Pirates position by position

[abpk2903]

Let's put aside the bullpen (because the shelf life is typically short) and look position by position at the Pirates through 2018 (the last year the Pirates have control of McCutchen's contract). Crimson brought up a great point about let's now "sell the farm" when probably 2016-2018 will be the best opportunity.

I don't understand baseball contracts that well. I know there are arbitration eligible years, club options, player options, ect. Here is the best I can come up with.

Outfield: seems to be set through 2018

-Marte is through 2020 w/ club options through 2022. He isn't going anywhere.
-McCutchen is through 2017 w/ a team option for 2018 of $14.5 million. They would be morons not to have him through 2018.
-Polanco is arbitration eligible 2017-2019. It doesn't look like he is a FA until 2020. What does this mean? Do the pirates have control?

Infield:

-Alvarez and Walker are arbitration eligible in '15-'16 and FA's in 2017.
-Mercer is arbitration eligible in '16-'18 and a FA in 2019. I think he is the Pirates SS for next handful of years. Viable option within the Pirates price range.
-Davis and Sanchez are arbitration eligible next year.

Utility:

-Harrison is arbitration eligible next year and a FA in 2018.

Catcher:

-Martin is a FA next year. What does Sanchez's contact look like?

Pitcher: Liriano and Volquez will not be here next year, IMO

-Cole is arbitration eligible '17-'19 and a FA in '20
-Morton is signed through '16 with a club option in '17
-Locke is arbitration eligible '16-'18 and a FA in '19
-Worley is arbitration eligible '15-'17 and a FA in '18

What is the contract situation on some of these young pitchers in the minors?

IMO a 3 year deal to Russell Martin in the offseason would make me feel a whole lot better. Maybe start working him at 1st or 3rd to make room for Sanchez. Still let him do some catching next year.

Projected lineup in 2017:

1. Polanco
2. Marte
3. Cutch
4. Allie/Bell/McGuiness
5. Sanchez
6. Walker
7. Martin
8. Mercer

Pitchers:

Cole
Taillon
Kingston
Morton
Locke

[Crimson's Ghost]

My quick guess for 2016-17-18 era.

1. Hansen 2B
2. Marte LF
3. McCutchen CF
4. Walker 3B
5. Polanco RF
6. Bell 1B
7. Martin C
8. Mercer SS

I think Hansen and Bell ascend to the majors by then, both are in Altoona now. I think they work an extension to keep Walker around, and I think he will lose a step to play middle infield, but still athletic enough to play third. Hansen is a future second basemen most likely, and I think Mercer sticks unless the Bucs make it a priority to upgrade him. The Pirates almost have to resign Martin, the catcher of the future is Reese McGuire and he's only 19 years old in low A West Virginia.


1. Cole
2. Taillon
3. Morton
4. Kingham
5. Locke

Tyler Glasnow is as hyped as Cole and Taillon, he'll make his debut in this three year stretch. Hopefully Cole progresses to the point where he's an ace, and I think he will. I know Taillon has that same type of ability, and he'll get to be a pretty good pitcher. Morton will still be effective, and Kingham is young and throws mid to upper 90's himself.

[abpk2903]

I misspelled his name I thought it was McGuiness not McGuire. I apologize. He was drafted in the teens last year, right?

Didn't they have him playing a lot of 1st in spring training this year?

Stetson Allie was clubbing HRs early in the year at Altoona. Does anyone see him making an impact at the upper levels? Maybe some pinch hitting power off the bench or trade bait.

Interesting thought on Watson. They were interviewing Searage during a game and asked about moving Watson to the rotation. He said that is something that will be considered in the spring. Is that why they are reluctant to move him to the closers role? Remember Scherzer started in the Arizona organization as a closer.

[thepalerider]

Stetson Allie=Brad Eldred=Chris Shelton, so the answer is no will never contribute in the show!

[Crimson's Ghost]

Here's what I know about each position because I do like to follow things on the farm as best as I can, I check the numbers once every few weeks and keep up with PiratesProspects.com.


C - Tony Sanchez is 26 years old, stuck in AAA hitting .233. I think he's better than Stewart, but is Tony the answer for the future? It is looking less and less likely. Altoona has 23 year old Elias Diaz. He's hitting .307, and has gotten some good reviews lately. Bradenton has Jin-De Jhang, a Taiwanese prospect. He's 21 and has gotten some positive reviews, but only holds a .224 average. Reese McGuire is in low-A, which is good he's out of rookie ball at such a young age. He has only caught or DH'd this season. He's batting .258 with only 1 home run. He should only have been through his freshman year of college, so the power mat catch up with him. He has a 42% caught stealing percentage, which is excellent.

