Pittsburgh Pirates Top 30 Prospects: Ranking from 30-25

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Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

As the season approaches, it is time to look at the Pittsburgh Pirates top 30 prospects. First up will be numbers 30-25 in terms of prospect rankings. All six are currently in the minor leagues.

As many Pittsburgh Pirates fans know, Neal Huntington and company have always focused on having a strong farm system. The team struggled in terms of drafting before Neal Huntington arrived, and even struggled under him in his first few years. However, since about 2010, Neal Huntington and staff have seemed to have started finding and developing more players.

Meanwhile, Rene Gayo and his staff continue to feed the pipeline with international talent. Gayo, who is known as one of the best international scouts in baseball, thrives on finding lesser known prospects who develop into legitimate top 30 prospects. Pittsburgh Pirates players like Gregory Polanco and Alen Hanson signed for minimal bonuses compared to other prospects who end up never making it to the MLB. Polanco received a bonus of $150,000 while Hanson signed for even less at $90,000. Meanwhile, Polanco is now primed to be an all-star outfielder as soon as this season, while Hanson found himself making his major league debut in 2016. All in all, the Pittsburgh Pirates have done a good job of finding talent from both the International Market and the Amateur Draft.

Say what you want about the prospects who have missed, but the fact remains Neal Huntington and staff have put together a minor league system that is routinely ranked in baseball’s top ten every season. The trend of talent continues this season, even with the Pittsburgh Pirates having graduating some of their best prospects like Jameson Taillon and soon to be Tyler Glasnow and Josh Bell. However, the Pirates still have plenty of younger prospects with plenty of upside, ready to fill the shoes on the former ones. Here are Rum Bunter’s prospect ratings 30-26:

#30, Outfielder, Barret Barnes

Barret Barnes was a compensation first round pick in 2012. He became the Pittsburgh Pirates top pick to sign that year when they failed to agree to terms with Mark Appel. Barnes was a collegiate hitter who soared up draft boards after anchoring the Texas Tech lineup in 2012. The Pirates invested a high pick in Barnes because of his athleticism and power potential. Barnes was slowed by injuries his first three years as a Pittsburgh Pirates prospect. However, Barnes has played 219 games over the last two years showing he may have matured out of the injury issues.

Barnes put together his best season in the minors by posting a .306/.377/.477 slash line. Although his age was considered league average for Double-A, it was still a positive season. This year Barnes will start in the Triple-A outfielder. Going forward, he likely projects more as a fourth outfielder. He has good speed, can play all three outfield positions, gets on base, and has good pop. However, with his injury issues in the past, he may not get a chance to develop fully. Also, he is simply blocked by the current outfield group and top prospect Austin Meadows.

#29, Shortstop, Stephen Alemais

Stephen Alemais was the Pittsburgh Pirates third round pick in 2016. He became the third shortstop to be taken in the top three rounds by the Pirates since 2014 (Cole Tucker and Kevin Newman). Alemais was drafted purely on his defensive ability. When drafted, he was noted by MLB Pipeline for his ability to make “highlight plays,” and that is why he likely would be one of the highest picked college shortstops. Overall, Alemais has the tools to stay at short. He is quick laterally and has a very strong arm that can be utilized on backhanded plays.

The big question around Alemais will be if he will develop any offense. In his 50 minor league games last year, Alemais posted a slash line of .249/.286/.306. These numbers are very underwhelming, specifically in the slugging department. However, with leaving school, he has been able to dedicate more time to his training. This off-season he posted numerous videos on twitter of him working out with Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran, this can only help. If anything, training with two fantastic hitters should help his offense. If he can get his offensive stats up to around league average, he very well could be an everyday shortstop. Assuming not, his glove likely will still get him to the big leagues as a bench player.

#28, Reliever, Dovydas Neverauskas

Dovydas Neverauskas is a hard throwing reliever who was picked up via an International signing. However, the key is he is not from the traditional locations such as the Caribean or Central America, he instead hails from the small country of Lithuania in Southern Europe. Dovydas signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates back in 2009 when he was sixteen. Originally a starting pitcher, Neverauskas transitioned to the bullpen during the 2015 season. Since that move he has seen much better results, and he has gone from just another minor leaguer with a good arm to having a legitimate shot at making the majors and having some success.

Neverauskas mainly throws two pitches, a fastball and a slider. However, with his fastball, he also throws a cutter. His fastball and cutter mainly sit in the mid to high 90s, topping out at 97-98. Meanwhile, his high 80s slider is above average and should be a good out pitch in the majors. In 22 games at Double-A, the Lithuanian posted a 2.57 earned run average. He then went to Triple-A where he saw his ERA climb up to 3.60. Neverauskas is likely to start at Triple-A this season. He very well could be one of the first relievers called up when an injury occurs. He profiles as a future seventh or eighth inning reliever.

