The Pirates Prospects 2016 Prospect Guide is now on sale. The book features prospect reports on everyone in the system, the 2016 top 50 prospects, and the most comprehensive coverage of the Pirates’ farm system that you can find. Subscribers to the site get free and discounted books, with Top Prospect subscribers getting the 2016 book for free, and Annual subscribers getting $10 off. Both levels of subscribers can also get the book for just $5. Details on all three promotions can be found on the products page, and you can subscribe to the site or upgrade your current plan on the subscriptions page.
While the top 50 prospects are exclusive to the book, we will be releasing the top 20 prospects over the next few weeks. The reports will only be available to site subscribers, including those with a monthly plan. You can subscribe here, and if you like these reports, be sure to purchase your copy of the book on the products page of the site to get much more analysis on every player in the system.
To recap the countdown so far:
20. Willy Garcia, RF
19. Clay Holmes, RHP
18. Mitch Keller, RHP
17. Max Moroff, 2B
16. Chad Kuhl, RHP
15. Cole Tucker, SS
We continue the countdown with the number 14 prospect, Stephen Tarpley.
14. Stephen Tarpley, LHP
The Pirates acquired two talented left-handed pitching prospects when they traded Travis Snider prior to the 2015 season. Steven Brault has developed into a safer prospect with a higher floor, but a limited upside. Meanwhile, Stephen Tarpley remains a guy who has a ton of upside, but a much lower floor, making him a bit more high risk/high reward.
Just like Brault, Tarpley had a lot of success this year, although it came at a lower level. He had much better stuff, working in the 90-94 MPH range with his fastball and touching 97 at times this year. He throws the pitch down in the zone, and hits both corners with command, which fueled his success this year.
He also showed good improvements on his secondary stuff, relying on a changeup a lot this year after getting comfortable with the pitch. He uses a circle grip, which he had in high school, got rid of in college, and brought back in pro ball. He works mostly with a fastball/changeup approach, while mixing in the slider as his primary out pitch. That’s not to say that the changeup can’t be an out pitch in the right situation. He also has a curveball, and uses that as a situational pitch the second and third time through the lineup, giving batters a different look.
Tarpley dealt with some control and command problems in the Baltimore farm system in 2014, but saw some big improvements when he dropped his arm slot at the end of the year. That led to some dominant numbers, and much better control numbers. He carried both trends over to the Pirates’ system in 2015.
There is a lot of upside with Tarpley, as you’d expect from a left-hander who can hit 97 with his fastball, is comfortable with his changeup, and has shown improved command. He will move to Bradenton in 2016, and could be in Altoona by the end of the season, as he is Rule 5 eligible after the year, and looks certain to be protected with another strong season. The jump to the upper levels will start to bring his prospect picture into better focus, especially regarding his floor.
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