Going into this year, the first two Neal Huntington drafts were looked at a basically treading water, acting as a brake on the Pirates' promised five-year building program. Well, guess what - there are quite a few pieces of those drafts in Pittsburgh now, with other guys rising to the top.
The left side of the Pirate infield is manned by Pedro Alverez and Jordy Mercer, numbers one and three in the 2008 grab bag. Fifth pick Justin Wilson is firing bullets out of the bullpen. Tony Sanchez, the often maligned top gun of 2009, is having an injury-free breakout season at Indy, made his MLB debut this week, and is in line to join the big club on a full time basis sooner rather than later.
You could also consider Wandy Rodriguez and Mark Melancon results of that draft, too. Rodriguez joined the Bucs from Houston in exchange for Robby Grossman, a 2008 selection, Colton Cain from the Class of 2009 and Rudy Owens. Melancon is in a Pirate jersey partly because one of the trade pieces, 2009 draftee Brock Holt, was sent to Boston.
A couple of other guys, 2009 picks starter Phil Irwin and bullpen blazer Vic Black, are also considered a step away from the show. 2008's Chase d'Arnaud has been up and down, and Jeff Inman, a 2009 selection, has hit 98 but has burdened with injuries over his career.
And the international signings should be included as their separate draft. In 2008, OF Exicardo Cayones was signed; he went to the Yankees as part of the AJ Burnett deal. C Ramon Cabrera was also inked, and went to Detroit for Andy Oliver.
2009 was a mother lode year on the Latin market. OF Gregory Polanco, IF Alen Hansen and LHP Orlando Castro were brought into the fold by Rene Gayo, and all three are making big noise in the Pirate system at the mid levels.
Where the Pirates didn't have any success early on was in finding pitching and in projecting high school players, which went hand-in-hand. Pitchers Zack Von Rosenberg, Zack Dodson, Quinton Miller and IF Jarek Cunningham all quickly come to mind, but that hasn't deterred the process. The Bucs went on to draft prep guys like Jameson Taillon, Stetson Allie, Josh Bell, Nick Kingham, Tyler Glasnow, Max Moroff, Wyatt Mathieson, Reese McGuire, Blake Taylor and Austin Meadows since then, and don't seem to have any buyer's remorse over those choices.
The much lamented drafts of 2008-09 actually did what drafts are meant to do - they provided an impact player in Pedro, a starter (so far on audition) in Mercer, and a reliever in Wilson. It made the talent pool deep enough that they could use prospects gathered those years to at least partially flip into AJ Burnett, Mark Melancon and Wandy Rodriguez. With Sanchez, Black and Irwin they have future contributors in the pipeline. And the international component added three top-twenty prospects to the organization.
In hindsight, the 2008-09 drafts may not have been a team-maker, but did provide enough of a base to begin the Pirate transition to a deeper, home-grown system.
Showing posts with label pirate draft 2008. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pirate draft 2008. Show all posts
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Reppin' 2008 In Camp
OK, the boys of summer are working out their kinks in February. We thought this would be as good a time as any to see how the Bucs first draft class of the Neil Huntington era was working out.
You might remember Pedro burning the midnight oil before signing a deal. The Pirates were rebuilding a dysfunctional farm system, and he was their poster boy. But he wasn't alone; the Pirates signed 32 players that year, and 17 of their top 25 picks. So who's around to rep the class of '08 in Bradenton?
Eh, not many. 16 of the 17 picks after the 20th round are no longer in the system, not too surprisingly; the back half generally is farm fodder. RHP Zach Foster, 25, is the last of the tail-enders to collect a Bob Nutting paycheck, and his career is pretty much on track as minor league depth. Five of the remaining fifteen from the top twenty are gone, too - OF Rob Grossman (#6), OF David Rubenstein (#11), 1B Calvin Anderson (#12), LHP Chris Aure (#15) and OF Wes Freeman (#16) have also left.
At least Grossman brought something back, as he was part of the Wandy Rodriguez package, and there's certainly value in that.
