Thoughts on the Pirates 2010 Draft

Well, it's been a few weeks since the 2010 MLB Draft and what an interesting one it was for the Pirates. They picked #2 overall and chose prep pitcher Jameson Taillon after C/OF Bryce Harper. It was well documented that the Pirates were choosing between Taillon and SS/3B prospect Manny Machado.

The draft saw a lot of first round talent fall into the Second Round and the Pirates capitalized by selecting Stetson Allie, a prep pitcher who can hit 100mph and was thought to be a first round pick. The rounds after were mostly filled with right handed pitchers, a good mix being prep pitchers, and very few position players.

If you're a draft fantatic like me, be sure to follow Wilbur Miller's player profiles and the Pirates 2010 draft page to get scouting reports and track which players sign.

The success of the Pirates draft will ultimately hang on if they sign Taillon and Allie, but there are some other players worth going over slot for. Here are the players the Pirates need to focus on:

1. Jameson Taillon - RHP - The Woodlands, TX (HS)

The Obvious: He was their #1 pick, he hits 98mph, breaking ball is major league ready, he projects to be a top of the rotation starter.

The Problem: He seems perfectly fine honoring his commitment and going to play for the Rice Owls. Taillon seems to have a lot of leverage, but some have speculated that Stetson Allie was taken as an insurance pick in case Taillon didn't sign. He's also represented by the Hendricks brothers, who are just as bad as Scott Boras.

What Will Happen: The Pirates need to sign Taillon. They have nobody in the system like this and with Alvarez, Tabata, and Lincoln all playing for the parent club, the Pirates need another sure prospect in the system. The Hendricks brothers will not make it a walk in the park. Neal Huntington and his team are not master negotiatiors and the Hedricks brothers played games with Nationals GM Jim Bowden. The Pirates will probably have to set a new franchise record for a bonus, probably somewhere around $8 million. This deal will get done out of necessity.

2. Stetson Allie - RHP - Olmsted Falls, OH (HS)

The Obvious: Allie was rated #8 by Baseball America before the draft. He has consistently hit 100mph. He has the build to be a power pitcher down the road.

The Problem: He has reportedly asked for $3 million or more, which scared teams off. His father went on 93.7 The Fan and tried to squash those rumors. He also seemed to lack stamina, which could push him into a reliever role.

What Will Happen: The rest of the Pirates draft isn't necessarily a "Who's Who" of prospects, so the Pirates should be aggressive in signing their first 2 picks. Even if Allie fails as a starter and is pushed to a relief role, it will be worth it as the Pirates just don't have a guy like him right now. The risk is worth the reward!

3. Zachary Weiss - RHP - Irvine, CA (HS)

The Obvious: Wiess was ranked #132 by Baseball America and throws 90-93 mph. He has some inconsistencies and and control issues, but those can be taken care of in the minors. Keith Law noted that Weiss has a "funky" delivery which causes deception in some of his pitches.

The Problem: He has a commitment to UCLA and needs to develop more command of his pitches. He could be better served by going to college and improving his stock.

What Will Happen: Weiss doesn't appear to be a potential ace down the line. He may not even be a #2 or #3. However, the Pirates will need quality arms in the system and Weiss is exactly that. Weiss could be a back of the rotation starter, a reliable bullpen arm, or simply trade bait to pitching starved teams. Either way, I hope a deal with Weiss gets done.

4. Brandon Pierce - RHP - Gunter, TX (HS)

The Obvious: Pierce had a 17.1 K/9 rate his senior year and throws 93-94 MPH. He struck out double digit batters in 7 of his 14 starts.

The Problem: Pierce committed to Nebraska and was quoted as saying: "What we've told Nebraska is that unless it's life-changing money -- first to third round money -- I will be in college".

What Will Happen: If the Pirates miss on Allie and/or a few other prep pitchers like Weiss, Dace Kime, and others, they could turn to Pierce. However, I don't know if the Pirates are willing to offer "life-changing money" to Pierce when they have other targets. Watching what happens to Pierce throughout the summer will be interesting.

5. Zackary Powers - SS - Seffner, FL (HS)

The Obvious: The Pirates took a total of 4 infielders in the draft. The Pirates need to create competition at the lower levels there and Powers' could help that. He hit .467 his junior year and .411 his senior year.

The Problem: He committed to the University of Florida and it seems like he will be staying there. He also has had pitch recognition issues and projects as a 3B in college.

What Will Happen: Powers will most likely end up in college. The Pirates could offer him a decent deal and pay for his tuition like they've done in the past, but they shouldn't shoot for the moon and offer a seven figure bonus like they have guys like Robbie Grossman. Ultimately, I think Powers will enjoy the college life and try to build on his draft stock down south.


Honorable Mentions: OF Mel Rojas, Jr., 1B Matt Curry, SS Andrew Maggi

The Pirates' main focus should be be on their first 2 picks. They need to make a splash and get them under contract. After that, it's anyone's guess which way they'll go as they covered the bases with high school arms.

My only issue with the Pirates is that there are very few middle infield prospects out of this group, but I can see why they chose so many high school arms, as there was a great stock of them. An organization like the Pirates needs a constant flow of pitching in their system. We've seen in the past what happens when their isn't a crop of pitching at AAA. It's also happening now as the only options at AAA Indianapolis are Daniel McCutchen, Brian Burres, and Hayden Penn.