Rounds 46-50: Pirates Close Out 2011 Draft

The Pittsburgh Pirates closed out their 2011 draft by selecting three more position players.  The highlight of rounds 46-50 was 47th round pick Jordan Deluca, who comes from Saxton, PA, just south of Altoona.  Deluca has a commitment to Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  He displays good speed and a good arm, making him a good fit for center field.

Jeff Schalk, RF, 46th Round

Schalk ranked 50th in a weak Illinois draft class.  He is very athletic, with good strength.  He was mostly a first baseman, although the Pirates drafted him as a right fielder, which is where he profiles best, due to his strong throwing arm and ability to move around in the outfield.  He has quick hands and squares up on the ball well.  He’s a projectable hitter, although he might be a tough buy out of his UAB commitment at this stage.

Jordan Deluca, CF, 47th Round

Deluca is from Saxton, PA, which is just south of Altoona.  He put up impressive numbers in high school in 2011, with a .490 average and great power, hitting six homers in 51 at-bats.  Deluca runs a 6.59 60-yard dash, and displays his speed with eight steals this past year.  He also showed good plate patience with 22 walks and six strikeouts.  He throws 86 MPH from the outfield, which combined with his speed makes him an ideal center field prospect.  He has a commitment to the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Zach Thompson, RHP, 48th Round

Thompson was named to the First Team 4A All-District Baseball team as a first baseman.  The Pirates drafted him as a right hander.  He’s got a tall, projectable frame.  His brother Matt plays in the Texas Rangers’ farm system.  No word on where he is committed to play college ball.

Austin White, 3B, 49th Round

White has a commitment to play baseball at Seminole State Junior College in Oklahoma next year.  In 2011 he put up a .384 average and reached base in half of his plate appearances.  He hit for some extra bases, and showed some speed with 16 stolen bases.  He didn’t rank in a weak Arkansas class.

Zechariah Lemond, RHP, 50th Round

Lemond was a two-way player in high school, but the Pirates drafted him as a pitcher.  That’s unusual for them, as he’s well below their preferred height of 6’4″.  Baseball America ranked him the 106th best prospect in Texas in a good year for the state.  Lemond is also a football star.  He’s probably a backup plan for the Pirates in case they don’t sign some of their preferred selections from the early rounds.