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.

Treasure Trove: 6/19/2013

Indianapolis played a double header. The Indians won both games against Norfolk by scores of 8-1 and 5-3. In the first game, Jeanmar Gomez pitched a gem in a rehab start.  He threw 5 innings, giving up no hits and no earned runs. Gomez walked 1 and struck out 4. Andy Oliver started the second game, giving up 4 hits, 3 earned runs, and 7 walks in 4.2 innings.  He did strike out 7 batters as well.  On offense, Tony Sanchez went 2-4 with a double. Andrew Lambo went 4-8 with 2 homeruns, a double, and a strikeout. Ivan DeJesus went 3-8 with a double. Next game: 12:00 P.M., 6/20.

Treasure Trove: 6/18/2013

Indianapolis DNP - Rain postponement; The Indians will play a doubleheader on 6/19, with Jeanmar Gomez slated to start the first game and Andy Oliver the second game.

Treasure Trove: 6/17/2013

Indianapolis beat Norfolk 4-2. Stolmy Pimentel made his first AAA start and pitched very well. He pitched 6 innings, giving up 5 hits, an unearned run and 2 walks.  In addition, Pimentel punched out 7 batters. On offense, Matt Hague went 3-4, with a run scored and an RBI.  Tony Sanchez continued his impressive season, going 2-4 with a 2B and a homerun.  He also scored a run and knocked in two. Ivan DeJesus also had two hits, one run scored, and one RBI, hitting a homerun along with a single. Jean Gomez will pitch against Norfolk on 6/18 at 7:05 PM.

Treasure Trove: 6/16/2013

The Indianapolis Indians dropped their game against the Durham Bulls by the score of 5-2.  James McDonald took the mound on a rehab start and gave up 8 hits, 3 earned runs, and issued 3 walks, while only striking out 1 batter in 5 innings.  He threw 93 pitches and only 52 for strikes.  Josh Harrison led off for the Indians and went 2-4 with a triple and a strikeout.  Tony Sanchez went 1-4 with a run scored.  Newly promoted Andrew Lambo went 1-3, with a 2-run homerun. Stolmy Pimentel will make his AAA debut on 6/17 at 7:05 PM.

#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: Mel Rojas Jr.

In an effort to produce better and more unique content about the Pittsburgh Pirates, Buried Treasure has reached out to members of the Pirates organization for interviews.  The response was awesome, starting with our first volunteer, Pirates farmhand and pitcher Michael Colla. Moving into the future, the hope is to have more interviews similar to this one.  This particular interview is with our second volunteer, Mel Rojas Jr.  It's after the jump.  Enjoy!

Burnett with an "e"

Mention the name "Burnett" to any Pittsburgh Pirates fan, or most baseball fans for that matter, and the immediate reaction will be to discuss A.J. Burnett and with good reason. Burnett is coming off a bounce back season with the Pirates where he endeared himself to the vast majority of Pittsburgh baseball fans for his grit and his fierce demeanor. For years to come, he will be the "Burnett" when it comes to Pittsburgh baseball.

#12 Pirates Prospect - Clay Holmes

Buried Treasure Top 30 Prospects
#12 - Clay Holmes

Measurables: 6'5, 230
Bats: R, Throws: R
Position: P
Acquired: 9th Round (272nd overall), 2011
Bonus: $1,200,000
DOB: 05/27/1993
Buried Treasure 2012 Top 20: #20

Buried Treasure Exclusive Interview: Michael Colla

In an effort to produce better and more unique content about the Pittsburgh Pirates, Buried Treasure has reached out to members of the Pirates organization for interviews.  The response was awesome, starting with our first volunteer, Pirates farmhand and pitcher Michael Colla.  Moving into the future, the hope is to have more interviews similar to this one.  This particular interview with Michael Colla is after the jump.  Enjoy!

#13 Pirates Prospect - Alex Dickerson

Buried Treasure Top 30 Prospects
#13 - Alex Dickerson

Measurables: 6'3, 225
Bats: L, Throws: L
Position: 1B
Acquired: 3rd Round (91st overall), 2011
Bonus: $380,700
DOB: 5/26/1990
Buried Treasure 2012 Top 20: #13

#14 Pirates Prospect - Tony Sanchez

Buried Treasure Top 30 Prospects
#14 - Tony Sanchez

Measurables: 6'0, 220
Bats: R, Throws: R
Position: C
Acquired: 1st Round (4th overall), 2009
Bonus: $2,500,000
DOB: 5/20/1988
Buried Treasure 2012 Top 20: #7

In Defense of the Front Office

The Pittsburgh Pirates haven't completed a season with a winning record in two decades.  While all of that isn't on current general manager Neal Huntington's hands, a good chunk - arguably one-fourth - of it is.  Therefore, to claim Huntington is or should be immune from intense criticism would be asinine. That's undeniable.

All that hashed out, I personally believe Neal Huntington, and the entire front office he has assembled, have the Pirates on the right track. In addition, I think there is evidence indicating such a statement is true.  My argument consists of several factors, broken down piece-by-piece in the paragraphs below.

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.

#15 Pirates Prospect - Wyatt Mathisen

Buried Treasure Top 30 Prospects
#15 - Wyatt Mathisen

Measurables: 6'1, 205
Bats: R, Throws: R
Position: C
Acquired: 2nd Round (69th overall), 2012
Bonus: $746,300
DOB: 12/30/1993
Buried Treasure 2012 Top 20: Not Ranked

Pirates Sign Pitcher Nick Hutchings

The Pirates continue to mine the Land Down Under for baseball talent, signing pitcher Nick Hutchings.  Hutchings - who turned 16 years old in October - had been playing for the Southern Districts baseball team.  He recently joined the Adelaide Bite of the Australian Baseball League.  He appeared four times for the Bite, all in relief.  He pitched 4.1 innings, giving up 1 hit and 2 walks.  Hutchings struck out 8 batters.

#18 Pirates Prospect - Max Moroff

Buried Treasure Top 30 Prospects
#18 - Max Moroff

Measurables: 6'0, 175
Bats: S, Throws: R
Position: SS
Acquired: 16th Round (496th), 2012
Bonus: $300,000
DOB: 05/13/1993
Buried Treasure 2012 Top 20: Not Ranked

South African Glove Wizard

During Neal Huntington's tenure, the Pittsburgh Pirates have signed international players from exotic and under-the-radar locations.  They signed two kids from India who literally won what was the equivalent of a reality show contest. Only one remains in the Pirates farm system - Rinku Singh - and he's basically a non-prospect at this point.  An argument can be made that those particular signings were publicity stunts, but the same is not true of other strange signings.  The Pirates signed Dovydas Neverauskas out of Lithuania and followed that up a few years later by signing Alex Lukashevich out of Belarus (both profiled here). Neverauskas is ahead of Lukashevich right now in both development and prospect status, but both are legitimate guys to watch.

#19 Pirates Prospect - Justin Wilson

Buried Treasure Top 30 Prospects
#19 - Justin Wilson

Measurables: 6'2, 233
Bats: L, Throws: L
Position: P
Acquired: 5th Round (144th), 2008
Bonus: $195,000
DOB: 08/18/1987
Buried Treasure 2012 Top 20: Not Ranked

Internal Transactions

Baseball is fairly unique.  Twenty-five players comprise a major league squad, but an organization has contractual control over significantly more than that amount.  They are prospects - players in the minor leagues.  Take a glance at a major league team today and a good portion of their players were in that teams farm system in the past.  That's one of the focuses of Buried Treasure - examining and evaluating the minor league system of the Pittsburgh Pirates because it's the lifeblood and foundation of the major league team.