Of the ten left standing, half will be working out on minor league fields this spring. SS Benji Gonzalez, 3B Jeremy Farrell, RHP Mike Colla, SS Jarek Cunningham and RHP Quinton Miller didn't wriggle an invite to the MLB camp, although Colla, Cunningham and Miller are all still fringe prospects.
Then there were five. SS Jordy Mercer, SS Chase d'Arnaud, LHP Justin Wilson and 1B Matt Hague all could begin 2013 at Indianapolis, with Mercer and Wilson the only true prospects. Pedro will return as the incumbent starter at third, as befitting the second pick overall and $6M bonus baby.
Off course, there's more to team building than the draft. 2008 is when the Bucs brought in 1B/OF Garrett Jones as a minor league free agent. They turned a couple of their international signings into players; OF Exicardo Cayones went to the Yankees as part of the AJ Burnett deal, and C Ramon Cabrera went to Detroit for LHP Andy Oliver.
SS Jodaneli Carvajal and 3B Yhonathan Barrios, both inked when they were 16, are still bumping around in A ball. SS Gift Ngoepe, their South African pick, is at Altoona and could end up a bench infielder with a good glove, good wheels, and bad bat. 2008 is also when the Million Dollar arms from India, LHP Rinku Singh and RHP Dinesh Patel, were signed after winning a TV show in India. Patel is gone, but Singh is still slinging at West Virginia; pity he didn't get to start out in T-Ball when he was seven.
All in all, it can be safely said that the new FO didn't exactly hit the ground running, though they did pick up two eventual starters, which is a good off-season by most accounts. Still, they didn't lay a very solid foundation from the start, and that's helped delay the building-from-within blueprint.
You might remember Pedro burning the midnight oil before signing a deal. The Pirates were rebuilding a dysfunctional farm system, and he was their poster boy. But he wasn't alone; the Pirates signed 32 players that year, and 17 of their top 25 picks. So who's around to rep the class of '08 in Bradenton?
Eh, not many. 16 of the 17 picks after the 20th round are no longer in the system, not too surprisingly; the back half generally is farm fodder. RHP Zach Foster, 25, is the last of the tail-enders to collect a Bob Nutting paycheck, and his career is pretty much on track as minor league depth. Five of the remaining fifteen from the top twenty are gone, too - OF Rob Grossman (#6), OF David Rubenstein (#11), 1B Calvin Anderson (#12), LHP Chris Aure (#15) and OF Wes Freeman (#16) have also left.
At least Grossman brought something back, as he was part of the Wandy Rodriguez package, and there's certainly value in that.
Of the ten left standing, half will be working out on minor league fields this spring. SS Benji Gonzalez, 3B Jeremy Farrell, RHP Mike Colla, SS Jarek Cunningham and RHP Quinton Miller didn't wriggle an invite to the MLB camp, although Colla, Cunningham and Miller are all still fringe prospects.
Then there were five. SS Jordy Mercer, SS Chase d'Arnaud, LHP Justin Wilson and 1B Matt Hague all could begin 2013 at Indianapolis, with Mercer and Wilson the only true prospects. Pedro will return as the incumbent starter at third, as befitting the second pick overall and $6M bonus baby.
Off course, there's more to team building than the draft. 2008 is when the Bucs brought in 1B/OF Garrett Jones as a minor league free agent. They turned a couple of their international signings into players; OF Exicardo Cayones went to the Yankees as part of the AJ Burnett deal, and C Ramon Cabrera went to Detroit for LHP Andy Oliver.
SS Jodaneli Carvajal and 3B Yhonathan Barrios, both inked when they were 16, are still bumping around in A ball. SS Gift Ngoepe, their South African pick, is at Altoona and could end up a bench infielder with a good glove, good wheels, and bad bat. 2008 is also when the Million Dollar arms from India, LHP Rinku Singh and RHP Dinesh Patel, were signed after winning a TV show in India. Patel is gone, but Singh is still slinging at West Virginia; pity he didn't get to start out in T-Ball when he was seven.
All in all, it can be safely said that the new FO didn't exactly hit the ground running, though they did pick up two eventual starters, which is a good off-season by most accounts. Still, they didn't lay a very solid foundation from the start, and that's helped delay the building-from-within blueprint.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
The 2008 Draft & Internationals
The Coonelly/Huntington FO made no bones about it; they were going to hang their hats on the draft. And in three years, they've made good on that claim, draining Bob Nutting's pockets of some $30M while filling a depleted farm system with prospects of varying pedigree.
