the rare golden sombrero, going 0-4 with 4 strikeouts.

The Curve lost their contest against the Richmond Flying Squirrels 7-3.  Mike Colla started and lasted 5.0 innings, giving up 9 hits, 6 runs (4 earned), while striking out 2 batters and walking one.  Robbie Grossman hit lead off for the Curve and went 1-4 with 2 strikeouts.  He has still yet to walk and has struck out 8 times in 26 at-bats.  Brock Holt went 2-4 with a run scored and a strikeout.  Jarek Cunningham went 0-3 with a walk, a run scored, and a strikeout.  Tony Sanchez matched Cunningham with an identical line.  Matt Curry went 1-4.

Bradenton lost a pitching duel 1-0 to Fort Myers.  Colton Cain got the nod as the starter for the Pirates and had a solid outing.  He lasted 5.0 innings and gave up 2 hits and a walk.  Cain also struck out 2 batters.  At the dish, Mel Rojas Jr. by far had the best game of the Marauders hitters.  Playing right field, Rojas Jr. went 3-3 with a double and a triple.  Wes Freeman went 0-3 with a strikeout and a walk.  Alex Dickerson, Drew Maggi, and Gift Ngoepe each had a single, all going 1-4 with Dickerson adding a strikeout to his final daily line.

The Power managed to prevent an affiliate sweep of losing, beating Greenville 5-1.  Matt Benedict started for the Power and the Orlando Castro came in to pitch most of the rest of the game in relief.  Both had excellent outings.  Benedict lasted 5.0 innings, giving up 5 hits and an unearned run.  He also struck out 4 batters while only walking 1 batter.  Castro struck out 4 batters in 3.0 innings, while only walking one and giving up a sole hit.  Jordan Cooper also pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout.  Offensively, 4 power players had big days.  Alen Hanson hit leadoff for the Power and went 3-4 with 3 runs scored, a triple, a homerun, a walk, and a strikeout.  His OPS on the year now stands at 1.297 and Hanson has maintained a solid 4:6 BB:K ratio in 34 at-bats.  Jose Osuna also had 3 hits, including 2 doubles, a walk and a strikeout.  Josh Bell and Gregory Polanco each had 2 base knocks.  Bell added a double and a strikeout.  Polanco added a homerun - his second in as many days - and a walk.

Minor League Daily Update - 4/12/2012

Sorry, I missed yesterday.  As a result, today will be a double feature.

4/10 Recap

Indianapolis dropped their game 5-4 to the Columbus Clippers to drop to 2-3 on the season. Rudy Owens got his first start of the year and got knocked around a bit.  He lasted 5.0 innings, giving up 7 hits, including 3 long balls, and 4 earned runs.  Owens also struck out 4 and walked 0.  Daniel McCutchen pitched in relief, going 3.0 innings, giving up 2 hits, 0 earned runs, while striking out 3 batters.  Offensively, Starling Marte was 1-6 with 2 strikeouts and 2 RBI's.  Marte also stole 2 bases.  Jeff Clement had 4 base knocks, going 4-5 with a strikeout.  Eric Fryer collected two hits, going 2-5 with 2 strikeotus. 

Altoona won their game 6-1 over the Akron Aeros, improving their record to 3-2.  Aaron Poreda started the gaming and went 5.0 innings, giving up 3 hits and walking 5, but managing to only give up 1 unearned run.  Poreda also struck out two batters.  In relief, Tim Alderson went 2.0 innings, giving up a hit and striking out 1 batter.  Offensively, Robbie Grossman led off for the Curve and went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts.  Jarek Cunningham was 0-2 with 2 strikeouts, 1 walk, and 1 run scored.   Matt Curry was 1-4 with 2 RBI's, a run scored, and a strikeout.  Tony Sanchez DH'd and went 1-4 with a run scored and 2 strikeouts.  Elevys Gonzalez had a big day, going 2-4 with a HR, a run scored, 3 RBI, and a strikeout. 

Bradenton beat the Palm Beach Cardinals 6-2.   Hunter Strickland got the nod as starting pitcher and responded well, pitching 5.0 innings, giving up 5 hits, 2 earned runs and no walks.  Strickland added 2 strikeouts.  Offensively Drew Maggi had a good game, going 3-5 with a double, a run scored, 2 RBI's and a strikeout.  Alex Dickerson had another poor day at the plate, going 0-4 with 3 strikeouts.  Mel Rojas Jr. went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts.  Dan Grovatt on the other hand had a great day, going 3-3 with 2 runs scored and an RBI.

