Baseball America recently unveiled their list of the top ten Pirates prospects. Topping the list is the Pirates first round pick in 2005, outfielder Andrew McCutchen. At nineteen, McCutchen hit Double A pitching very well and while it looks like he’ll repeat their in 2007, a cup of coffee at the end of the year isn’t out of the realm of possibility. He was given an A- rating in Sickels Prospect Book and he’s also high on the guy so this is a guy to get excited about.
Number two is catcher Neil Walker. Walker was the teams first round pick in 2004 and while he had a solid season at High A, but he struggled in a short sting at Double A so he’s still more then a year away. It looks like he might be pushed away from catcher eventually but his write up says for now he’ll be the catcher at Double A. Sickels gave him a B- in his book so there’s quite a drop off between one and two.
Brad Lincoln rounds out the Pirates first round pick as he was picked in 2006. He was rocked in four starts at Low A but that doesn’t look like it’ll stop him from starting the season at High A. Sickels gives him a tenative B+ so Lincoln looks like a “wait and see” type of talent.
Rounding out the top five are righted handed pitchers Yoslan Herrerra and Josh Sharpless. Herrarra is potential stud and Sharpless will probably be a middle reliever for the Pirates this year.
So there’s some talent at the top and some guys to watch. Man it’d be nice if these guys panned out. We should could use the help.
