Pirates Top Prospects Struggling
Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com, listed the Pittsburgh Pirates top 10 prospects as follows:
- Jameson Taillon (RHP) A-West Virginia 2-2 with an 3.86 ERA and 1.14 WHIP (49-8 strikeout-walk ratio)
- Stetson Allie (RHP) SS-State College 0-0 with an 5.40 ERA and 1.87 WHIP (17 strikeouts in 15 innings)
- Tony Sanchez (C) AA-Altoona .239 average with 3 homeruns and 24 RBI (.307 SLG%)
- Rudy Owens (LHP) AAA-Indianapolis 6-6 with an 5.27 ERA and 1.49 WHIP
- Bryan Morris (RHP) AA-Altoona 1-3 with an 3.65 ERA and 1.30 WHIP
- Luis Heredia (RHP) R-GCL Pirates 0-1 with an 4.00 ERA and 1.33 WHIP
- Jeff Locke (LHP) AA-Altoona 5-8 with an 4.67 ERA and 1.40 WHIP (92 strikeouts in 94.1 innings)
- Starling Marte (OF) AA-Altoona .314 average with 5 homeruns and 28 RBI (.455 SLG%)
- Zack Von Rosenberg (RHP) A-West Virginia 3-6 with an 7.39 ERA and 1.48 WHIP (67-14 strikeout-walk ratio)
- Colton Cain (LHP) A-West Virginia 5-7 with an 3.15 ERA and 1.02 WHIP (68-24 strikeout-walk ratio)
As you can see, for the most part, these numbers are average at best for top prospects. However, Tony Sanchez still has not returned to where he was before breaking his jaw last season.
Sanchez is struggling with his whole game. Defensively he has committed 11 errors, resulting in a poor .977 fielding percentage. He has caught 23% of attempted base stealers, an improvement over last seasons 15% and has only 3 past balls in 65 games.
Offensively he has struggled all year. He his hitting .189 and slugging .210 in his last 10 games. Even so, Mayo estimates 2012 as his arrival, this appears to be a bit optimistic.
I have nothing against Sanchez and surely hope he succeeds, but sometimes a player has all the tools and just never arrives. Lets hope he and his fellow Pirate prospects are not some of them.
