Pittsburgh Pirates: MLB Pipeline Updated Top 30 Prospects

MLB Pipeline has released their mid-season update for every team’s top 30 prospect rankings.  Here is a look at the minor league players on the Pittsburgh Pirates list.

Every year around the trade deadline it is interesting to see where prospects rank on MLB Pipeline’s top 30 list.  Often times, when fans look at either possibly trading away prospects or acquiring ones, the MLB Pipeline list, is a resource used to help assess a trade idea.  The other reason the mid season update is so interesting is that the newly signed draft picks are ranked.  So, it is always curious to see just how highly rated these new prospects end up being.  Here is a look at MLB Pipeline’s newly ranked top 20 Pittsburgh Pirates prospects.  For the complete top 30 list click the following link: Top 30.

"Austin Meadows, Outfield, Triple-AMitch Keller, Right Handed Starting Pitcher, High-AShane Baz, Right Handed Starting Pitcher, Gulf Coast LeagueKe’Bryan Hayes, Third Baseman, High-ACole Tucker, Shortstop, Double-A/High-AKevin Newman, Shortstop, Triple-A/Double-ASteven Brault, Left Handed Starting Pitcher, Triple-A/MLBWill Craig, First Baseman, High-ANick Kingham, Right Handed Starting Pitcher, Triple-AKevin Kramer, Second Baseman, Double-ASteven Jennings, Right Handed Starting Pitcher, Gulf Coast LeagueTaylor Hearn, Left Handed Starting Pitcher, High-AGage Hinsz, Right Handed Starting Pitcher, High-ACalvin Mitchell, Outfielder, Gulf Coast LeagueConner Uselton, Outfielder, Gulf Coast LeagueLuis Escobar, Right Handed Starting Pitcher, Low-ATravis MacGregor, Right Handed Starting Pitcher, Short-Season BristolClay Holmes, Right Handed Starting Pitcher, Triple-AYeudy Garcia, Starting/Relief Right Handed Pitcher, Double-AJordan Luplow, Outfielder, Triple-A/Double-A"

Overall the list has not changed much from the beginning of the year.  However, many players have left the Pittsburgh Pirates Top 30 since the beginning of April.  This includes Tyler Glasnow, Josh Bell, Alen Hanson, Trevor Williams, Elias Diaz, Max Moroff, and Jose Osuna.  With that being said, Austin Meadows and Mitch Keller are the logical top two.  Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Pirates find four of their most recent draft picks in the top 15.  Shane Baz being ranked number three shows how much upside he is believed to have.

The most interesting change on the list is seeing Kevin Newman fall below both Ke’Bryan Hayes and Cole Tucker.  Newman, had an up and down season at Double-A this year.  He found himself off to a good start before being struck in the face by a pitch.  However, since moving up to Triple-A he has found more of his 2016 success.  The biggest jump forward was Kevin Kramer, who was a fringe top 20 prospect at the beginning of the season, now finds himself ranked as a top 10 prospect.

Next: A Glance at Baz, Jennings, and Bolton So Far

Furthermore, a player who has struggled, but did not fall, was Nick Kingham.  Kingham has struggled so far this season at the Triple-A level.  Even so, MLB Pipeline still believes in his stuff by ranking him in the top 10.  This could be because it is Kingham’s first full season back from Tommy-John and he is still trying to return to form.  All in all, it is an interesting list.  Check back for Rum Bunter’s own Top 30 Prospect list.