Marc Hulet released the FanGraphs mid-season top 50 prospects today, and had four Pirates prospects on the list. Jameson Taillon, Gregory Polanco, Alen Hanson, and Tyler Glasnow all made the list.
Jameson Taillon was the highest rated prospect, coming in at number seven on the list. That’s a big higher than where he has been ranked by other outlets, which has usually been just outside of the top ten. The summary of Taillon didn’t say much about him, but pointed out the usual notes about how the team is good now, and how the young rotation could be built around Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon.
Gregory Polanco was next, rated at number 19. That is a bit lower than some of his other rankings, where he is usually in the 12-13 range. Hulet noted he’s still learning to tap into his raw power, and could develop above-average in-game power.
Alen Hanson was ranked 27th, which is higher than his normal 40-50 range. Hulet notes that Hanson has been over-shadowed by Polanco this year, which is ironic since Polanco was over-shadowed by Hanson last year. He says that Hanson is expected to slide over to second base in the majors, which is something I disagree with.
Tyler Glasnow has been falling just outside of the top 50 lists, but was ranked 42nd by FanGraphs. They call him one of the top breakout prospects in the game in 2013, noting that he could eventually settle in at the top of a big league rotation. I agree.