#27, Max Moroff, Second Base

Max Moroff made his big league debut in July of 2016. Moroff was a 16th round draft pick in 2012. He received a rather a large bonus for a 16th round pick, grabbing $300,000. Looking at Moroff’s power numbers and batting average will not tell the whole story about the infielder. His best trait is his versatility on defense and ability to get on base.

Moroff is listed by Baseball Reference as a second baseman and a shortstop. However, in 2016 he also saw time at third base for Triple-A Indy. On the offensive side, there is not much that will grab one’s attention. His career batting average is .255 and he has slugged at a .365 rate. With that being said, Moroff has a career on-base percentage of .356, 101 points higher than his career batting average.

Moroff is known for his discipline and patience at the plate. He really showed this last year when he got on base at a .367 clip, despite hitting .230 on the season. This was by far his worst year in terms of actual hitting, but somehow he still found himself on base by walking 90 times. Because of this, Moroff’s ceiling is a utility infield player. He will likely be good for double switches and being sent to the plate when the Pirates need a base runner against a pitcher with questionable command.

#26, Kevin Krause, Catcher and Outfield

Kevin Krause is not known by many Pittsburgh Pirates fans. However, he has posted very strong numbers on the offensive side of the game since joining the organization. Krause was a ninth-round draft pick in 2014, and the second catcher the Pittsburgh Pirates took in the top 10 rounds that year. The Stony Brooke College product was originally behind fourth round pick Taylor Gushue, but quickly surpassed him.

Krause had a strong debut as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. In 2014, he posted a .276/.363/.560 slash line. However, his 2015 season was delayed when he felt tightness in his throwing elbow. As it turns out, Krause needed Tommy-John Surgery, and he missed all of 2015 and part of 2016. Krause returned for the final 52 games in 2016. Because of his Tommy-John Surgery, Krause saw 24 games in right field along with his time behind the dish. Krause, who already was considered average behind the plate, may be pushed out from behind the plate because of his arm surgery. Regardless, he did not miss a beat at the plate. In 2016 he posted a .273/.400/.369 slash line, once again showing an advanced approach at the plate. Even more impressive, he walked 35 times while only striking out 26 times.

Regardless of where Krause ends up defensively, he has an advanced approach at the plate, can work walks, and consistently hit. His power did drop off last year, but that should return as he matures and goes through a traditional off-season rather than a rehabbing one.

#25, Jose Osuna, First Base and Outfield

Jose Osuna is player turning many heads in Spring Training, and he has slowly put together a strong minor league career. The now 24 year old signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization back in 2009, and made his debut in the organization in 2010. In the minors, he has a career slash line of .278/.330/.439. He also has shown decent home run power, hitting more than 10 home runs in five of his seven seasons, including 16 in 2012 Low-A and 13 between Double-A and Triple-A last season. Speaking of Triple-A, last year Osuna posted a .291/.333/.482 slash line for the Indians.

Osuna brings position flexibility. He is considered to play an average corner outfield spot and also plus defense at first base. Like many other prospects, Osuna’s path to the majors is currently blocked. He will start the season in Triple-A. However, if he continues to hit the ball well in Triple-A, he could make a push to be added to the Pittsburgh Pirates bench at some point this season.

Final Thoughts of 30-25

The Pittsburgh Pirates bottom five prospects all have the tools to make the big league club one day. Looking at the bottom three position players – Barnes, Alemais, and Moroff – they all look to be nice bench pieces. All three are athletic and can play multiple positions in their given field.

Potential Impact 2017 Pieces

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Meanwhile, Neverauskas projects to be an upside, power bullpen arm, who could provide quality innings as soon as this year and beyond. Krause is the furthest away out of the five prospects covered. He likely will start in Low-A West Virginia, and will need to continue working back from all the time he missed. However, his offense seems to project to be plus tool and as he matures, and grows stronger, he will add more pop.

Lastly is Osuna. Osuna is the highest upside of the four position players. For some teams, he probably could find himself getting a starting nod at first base or in right field. However, the Bucs are so deep in the outfield and have Josh Bell at first base. The Bucs will look for Osuna to prove that his impressive Triple-A numbers and current Spring Training numbers are not a fluke. If he does, he could provide a nice, right-handed hitting option with pop off the bench by mid-season.

Next: Interview With Taylor Hearn

Upcoming: 24-19

This was the start of the Pittsburgh Pirates “Top 30 Prospects” articles. The articles will be released in five installments looking at six prospects an article. Rum Bunter has put the list together based on a comprehensive formula that equates hitter’s efficiency in their previous season and careers. It does the same for pitches except the formula measures the pitcher’s overall effectiveness. Also in general, overall perceived ceiling of said prospects. Expect prospects ranked 24-19 to be released by Friday.

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