Baseball America released their draft report card (subscription required) today, detailing the early results of how the 2010 draft worked out for the Pittsburgh Pirates. In summary:
-A lot of focus was placed on Jameson Taillon and Stetson Allie, for obvious reasons. They were both mentioned in the best fastball department, with Taillon ranking first and Allie ranking second. Taillon’s fastball was 93-97 MPH last season, touching 99. Allie’s was 98-99 closer to the draft, although as a side note, he struggles with his control when his velocity is up that high, and manages his fastball better when it’s in the mid-90s. Taillon was also named “closest to the majors”, which I agree with, as his stuff and frame will allow him to move through the system like a college pitcher.
-One surprise in the hitting ranks were Adalberto Santos being named as the best pure hitter. Justin Bencsko was named the fastest runner, with plus-plus speed, Matt Curry had the best power, and Mel Rojas Jr. had the best defense. Rojas and Curry are the only ones I consider legit prospects.
-Santos, Curry, and Vincent Payne were recognized for having the best debuts.
-Rojas, Allie, and Drew Maggi were all mentioned in the running as best athlete. I’d have to go with Rojas.
-Jason Townsend was named the best late round pick, due to his 95-96 MPH fastball. I disagree with this. I saw Townsend, and while he did have that velocity, his control was horrible. My personal pick would be Jared Lakind, as I feel he’s the most intriguing guy in the later rounds.
-The “one that got away” wasn’t one of the top 10 prep pitchers like Jason Hursh, Dace Kime, Austin Kubitza, or Zach Weiss. Instead it was 45th round pick Connor Sadzeck, a prep pitcher who has been throwing 93-98 this fall with his JuCo school. He’ll be eligible next season, so the Pirates (and other teams) will have another shot in 2011, although he would have to consent to the Pirates drafting him again (shouldn’t be a huge problem since he’ll likely be a mid-to-late round pick again).
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
