Pittsburgh Pirates: Top Performing Minor League Hitters Part One

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Rookie: Appalachian League (Appy)

The Appy League again features some raw players, mostly recently drafted high schoolers or international signings coming through the system. The league lasts after the draft in June and ends in September. The most notable name for the Pirates would be Conner Uselton, the Pirates second-round pick in 2017. Unfortunately for him, he struggled most of the year after playing just two games in 2017 because of injury.

Top Appy League Performers Components
Name	Age	PA	AVG	OBP	SLG	ISO	K%	BB%
Manny Bejerano	-1.05	-1.26	-2.29	-1.27	-2.11	-1.44	-0.30	0.17
Zac Susi	-1.05	-1.56	0.20	0.39	-1.19	-1.90	0.42	0.25
Brendt Citta	-1.05	0.54	-0.24	0.35	-0.17	-0.08	0.63	0.29
Eddy Vizcaino	-1.05	-1.08	-0.44	-0.47	-0.87	-0.95	0.72	0.09
Conner Uselton	-0.12	0.28	-0.73	-1.17	-1.41	-1.54	0.56	-0.76
Jonah Davis	-0.12	1.28	0.85	0.83	2.08	2.44	-0.28	0.13
Jeremias Portorreal	-0.12	-0.79	-1.76	-0.86	-1.38	-0.76	-1.54	0.52
Yondry Contreras	-0.12	-0.46	-1.36	-0.94	-0.81	-0.21	-0.19	-0.34
Gabriel Brito	-0.12	-0.23	-0.46	0.13	-1.26	-1.52	0.39	1.23
Francisco Mepris	-0.12	-0.53	-0.29	-0.04	-0.98	-1.22	0.51	0.69
Victor Ngoepe	-0.12	1.27	-0.78	-0.84	-1.17	-1.16	-0.03	-0.43
Mason Martin	0.82	1.70	-0.57	0.13	0.24	0.77	-1.26	1.15
Sherten Apostel	0.82	0.28	-0.07	0.95	0.62	0.96	-0.22	1.84

The only plus last season for Uselton was the strikeout rate, just 17.7 percent, but he slashed .225/.280/.250 in 175 plate appearances. Fangraphs gives the arm a 60, which is above average, and he has future 70 raw power, so there’s still hope that now even further removed from injury Uselton will start to hit. But it needs to happen soon.

One of the best performers was Sherten Apostel, who slashed .259/.406/.460, with the only drawback being the 24.0 percent strikeout rate. The third base prospect was traded in July alongside Taylor Hearn for Keone Kela.

The best performer in the Appy League for the Pirates was Jonah Davis, who hit .306/.398/.612 with 12 home runs in 51 games and 241 plate appearances. His 24.5 percent strikeout rate was high, but the 15th rounder from Berkley hit for power. He was a bit old for the level and with the lack of pedigree, Davis will need to show more, and Fangraphs wrote:

"“Davis has easy plus raw power from the left side but is a LF/DH-only defender and he struck out a ton in college”"

For Davis, the bat will need to continue to play, and with the way PNC Park is in left, perhaps he’s more a RF/DH only and the bat will have to be well above average to start. Davis is starting 2019 in Greensboro. The Total_Z scores are:

Top Appy League Performers 2018
Name	Age	PA	Total_Z
Jonah Davis	20	241	5.93
Sherten Apostel	19	175	4.90
Mason Martin	19	269	1.28
Brendt Citta	21	192	-0.29
Francisco Mepris	20	121	-1.45
Gabriel Brito	20	141	-1.61
Zac Susi	21	53	-2.87
Eddy Vizcaino	21	85	-2.97
Yondry Contreras	20	126	-3.97
Victor Ngoepe	20	240	-4.53
Conner Uselton	20	175	-5.17
Jeremias Portorreal	20	104	-5.89
Manny Bejerano	21	73	-8.29

Next. Minors Update. dark

The numbers are not adjusted for park and league and some of the players above have since been traded or released since the start of the 2018 season. The biggest names to watch in these low levels are Carlos Arroyo, Juan Pie, Samuel Iona, Jack Herman, Ji-Hwan Bae, and Jonah Davis. There are some positional and defensive concerns among this group, primarily with Iona and Davis. Conner Uselton had a rough first season and will hopefully bounce back in 2019 and show why the Pirates took him in round two.

*All numbers and scouting reports from Fangraphs

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