Pittsburgh Pirates 2013 Prospect Watch: Ranks 16-20 - KHarmo88's Dynasty

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Pittsburgh Pirates 2013 Prospect Watch: Ranks 16-20

Posted on March 15, 2013 at 09:26 PM.

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Rank 16: Tony Sanchez

The 2013 season is a big one for the former first-rounder out of Boston College. Sanchez looked as good as advertised at the start of his pro career, a defensive-minded backstop who could hit maybe a bit more than expected and get to the big leagues fairly quickly. He stalled a bit in Double-A, spending parts of two seasons there, before reaching Triple-A in 2012. His 2012 campaign was a bit of a bounce-back, where he showed some of the same line-drive hitting ability he had in the past, albeit without too much power. While he did commit 14 passed balls, he regained some of his focus defensively and threw out 29 percent of would-be basestealers across the two levels. The two-year deal Russell Martin signed gives Sanchez a little more time to smooth out some rough edges, but the Pirates are hoping he�s moving in the right direction.

ETA: 2014

Rank 17: Victor Black

The Pirates knew Black had tremendous arm strength. That is, after all, why they drafted him out of Dallas Baptist in the first place. But the right-hander had trouble staying healthy at first, missing nearly all of his first full season and not getting a lot of mound time in 2011. Moved to the bullpen that year, Black really took off with the push to Double-A in 2012, where he struck out 12.75 per nine innings. His fastball can be plus, into the mid-90s with sink, and he combines it with a hard slider that could be a Major League average pitch. Black's control, however, hasn't been as solid. Though his walk rate did drop in 2012, he had trouble throwing strikes during his Arizona Fall League stint. If Black can find the strike zone with more consistency, he has the stuff to pitch out of the back end of the bullpen.

ETA: 2013

Rank 18: Willy Garcia

A few things stand out about this young outfielder from the Dominican Republic. One is his tall, muscular and athletic frame. Another is his raw power. And a third is his throwing arm. Garcia was pushed to full-season ball in 2012 and played all year there at age 19. He showed some now power and finished third in the system in RBIs. Garcia also showed a penchant for striking out without drawing many walks, and after a solid first half, he really tailed off. He played both outfield corners, and while his defensive skills may be better suited to left, his arm strength plays well from right field. If Garcia can become a better hitter, he'll be able to tap into that raw power more and fit the right-field profile even better.

ETA: 2015

Rank 19: Tyler Glasnow

The Pirates have been very cautious with Glasnow, keeping him from making his professional debut until a year after he was drafted. The wait may have been worth it, as the big right-hander looked very good in the Gulf Coast League. He has the makings of two plus pitches, with a fastball touching the mid-90s and a curve that can be an out pitch at times. Glasnow's changeup is well below average right now, but there's hope he can develop it with time and experience. With his size, he'll always have to work hard on his delivery to keep his command solid. He's the classic high-risk, high-reward draftee. Glanow has a long way to go, but so far, the signs of progress have been encouraging.

ETA: 2016

Rank 20: Dilson Herrera

Some international prospects come to the United States and are, at least initially, overwhelmed. Not so for Herrera, who made his U.S. debut in 2012 and was among the Gulf Coast League leaders in a host of offensive categories. While he's not the biggest guy in the world, he's shown he can really hit and projects to be an above-average hitter in the future, with more power than you'd expect from a guy his size. A well-above-average runner, the Colombian infielder should be able steal bases consistently, and that speed should also help him with his range as he continues to get used to playing second base, having shifted from playing third in the Dominican Summer League in 2011 after signing.

ETA: 2016