The first draft was tilted toward college players, as the Bucs needed a quick fix for an ailing minor league system, though they did add a sprinkling of high school picks.
They hit the jackpot with their first pick, when they snagged Vandy's Pedro Alvarez as the second overall selection. He's in the majors to stay after a rocket ride through the system despite missing 2008 after signing at the midnight hour, and looks like a difference maker. His MLB line was .256/16/64, and El Toro is the cleanup hitter the Pirates have been lacking.
They couldn't sign Tanner Scheppers from Fresno State nor Drew Gignon of Liberty HS among their top ten picks, but brought home the other seven. They are:
SS Jordy Mercer (#3 - Oklahoma State): Mercer, 24, just finished his year at Altoona, where he hit .282/3/65. They've moved him around, mostly playing him at second and third. He should be at Indy in 2011, and remains in the Pirates' infield mix of the future.
SS Chase d'Arnaud (#4 - Pepperdine): d'Arnaud, 23, also played at Altoona. He put up a line of .247/6/48 in a year when he wasn't 100% physically. d'Arnaud is still considered the Bucco shortstop of the future, but he'll have to get his stick to warm up to live up to that tag. We expect him to land in Indy next season.
LHP Justin Wilson (#5 - Fresno State): Wilson, 23, signed late and missed 2008, but was aggressively placed in the Pirate system, and spent the year with the Curve. He posted an 11-8, 3.09 ERA at Altoona with 134 K's in 142 innings; he also walked 71 batters. Wilson has a rep as a big game pitcher, and projects as a mid-rotation guy if he can improve his control. He's likely to start 2011 in AAA.
OF Robbie Grossman (#6 - Cypress Fairbanks HS) Grossman turned 21 in September, and played mainly as a 20 year old in High A Bradenton this season, where he put up a line of .245/4/50. The jury is out on him; he hasn't developed the power they had hoped, though that's generally one of the last aspects of hitting to come around for a young guy. Grossman does draw a lot of walks, and strikes out a lot, too, though he improved dramatically this year in that department. He has a good chance of moving up to Altoona next year, but the corner outfielder is still very much a work in progress.
SS Benji Gonzalez (#7 - Puerto Rican Baseball Academy): Gonzalez, 20, spent two seasons in the GCL and last year at Low A West Virginia. Speedy and perhaps the best glove man in the organization, he's only hit .230 overall in his pro career, and a bat like that, especially in the lower levels, won't cut it.
3B Jeremy Farrell (#8 - Virginia): Farrell, 23, had a line of .298/9/43 at Bradenton, not a bad set of stats for 75 games, as he missed time with an infected shin. He's borderline old for his level, so his lumber should get him advanced to Altoona next season.
3B Matt Hague (#9 - Oklahoma State): Hague, 25, put together a line of .295/15/86 for Altoona last year. He has a good eye (62 K, 61 BB) and plays his new position, first base, well. Hague should move to Indy, but he'll have to impress as his age is working against him.
Other players drafted in 2008:
1B Calvin Anderson (#12 - Southern): Anderson played at Bradenton, and in the past two seasons, the 6'7" slugger has gone long 23 times and driven in 137 runs. He also strikes 31% of the time, and doesn't run or field particularly well. It'll be interesting to see if he moves up, with Matt Curry behind him.
RHP Mike Colla (#14 - Arizona): Colla, 23, started in Altoona, got whacked, was sent to Bradenton where he was sharp, and ended the year again with the Curve. His velocity is erratic, going from the upper eighties to the lower nineties, and his control is a little shaky. But his peripherals were decent, and he'll get another shot at AA to see if he can advance past the organization depth charts.
SS Jarek Cunningham (#18 - Mt. Spokane HS): Cunningham, 20, hit .258/12/49 and was third in the Sally League in extra base hits after missing last season with ACL surgery (he's settled in at second base now). The infielder has to cut down on his K's; he whiffed 132 times in 488 at-bats. His problem is two-fold at the dish; little patience and trouble with the off-speed stuff. Cunningham will probably move up to Bradenton next year to work on his eye. But he has age on his side and some pop in his bat, and remains very much on the Pirate radar.
