Keith Law has released his mid-season top 50 prospect list for ESPN Insider subscribers. The list features three Pittsburgh Pirates prospects: Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, and Alen Hanson.
Cole is the top prospect for the Pirates, coming in at number seven overall. He’s up three spots from his pre-season ranking at number ten. Law mentions that “there’s no starter in the minors with a better pure repertoire”.
Taillon was ranked tenth, up from his pre-season spot at 15th. Law had been critical in the past of how the Pirates used Taillon, suggesting that he should have had a heavier workload. He noted that Taillon has faced the lineup a third time in 11 of his last 12 starts.
The final prospect on the list is Alen Hanson, who comes in at number 48. Law has been one of the most outspoken people who says Hanson can stick at shortstop. This is the second time Hanson has been named a top 50 prospect, after being named the #40 prospect by Baseball America last week.
Starling Marte didn’t make the list, although that’s not a big surprise. Law has been lower on Marte than other outlets, citing his plate patience as a concern.