1B - Indy has Matt Curry, Chris McGuinness, and Matt Hague. All too old to be prospects, and relatively unskilled to be future starters for an MLB team. Andrew Lambo was hitting well before his injury, still only 25, but Ike has seemingly taken his spot. Allie has 90 K's, but 41 BB's so that isn't bad. 14 Homers, and still only 23 years old. A 20 year old in low-A has 48 RBI's, Edwin Espinal. He's listed at 6'3 210, so maybe some promise there. Bucs didn't bother drafting a first basemen either. Slim pickings here.

2B - No prospects in AAA. Jarek Cunningham is in his third year of AA, so I doubt much going on there. The Pirates traded their best 2B prospect, Dilson Herrera, for Marlon Byrd. Predictably, he's batting .330 for the AA Mets.

SS - Alen Hanson is the big name here for Altoona. He's a top 10 prospect for the Bucs, some would say top 5. He's batting .280, 10 HR's 48 RBI, 18 Stolen bases as a 21 year old in AA. He should see AAA next year, but he may switch to 2B. The other big name is 22 year old Jacoby Jones for low-A West Virginia. He's in the middle of a big hitting streak. He's a bigger SS at 6"3 and he has 14 Home Runs already, a good number for that level. Of course, 18 year old first round pick Cole Tucker is one to remember although he's very far away.

3B - All the Bucs have here that is noteworthy is Wyatt Mathisen. He ended being the Pirates second pick in 2012. He was a catcher, but moved here because of the overstock of good catchers. He's hitting a modest .260 in High-A. Other than that, a position change will be the only thing saving this position's future. Maybe Jacoby Jones ends up here?

OF - This is pretty much blocked up. Mel Rojas is 24 in AAA, he's an OK prospect but stuck there. Willy Garcia in AA is 21 and is well regarded himself. Josh Bell is the big name, he's either trade bait or a first basemen. Bell is having a monster season as he's batting .355 and just got called to Altoona. Bradenton also has Barrett Barnes, the Pirates top pick of 2012 since Appel didn't sign. Low-A West Virginia has Austin Meadows, last year's top pick and 19 year old Harold Ramirez, who is doing very well for himself. So even with a loaded major league outfield, the Pirates have a ton of potential beyond those three, and could have some trade candidates.


The Pirates have options, which in past years they did not. And of course the pitching is very well stocked since that is Neal Huntington's forte. We see that Indy has a well stocked arsenal of major league fill-ins, not many prospects.

Indy - Nick Kingham and Jameson Taillon. Both typical right handed flame-throwers.
Altoona - Adrian Sampson 22 year old tall right having a good year, and top lefty starter Joely Rodriguez. JR is struggling this year, still only 22.
Bradenton - Tyler Glasnow is supporting a 1.91 ERA in 14 starts. 82 K's in 70 innings. 20 years old and stands in at imposing 6"7 and throw the ball 98. He's the next big thing.
West Virginia - Luis Heredia, the million dollar 16 year old from mexico. He's seemingly gotten worse through the years, still only 19. He's 6"6 and has the big fast ball in him somewhere.
Pirates also went overstock on 3 HS pitchers this year, and 2 last year. That's the trend NH likes to use.

[abpk2903]

crimson, I live out of the area but when I come back home, I try to get to at least 1 Curve game a year to see some of the prospects. I think I'm going to a game this weekend. Who is at Altoona that I should look out for?

[knowitall]

IMO a 3 year deal to Russell Martin in the offseason would make me feel a whole lot better. Maybe start working him at 1st or 3rd to make room for Sanchez. Still let him do some catching next year.

There is absolutely no reason to sign Russell Martin to a three year deal if he is not going to catch for three years. He is a below average hitter and his bat is not worth moving to any other position.

[Coach]

Just have to say... This is a great thread!

[PLDragons24]

Allen Hanson is in Altoona and I've heard a lot of good things about him. Could be inline to replace Mercer in the next year or two.

[PLDragons24]

Russel Martin is one of the better hitting catchers in all of baseball.