#17 Pirates* Prospect Brock Holt

The #17 Pirates Prospect Brock Holt is no longer a Pirate, making it difficult for him to remain on the list.  When the current top 30 list is finished, complete with every player profile, I will bump Holt off the list, add in Andrew Oliver, Stolmy Pimentel, and Ivan De Jesus and reevaluate from there, adding  player profiles if necessary.

As almost every Pirates fan knows by now, Holt went with closer Joel Hanrahan to Boston.  Back came Mark Melancon, Jerry Sands, Stolmy Pimentel, and Ivan De Jesus.  The latter three players I nicknamed Thing 1, Thing 2, and Thing 3 respectively.  Clicking on the links in the previous sentence will open a profile for each player that was written immediately after the trade.  Enjoy!

Thing 3

Here, I profiled Thing 1 - Jerry Sands - who came to Pittsburgh via the Joel Hanrahan trade.  Sands was one of four players - three that have largely played their careers in at the minor league level thus far.  Thing 2 is Stolmy Pimentel, profiled here.  Thing 3 is Ivan DeJesus.  This article profiles him.

Joel Hanrahan Traded To The Red Sox

The Joel Hanrahan deal is finally complete, with the closer and Brock Holt heading to the Red Sox in exchange for Jerry Sands, Stolmy Pimentel, Ivan De Jesus Jr and Mark Melancon. Chad Beck has  been designated for assignment in a corresponding roster move to make room on the 40-man roster for Sands, Pimentel and Melancon. 

Pirates, Red Sox Agree Hanrahan on Deal

Joel Hanrahan’s tenure with the Pittsburgh Pirates has almost come to an end. The Hammer has been sent to the Red Sox along with another Pirate as part of a six player deal, with Boston sending first baseman/corner outfielder Jerry Sands, right handed pitcher Stolmy Pimentel and two others to the Bucs. The full extent of the deal is unknown at this point as well as currently pending physicals. 

31+ Mini Series

Currently, I'm working on my top 30 Pirates prospect list. As I write this, I'm one-sixth of the way through with prospects 26-30 finished.  What's most exciting is that a list of 30 actually includes 30 intriguing prospects.  In years past, finding 20 players in the Pirates system worth writing about was often difficult.  That's finally changed, and even 30 may not be enough. 

 In the past, I've written articles about several players that didn't make my top 30. Below is the current list.  They will start a new mini-series "31+" that will feature spotlights on other players in thefarm systems in a more narrative writing style.  Make sure to check back regularly as this will be updated regularly.  Enjoy!