RHP Quinton Miller (#20 - Shawnee HS): Miller, 20, threw sparingly for West Virginia last year. He had a history of tendinitis problems, and they returned last season, cutting down his workload and his velocity. He'll probably start 2011 in Low A again, and needs to get a healthy season under his belt to properly evaluate his potential.
We give good grades to the FO's first draft. They landed a possible franchise player in Pedro Alvarez, and have several guys moving to Indy. It was weak in pitching, with Justin Wilson and maybe Quinton Miller being big league prospects, but they did land a handful of position players that may claim some roster space in 2012.
Latin signees:
C Ramon Cabrero (Venezuela): Cabrero, 20, played at West Virginia in 2010, hitting .269/1/40. He's been promoted aggressively, with a year in the VSL, and 2009 split between the VSL and GCL. Cabrero doesn't have much power and doesn't walk, but he bangs out doubles and is a young switch hitter. He threw out just 21% of attempted base stealers, but catchers develop slowly. Cabrero has a good chance of making it to Bradenton next season.
SS Jonathan Barrios (Colombia): Barrios, 18, signed with the Pirates for $250,000 during the summer 2008 signing period. He'll probably move to 2B or even 3B in the pros because of his bulky frame. Baseball America thinks he has a strong bat with some power potential. The Pirates thought enough of him to bring him to the Florida Instructional League in 2009, a rarity for young Latino players, and assigned him to the West Virginia roster in 2010. But it's a good thing he's young; after a year in the VSL, he missed all of 2010 to injury.
3B Elevys Gonzalez (Venezuela): Gonzalez, 20, had a .275/6/31 line at West Virginia. His bat doesn't project as a corner player, though; he'll have to show he can play some middle infield. Gonzalez should step up to Bradenton in 2011.
OF Exicardo Cayonez (Venezuela): Cayonez turned 19 in October. He was one of the Pirates' top international signings in 2008 and got a bonus of $400,000. Cayonez is touted to be a speedy outfielder with a nice lefty bat. He had a good year in the VSL in 2009 and hit .263 in the GCL this season.
SS Jorge Bishop (Panama): Bishop, 19, played second base in the GCL this year and put up a line of .257/4/40, showing some pop and earning him a cup of coffee at Bradenton.
C Elias Diaz (Venezuela): Diaz, 19, was a back up catcher for the GCL in 2010 after starting in the VSL in 2009. He hit just .218, but he's young and has a rifle; he threw out 41% of the larcenists he faced, and that may be enough to get him to State College next season.
RHP Yerfi Taveras (Dominican Republic): Taveras, 21, was a late signer, not inking a deal until he was 19. He pitched in State College and got an injury call-up to Bradenton this year. His stats weren't much, but he has a curve and a slider, and may be a late bloomer.
OF Junior Sosa (Venezuela): Sosa just turned 20, and hit .296 for the GCL Bucs. He's a lefty punch-and-judy hitter that draws walks and steals bases. He may go to West Virginia next year, but has to get stronger to become a prospect.
RHP Fraylin Campos (Dominican Republic): Campos, 20, was the ace of the DSL Pirates in 2009. He went 2-1 with a 4.01 ERA and 26 Ks in 24-2/3 IP in the GCL this year.
RHP Emmanuel De Leon (Dominican Republic): De Leon, 19, signed for $50,000, and debuted in the DSL. He worked a few innings in the GCL, putting up a lot of Ks, a lot of walks, and giving up a lot of hits.
RHP Oscar Verdugo (Mexico) Verdugo, 20, posted a strong 2009 in the VSL, but after a brief outing in the GCL in 2010 disappeared from view. We assume he was hurt or sent to the Florida Instructional league; maybe both.
RHP Yomar Pacheco (Venezuela): Pacheco, 21, had a 1-3 record and 4.85 ERA in the GCL, giving up 7 homers in 29-2/3 innings.
