Baseball America continued their top 20 prospect lists today with the 2011 Eastern League top 20. Two Pirates prospects made the list: Starling Marte and Kyle McPherson. Scouting reports for all of the top 20 can be viewed here by subscribers.
Marte was named the seventh best prospect in the league, and the fourth best hitting prospect. Baseball America mentioned that he has similar tools to Austin Jackson. Marte had a strong season, although injury shortened, in 2010, but didn’t make the top 20 prospect list in Baseball America’s view of the 2010 Florida State League.
Kyle McPherson was named the 20th best prospect in the league, after putting up a 3.02 ERA in 89 innings. It is odd that McPherson made this list, but was left off the Florida State League list. A scout quoted by Baseball America mentioned that McPherson looks like a middle of the rotation innings eater.