Nicholas Kingham started for the Power and again got rocked as West Virginia dropped their contest against the Asheville Tourists 6-5.  Kingham only lasted 1.1 innings, giving up 6 hits and 2 walks, which resulted in 4 earned runs.  Kingham was unable to even strikeout a batter.  Offensively, Alen Hanson was the inverse of Kingham as he had a strong game.  Hanson, who played shortstop, went 2-3 with a run scored and an RBI.  Hanson also walked 2 times.  Josh Bell went 2-5 with a double, an RBI, and a strikeout.  Jose Osuna was 0-5 with 2 strikeouts, but Gregory Polanco had a solid game, going 2-4 with 2 runs scored and a strikeout.

Minor League Daily Update - 4/10/2012

Indianapolis lost 4-3 to the Columbus Clippers after giving up three runs in the bottom of the ninth.  The loss evened the Indians record at 2-2.  Charlie Morton was on the hill in what should be his last rehab start before rejoining the big league team.  He was downright dominant, going 7.2 innings and giving up 6 hits, 1 walk, and 1 earned run.  Morton also struckout 8 batters and recorded 10 groundouts to 1 flyout.  Bryan Morris struck out the only batter he faced in the 8th inning before handing it over to Jo-Jo Reyes and Tim Wood in the 9th.  The pair of pitchers promptly blew the save.  Starling Marte had a great game, going 2-4 with a homerun.  Eric Fryer went 2-4 with a double and 2 strikeouts.  Brandon Boggs, Jeff Clement and Brian Friday each had one hit.  Chase D'Arnaud did not play.

Altoona lost their contest against the Akron Aeros 5-1, also leaving them with a 2-2 record.  Starting pitcher Aaron Pribanic had a rough outing.  He only lasted 3.1 innings and allowed 10 runners on base via 4 hits and 6 walks.  Pribanic did strikeout 4 batters and somehow managed to only give up 1 earned run, although he gave up 3 total.  Victor Black pitched an inning in relief, giving up 2 hits and 2 runs (1 earned), while striking out 1 batter.  Robbie Grossman went 1-4 with a strikeout and has yet to walk this year.  Jarek Cunningham went 1-4 with a double.  Cunningham has only struck out 1 time in 17 at-bats so far this year, a welcome sight considering Cunningham's struggles with striking out in the past.  Andrew Lambo had the only other Curve hit.  Tony Sanchez has a poor game, going 0-4 with 3 strikeouts.  Sanchez's OPS is still .795 on the young year despite his bad game last night.

Bradenton also lost, dropping a close contest to the Palm Beach Cardinals 2-1.  The Marauders are now 1-3 on the year.  The big story was Gerrit Cole's minor league regular season professional debut (Cole's actual professional debut was in the Arizona Fall League last season.  Cole lasted 4 innings, giving up 1 earned run on 4 hits and 1 walk.  Cole added in a wild pitch, but he displayed his immense talent and ability to miss bats, striking out 7 hitters, 5 swinging and 2 looking.  On balls put into play against him, Cole managed a 6:3 groundball to flyball ratio.  Offensively, the Marauders only managed 4 hits. Drew Maggi had a good game going 2-3 with a walk.  Evan Chambers and Mel Rojas Jr., who's hitting .313 on the year, rounded out the hitting with a base knock each.  Wes Freeman went 0-2 with a walk and a strikeout, giving him a 3:3 walk to strikeout ratio in 13 plate appearances this year, a good sign.  Freeman also hasn't managed a hit yet either.

West Virginia dropped their contest against the Asheville Tourists to complete a winless day for the Pirates minor league affiliates.  The final score was 13-5, dropping the Power's record to 1-4 on the year.  Zach Dodson got the start.  His final line was 4.2 IP, 6H, 7R, 5ER, 3BB, 3K, a poor start to the season for Dodson.  Offensively, Alen Hanson bounced back from two straight hitless games to continue his blistering hot start.  On the day, the Power shortstop - although he played DH in this game - went 3-5 with a double and a homerun.  Jodaneli Caravajal added another multi-hit game, going 2-4 with 2 runs scored.  Gregory Polanco went 1-4 with a run scored, 2 RBI's, a walk and a strikout.  Willy Garcia was 1-5.  Josh Bell did not play.