SS Jodaneli Carvajal (Dominican Republic): Carvajal signed for $350,000, one of the larger Latino bonuses the Bucs have ever dished out. He's a burner with an great glove; his bat is the question. He's played in the DSL the past two years, hitting .259 in an injury-shortened 2009 and .304 in 2010. Carvajal is probably due in Florida in 2011.
RHP Roberto Espinoza (Mexico): Espinoza, 18, started for the VSL Pirates in 2010. His stats weren't overly impressive, but he's young and he has fastball that goes in 88-93 range and a slider.
LHP Porfirio Lopez (Dominican Republic): Lopez, 20, has been a starter the last two years in the DSL, putting up ERAs of 1.23 and 1.58 while holding opponents to sub-.200 BA. He's struck out 105 batters in 103 innings during that span; he should be stateside this year.
LHP Raul Ruiz (Venezuela): Ruiz, 19, was the VSL Pirates' top reliever in his second year from the pen. The lefty has posted ERAs of 0.53 and 1.63 the past two seasons with an 8-1-21 record. Ruiz isn't a big strikeout guy, but has pinpoint control and a strong ground ball ratio.
They made their first serious foray into Latin America in years. The results of that are still down the road, but it's promising that several of the players signed in 2008 have come north to play in 2010 and a few more should be stateside next season. In the Littlefield days, a Latino player had to put in three seasons before coming to North America; the current FO move the players more aggressively.
(OF Starling Marte & since-departed RHP Yoslin Herrera were signed in 2006, and OF Rogelio Noris in 2007, if you're wondering. And check out Wilbur Miller's "Latin American Prospects" page for the dope on Pirate Latino prospects.)
Other International Signees:
2B Gift Ngoepe (South Africa): Ngoebe, 20, got a lot of ink, but hit just .205 for State College this season.
LHP Rinku Singh (India) Singh, 22, one of the famed "Million Dollar Arms," got out of the GCL, where he pitched well (2-0, 2.61 ERA), and got a taste of State College.
RHP Dinesh Patel (India) Patel, 21, pretty much got beat up in the GCL.
The first wave of non-Latino international signings hasn't produced any prospects, but it opened the door, and the Pirates are at least looking at what the world outside the America's has to offer MLB.
The first draft was tilted toward college players, as the Bucs needed a quick fix for an ailing minor league system, though they did add a sprinkling of high school picks.
They hit the jackpot with their first pick, when they snagged Vandy's Pedro Alvarez as the second overall selection. He's in the majors to stay after a rocket ride through the system despite missing 2008 after signing at the midnight hour, and looks like a difference maker. His MLB line was .256/16/64, and El Toro is the cleanup hitter the Pirates have been lacking.
They couldn't sign Tanner Scheppers from Fresno State nor Drew Gignon of Liberty HS among their top ten picks, but brought home the other seven. They are:
SS Jordy Mercer (#3 - Oklahoma State): Mercer, 24, just finished his year at Altoona, where he hit .282/3/65. They've moved him around, mostly playing him at second and third. He should be at Indy in 2011, and remains in the Pirates' infield mix of the future.
SS Chase d'Arnaud (#4 - Pepperdine): d'Arnaud, 23, also played at Altoona. He put up a line of .247/6/48 in a year when he wasn't 100% physically. d'Arnaud is still considered the Bucco shortstop of the future, but he'll have to get his stick to warm up to live up to that tag. We expect him to land in Indy next season.
LHP Justin Wilson (#5 - Fresno State): Wilson, 23, signed late and missed 2008, but was aggressively placed in the Pirate system, and spent the year with the Curve. He posted an 11-8, 3.09 ERA at Altoona with 134 K's in 142 innings; he also walked 71 batters. Wilson has a rep as a big game pitcher, and projects as a mid-rotation guy if he can improve his control. He's likely to start 2011 in AAA.
OF Robbie Grossman (#6 - Cypress Fairbanks HS) Grossman turned 21 in September, and played mainly as a 20 year old in High A Bradenton this season, where he put up a line of .245/4/50. The jury is out on him; he hasn't developed the power they had hoped, though that's generally one of the last aspects of hitting to come around for a young guy. Grossman does draw a lot of walks, and strikes out a lot, too, though he improved dramatically this year in that department. He has a good chance of moving up to Altoona next year, but the corner outfielder is still very much a work in progress.
