Jim Callis at MLB Pipeline put out his latest mock draft, with the first day of the 2016 amateur draft just six days away now. He has the Pirates going with a name we heard from Keith Law recently. It seems unlikely that the Pirates would take a reliever with their first round pick, but we have heard from two different sources now that they have an interest in Louisville closer Zack Burdi. Callis brings up the point that Burdi could help the Pirates this year, something others have said about him as well. Then the Pirates could send him down to the minors next year and try to develop him as a starter.
Burdi can hit 100 MPH consistently now, mixing that with a plus slider and a changeup that is a nice third pitch, something you don’t see often from a reliever. So there are some scouts who see three pitches that range from average to plus-plus and they think he can be a future starter. Others don’t think he has the command to be a starter and then of course, you would have the stamina issue and whether he can handle that type of workload. I think the idea by Callis is a good one because he will still have the back-end of the bullpen as a strong fallback option, but the Pirates haven’t shown the desire to draft a reliever early, or fast track anyone like he is suggesting.
Callis also mentions the Pirates have interest in the Pennsylvania trio we have heard so much about recently. Alex Kirilloff, a prep 1B/OF from Pittsburgh, will likely be off the board before the Pirates pick. Callis still has prep SS/3B Nolan Jones and Pitt right-handed starter T.J. Zeuch on the board when the Pirates pick. He basically gives four names that we have heard a lot recently connected to the Pirates. D1 Baseball also confirmed the Pirates are interested in Kirilloff and Jones.
MLB Pipeline also updated and expanded their top 100 list, taking it to 200 today. They have Kirilloff ranked 18th, Jones is 20th, followed by Zeuch at #28 and Burdi is 41st on the list. Coincidentally, 41st overall in the draft is where the Pirates make their second selection.
If you missed it from yesterday, we looked at updated rankings from three different sources.
Keith Law posted his third mock draft and he’s still going with Zack Burdi for the Pirates. Not much to add besides what was said up top. Law doesn’t think it’s a lock the Pirates go with Burdi, or even select a pitcher, but he doesn’t see him dropping below the early 20’s in the draft. He has Kirilloff going 16th overall and Zeuch one spot behind him. Law doesn’t have Nolan Jones among his top 34 picks, but mentions that a team with multiple picks in the compensation round might take him a little later and sign him to an over-slot deal.
I expect a mock draft from Baseball America today, since Friday seems to be the big day for them. If they post one, I’ll add it and change the title, so check back later. For now, they updated their top 500 list (was at 300 before today and the rankings have changed). You can view that here. In keep with the theme of this article, they have Kirilloff ranked 15th, followed in order a few spots later by Nolan Jones, T.J. Zeuch and Zack Burdi in the 19-21 spots.
John started working at Pirates Prospects in 2009, but his connection to the Pittsburgh Pirates started exactly 100 years earlier when Dots Miller debuted for the 1909 World Series champions. John was born in Kearny, NJ, two blocks from the house where Dots Miller grew up. From that hometown hero connection came a love of Pirates history, as well as the sport of baseball.
When he didn't make it as a lefty pitcher with an 80+ MPH fastball and a slider that needed work, John turned to covering the game, eventually focusing in on the prospects side, where his interest was pushed by the big league team being below .500 for so long. John has covered the minors in some form since the 2002 season, and leads the draft and international coverage on Pirates Prospects. He writes daily on Pittsburgh Baseball History, when he's not covering the entire system daily throughout the entire year on Pirates Prospects.
If Burdi would fall and be available at 41…I don’t think you take a full second of clock time to make the pick.
Also who doesnt want this kid – Carter Keiboom! What a baseball name! May have the best bat out of highschool, a shortstop who looks to move to third and is an emergency switch pitcher!!! keiboom! Ha!!!
I love Kyle Muller who could be the next Mad Bum.
John, just like in every draft in every sport, players fall to other teams. What players have trended down that were high or maybe a player in that 15-20 range that may fall to us?? Or maybe a concenus 10-15 pick that may fall to us!!
Usually the players who fall at this point have high demands for their bonus, and that usually ends up being high pitchers with strong scholarships. Early in the year, Florida outfielder Buddy Reed was a top ten pick and he just never got going, so he has dropped to the point he may be around for the 41st overall pick. That would be an interesting pick.
I think the Pirates should go after someone who is thought to be unsignable!! That means they would get a nice pick the following year!! Right??
If the Pirates think Burdi can help this year then do it. At this point, I would rather go with Jones and hope Burdi is available with the second pick in the sup phase of the first round.
We have a lot of long term help slowly coming- we could use something that could help us, (for a very low cost) NOW
Seems unlikely the pirates would spend a first rounder for short-term help, starting his clock this year and then sending him down. It certainly would be outside-the-box for them. My (hypothetical) money is on Nolan Jones.
Who cares? His clock stops when he gets sent down, it isn’t like it keeps running.
I agree is unlikely, but possible. Meloncon is likely gone, Watson is slipping a bit and don’t see anyone else to close or set up on the foreseeable future, Nicasio?
Waton slipped all the way to not giving up a run in April.
I would guess Jones too, fits their mold perfect. I’m not sure the service days in the majors would matter for Burdi because we are talking about a short time. He’s not signing right away with Louisville still playing and they wouldn’t just send him right to the majors, he would need to get acclimated to pro ball first.
Doesn’t the first year on the 40-man start the aribration clock? Or is arbitration clock based on accumulation of service days that add up to service years?
Arbitration clock is based on service days only, so he can be up for a month and not pitch in the majors again for three years and he would still have a month towards arbitration