Minor League Daily Update - 4/9/2012

Indianapolis won 8-2, beating the Toledo Mud Hens to go to 2-1 on the young season.  Brad Lincoln got the nod for the Indians and had a great start.  Lincoln pitched 5 strong innings, giving up 4 hits and 1 earned run.  He struckout 6 batters and didn't walk a single one.  Starling Marte went 2-5 with a double, already bringing his average up to .308 for the year.  Jeff Clement had a big day, going 3-4 with 2 runs scored, two doubles and a walk.  Gorkys Hernandez went 1-3 with a run scored, an RBI, a walk and 2 strikeouts.  Chase D'Arnaud did not play after being hit in the head by a pitch in the game previous.  D'Arnaud was able to leave the game under his own power after the incident.

 Altoona did not play 4/8

Bradenton did not play 4/8

West Virginia dropped their contest against the Hagerstown Suns 8-6.  That gives the Power an overall record of 1-3 so far this season.  Starting pitcher Zachary Fuesser got tagged for 3 earned runs in 3 innings, giving up 2 hits and 4 walks, while recording 2 strikeouts.  Orlando Castro, Rinku Singh, and Robert Kilcrease all pitched at least one inning in relief and each pitcher gave up at least one run, although Singh's was unearned. Castro was the losing pitcher of record, as he gave up 3 earned runs in 2 innings on 4 hits and 2 walks.  Castro was unable to strikeout a batter.  Alen Hanson had his second straight hitless game, going 0-5 and dragging his tripleslash "down" to .294/.333/.588.  Hanson added a strikeout to cap his frustrating day, although he's still had a good season thus far.  Jodaneli Caravajal went 2-4 with a run scored and a triple.  Chris Lashmet and Kirk Singer also each had multi-hit games, with Lashmet managing 3 and Singer lacing 2 doubles and that helped contribute to his 4 RBI day.  Jose Osuna was 1-4 with a run scored.  Josh Bell and Willy Garcia were both hitless going 0-4 each. Bell added a strikeout and a RBI.

Minor League Daily Update - 4/8/2012

Indianapolis won it's first game of the season to improve to 1-1 by beating the Toledo Mud Hens 8-7.  Jeff Locke got the start and only managed to last 4 innings thanks to giving up 8 hits.  Those 8 hits only resulted in 2 runs however, and Locke walked no hitters and struck out four.  Offensively, Starling Marte went 1-4 with 2 strikeouts.  Jordy Mercer had a big day going 4-6 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI.  Brandon Boggs went 2 for 5 with 3 runs scored, a triple, a homerun, a RBI, and 2 strikeouts. Eric Fryer and Jeff Clement both had multi-hit games.  News of note; Chase D'Arnaud was hit by a pitch and exited the game immediately.

Altoona got shellacked by the Erie Seawolves 12-1 to go to 2-1 on the season.  Starting pitcher Brandon Cumpton gave up 5 earned runs in 4.1 innings, also allowing 7 hits and walking one batter.  He did fan two batters as well.  In relief, Victor Black pitched 1 inning and gave up 2 hits and 2 unearned runs. Offensively, Altoona did manage 7 hits, but none for extra bases.  Matt Curry and Robbie Grossman both had two hits, and Curry had the lone RBI.  Tony Sanchez managed to score the run, going 0-2 with a strikeout.

Brandeton also lost, dropping their contest against St. Lucie, 4-2, putting them 1-2 on the year.  Starting was top prospect Jameson Taillon.  He finished with an interesting line in 3.2 innings.  Taillon only gave up 2 hits and 2 walks, but also hit a batter and had several wild pitches.  It resulted in 2 earned runs.  However - and my favorite stat - Taillon also finished with 6 strikeouts, all six swinging.  Offensively, Gift Ngeope finally slowed down, going 0-4 with 2 strikeouts.  Both Alex Dickerson and Mel Rojas Jr. were 2-4, and Rojas Jr. added a triple and a strikeout.  Wes Freeman was 0-2 with a walk while playing left field.  Quinton Miller got some relief action in, going 2 innings, giving up 4 hits and 2 earned runs.

The Power dropped a close game to the Hagerstown Suns, 4-3.  Matt Benedict started for the power and got tagged with an unfortunate loss.  He pitched very well, going 4.2 innings, giving up 0 earned runs (3 unearned) and 3 hits.  Benedict also walked 3 batters but struck out an impressive number of 7.  Offensively, Alen Hanson finally did not have a hit.  He did manage a walk and a run in 3 at-bats.  Josh Bell went 0-3 with a walk and a strikeout.  Willy Garcia was 1-4, with a double, RBI, and strikeout.  Jose Osuna was one of two Power with a multi-hit night, going 2-4 with a strikeout.  Junior Sosa was the other player with 2 as he went 2-3 with a triple.