SS Benji Gonzalez (#7 - Puerto Rican Baseball Academy): Gonzalez, 20, spent two seasons in the GCL and last year at Low A West Virginia. Speedy and perhaps the best glove man in the organization, he's only hit .230 overall in his pro career, and a bat like that, especially in the lower levels, won't cut it.
3B Jeremy Farrell (#8 - Virginia): Farrell, 23, had a line of .298/9/43 at Bradenton, not a bad set of stats for 75 games, as he missed time with an infected shin. He's borderline old for his level, so his lumber should get him advanced to Altoona next season.
3B Matt Hague (#9 - Oklahoma State): Hague, 25, put together a line of .295/15/86 for Altoona last year. He has a good eye (62 K, 61 BB) and plays his new position, first base, well. Hague should move to Indy, but he'll have to impress as his age is working against him.
Other players drafted in 2008:
1B Calvin Anderson (#12 - Southern): Anderson played at Bradenton, and in the past two seasons, the 6'7" slugger has gone long 23 times and driven in 137 runs. He also strikes 31% of the time, and doesn't run or field particularly well. It'll be interesting to see if he moves up, with Matt Curry behind him.
RHP Mike Colla (#14 - Arizona): Colla, 23, started in Altoona, got whacked, was sent to Bradenton where he was sharp, and ended the year again with the Curve. His velocity is erratic, going from the upper eighties to the lower nineties, and his control is a little shaky. But his peripherals were decent, and he'll get another shot at AA to see if he can advance past the organization depth charts.
SS Jarek Cunningham (#18 - Mt. Spokane HS): Cunningham, 20, hit .258/12/49 and was third in the Sally League in extra base hits after missing last season with ACL surgery (he's settled in at second base now). The infielder has to cut down on his K's; he whiffed 132 times in 488 at-bats. His problem is two-fold at the dish; little patience and trouble with the off-speed stuff. Cunningham will probably move up to Bradenton next year to work on his eye. But he has age on his side and some pop in his bat, and remains very much on the Pirate radar.
RHP Quinton Miller (#20 - Shawnee HS): Miller, 20, threw sparingly for West Virginia last year. He had a history of tendinitis problems, and they returned last season, cutting down his workload and his velocity. He'll probably start 2011 in Low A again, and needs to get a healthy season under his belt to properly evaluate his potential.
We give good grades to the FO's first draft. They landed a possible franchise player in Pedro Alvarez, and have several guys moving to Indy. It was weak in pitching, with Justin Wilson and maybe Quinton Miller being big league prospects, but they did land a handful of position players that may claim some roster space in 2012.
Latin signees:
C Ramon Cabrero (Venezuela): Cabrero, 20, played at West Virginia in 2010, hitting .269/1/40. He's been promoted aggressively, with a year in the VSL, and 2009 split between the VSL and GCL. Cabrero doesn't have much power and doesn't walk, but he bangs out doubles and is a young switch hitter. He threw out just 21% of attempted base stealers, but catchers develop slowly. Cabrero has a good chance of making it to Bradenton next season.
SS Jonathan Barrios (Colombia): Barrios, 18, signed with the Pirates for $250,000 during the summer 2008 signing period. He'll probably move to 2B or even 3B in the pros because of his bulky frame. Baseball America thinks he has a strong bat with some power potential. The Pirates thought enough of him to bring him to the Florida Instructional League in 2009, a rarity for young Latino players, and assigned him to the West Virginia roster in 2010. But it's a good thing he's young; after a year in the VSL, he missed all of 2010 to injury.
3B Elevys Gonzalez (Venezuela): Gonzalez, 20, had a .275/6/31 line at West Virginia. His bat doesn't project as a corner player, though; he'll have to show he can play some middle infield. Gonzalez should step up to Bradenton in 2011.
OF Exicardo Cayonez (Venezuela): Cayonez turned 19 in October. He was one of the Pirates' top international signings in 2008 and got a bonus of $400,000. Cayonez is touted to be a speedy outfielder with a nice lefty bat. He had a good year in the VSL in 2009 and hit .263 in the GCL this season.
SS Jorge Bishop (Panama): Bishop, 19, played second base in the GCL this year and put up a line of .257/4/40, showing some pop and earning him a cup of coffee at Bradenton.
C Elias Diaz (Venezuela): Diaz, 19, was a back up catcher for the GCL in 2010 after starting in the VSL in 2009. He hit just .218, but he's young and has a rifle; he threw out 41% of the larcenists he faced, and that may be enough to get him to State College next season.
RHP Yerfi Taveras (Dominican Republic): Taveras, 21, was a late signer, not inking a deal until he was 19. He pitched in State College and got an injury call-up to Bradenton this year. His stats weren't much, but he has a curve and a slider, and may be a late bloomer.
OF Junior Sosa (Venezuela): Sosa just turned 20, and hit .296 for the GCL Bucs. He's a lefty punch-and-judy hitter that draws walks and steals bases. He may go to West Virginia next year, but has to get stronger to become a prospect.
RHP Fraylin Campos (Dominican Republic): Campos, 20, was the ace of the DSL Pirates in 2009. He went 2-1 with a 4.01 ERA and 26 Ks in 24-2/3 IP in the GCL this year.
RHP Emmanuel De Leon (Dominican Republic): De Leon, 19, signed for $50,000, and debuted in the DSL. He worked a few innings in the GCL, putting up a lot of Ks, a lot of walks, and giving up a lot of hits.
RHP Oscar Verdugo (Mexico) Verdugo, 20, posted a strong 2009 in the VSL, but after a brief outing in the GCL in 2010 disappeared from view. We assume he was hurt or sent to the Florida Instructional league; maybe both.
RHP Yomar Pacheco (Venezuela): Pacheco, 21, had a 1-3 record and 4.85 ERA in the GCL, giving up 7 homers in 29-2/3 innings.
SS Jodaneli Carvajal (Dominican Republic): Carvajal signed for $350,000, one of the larger Latino bonuses the Bucs have ever dished out. He's a burner with an great glove; his bat is the question. He's played in the DSL the past two years, hitting .259 in an injury-shortened 2009 and .304 in 2010. Carvajal is probably due in Florida in 2011.
RHP Roberto Espinoza (Mexico): Espinoza, 18, started for the VSL Pirates in 2010. His stats weren't overly impressive, but he's young and he has fastball that goes in 88-93 range and a slider.
LHP Porfirio Lopez (Dominican Republic): Lopez, 20, has been a starter the last two years in the DSL, putting up ERAs of 1.23 and 1.58 while holding opponents to sub-.200 BA. He's struck out 105 batters in 103 innings during that span; he should be stateside this year.
LHP Raul Ruiz (Venezuela): Ruiz, 19, was the VSL Pirates' top reliever in his second year from the pen. The lefty has posted ERAs of 0.53 and 1.63 the past two seasons with an 8-1-21 record. Ruiz isn't a big strikeout guy, but has pinpoint control and a strong ground ball ratio.
They made their first serious foray into Latin America in years. The results of that are still down the road, but it's promising that several of the players signed in 2008 have come north to play in 2010 and a few more should be stateside next season. In the Littlefield days, a Latino player had to put in three seasons before coming to North America; the current FO move the players more aggressively.
(OF Starling Marte & since-departed RHP Yoslin Herrera were signed in 2006, and OF Rogelio Noris in 2007, if you're wondering. And check out Wilbur Miller's "Latin American Prospects" page for the dope on Pirate Latino prospects.)
Other International Signees:
2B Gift Ngoepe (South Africa): Ngoebe, 20, got a lot of ink, but hit just .205 for State College this season.
LHP Rinku Singh (India) Singh, 22, one of the famed "Million Dollar Arms," got out of the GCL, where he pitched well (2-0, 2.61 ERA), and got a taste of State College.
RHP Dinesh Patel (India) Patel, 21, pretty much got beat up in the GCL.
The first wave of non-Latino international signings hasn't produced any prospects, but it opened the door, and the Pirates are at least looking at what the world outside the America's has to offer MLB.
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