Pittsburgh Pirates Top-15 Prospects of 2010, No’s 6 – 15

ALSO SEE – Pirates Top Prospects, No’s 1 – 5

Grades are based on a prospect’s projected value over the course of his career and how likely it is that prospect will fulfill his projected value. Various factors are accounted for including upside, red flags, actual performance, and closeness to the majors. See the 2010 Prospect Primer for more information as it relates to prospect grading and philosophy.

Hitters must have 100 or fewer Major League ABs to qualify for this list. Starting pitchers must have 50 or fewer Major League innings to qualify for this list. Relief pitchers must have 25 or fewer Major League innings to qualify for this list. Ages are listed as of May 1st, 2010. Levels are based on the highest level in which a prospect played in 2009. All grades are subject to change based on any new information I receive before the season starts.

If you need to reach me in any way, please contact me via e-mail or post a comment at the bottom of the page and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. The first two prospects are available for everybody to read.

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Player Grades
Contact – 45 Now | 55 Future
Power – 40 | 45
Discipline – 50 | 60
Speed – 55 | 55
Defense – 50 | 55
Arm – 55 | 55
Instincts – 55 | 65
ETA – 2012
Final Grade – B-

Body Type – A little on the small side, but he’s got an athletic and muscular build

Scouting Report

Chase d’Arnaud is a well rounded player that does many things well. His best attribute is his approach and discipline at the plate. He understands the importance of getting on base as evidenced by his .394 OBP in Single-A West Virginia and .402 OBP in A+ Lynchburg. He does an excellent job of spoiling pitches to extend at bats.

D’Arnaud has pretty good pitch recognition though he seems to struggle against good breaking balls. He’s also susceptible to pitches in on the hands. D’Arnaud does have some power to the pull side, but it grades out as below average overall.

D’Arnaud employs a short swing, and adjusts his approach for the situation at hand, cutting down his swing when he has to.

Defensively, D’Arnaud can play either shortstop or second base, which is a very nice luxury for any team to have. D’Arnaud also has better than average speed, but his instincts help play up his success on the base paths.

Best Case Outcome – Above average offensive shortstop or second baseman

More Likely Outcome – Average everyday shortstop or second baseman

Player Grades
Fastball – 45 Now | 55 Future
Curveball – 50 | 55/60
Change-Up – 50 | 55
Control – 50 | 60
Command – 50 | 55
Pitchability – 50 | 65
ETA – 2013
Final Grade – B-

Body Type – Athletic and projectable

Stuff

Fastball – Clocked between 88 – 91 with good life, Rosenberg can command it to both sides of the plate and keeps it down in the zone

Curveball – Deceptive with good bite and a pretty late break…has a slurve like break, but it comes from the same arm slot as the fastball and looks like a fastball coming out of his hand. See an 89 mph fastball below on the left and a 76 mph curveball on the right:

*Credit to the MLB Scouting Bureau

Change-Up – Good deception and maintains his arm speed well, the pitch can range anywhere between 8 – 12 mph less than his fastball and has a lot of fade and sink

Scouting Report

Zack Von Rosenberg is praised for his feel of pitching. He can pick up on the tendencies of hitters and understands how to set hitters up. He commands all his offerings well and can work all the quadrants of the strike zone. Von Rosenberg doesn’t have overpowering stuff, so being able to command his pitches is essential.

Rosenberg has athletic mechanics and he repeats them well. He takes a very long stride that might be best if shortened, but his arm works well.

Rosenberg jerks his head at release. I’m not sure if it’s something that has a negative impact on one’s health, but it does help play up his off-speed pitches because hitters gear up for something hard.

Rosenberg might start at a higher level than your normal high school pitcher because of his advanced feel for pitching.

Best Case Outcome – No. 2 starter

More Likely Outcome – No. 3 starter

Brief Rundown on Prospects 8 – 15

8. Tim Alderson | RHP | Grade – B-/C+ – Stuff dropped off last year and he didn’t miss bats in Double-A…now projects as a back of the rotation starter, but his upside is a No. 3 if he can get back to what he once was

9. Rudy Owens | LHP | Grade – B-/C+ – Command lefty projects as a back of the rotation starter

10. Gorkys Hernandez | CF | Grade – C+ – Tremendous defensive center fielder, but there are serious questions about the quality of his bat

11. Dan McCutchen | RHP | Grade – C+ – Limited upside, but he has the 5th spot in Pittsburgh’s rotation locked down

12. Ronald Uviedo | RHP | Grade – C+ – Could rise quickly with a move to the bullpen

13. Victor Black | RHP | Grade – C+ – Power arm from the 2009 draft is another guy that could rise quickly, but he must improve his command

14. Colton Cain | LHP | Grade – C+ – Big lefty received a $1.125 million signing bonus as an 8th round pick…he’ll miss the first couple months of the season with back surgery

15. Brooks Pounders | RHP | Grade – C+ – Big body, but more of a finesse pitcher with an upside of a No. 3 starter

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Other C+ Prospects

16. Brett Lorin | RHP | Age – 23 – Big righty put up big numbers in West Virginia and projects as a back of the rotation starter

17. Jarek Cunningham | SS/3b | Age – 20 – Injured for all of 2009 with a torn ACL, but he showed a lot of potential when he was healthy

18. Robbie Grossman | CF | Age – 20 – Quick bat who surprised many by his patience, but he has major contact problems he’ll have to overcome

19. Jeff Locke | LHP | Age – 22 – The lefty is really inconsistent, but he has good stuff when he’s on

HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) – Aaron Pribanic (RHP) | Quinton Miller (RHP) | Trent Stevenson (RHP) | Ramon Cabrera (C) | Brian Friday (SS) | Jeff Inman (RHP) | Jesus Brito (3b) | Quincy Latimore (OF) | John Raynor (OF) | Josh Harrison (2b) | Neil Walker (3b) | Dan Moskos (LHP) | Casey Erickson (RHP) | Rogelios Noris (LF) | Eliecer Navarro (LHP) | Matt Hague (3b/1b) | Bryan Morris (RHP) | Diego Moreno (RHP) | Zach Dodson (LHP)

ALSO SEE – Pittsburgh Pirates Top Prospects, No’s 1 – 5

UP NEXT – St. Louis Cardinals Top Prospects, No’s 1 – 5

Other References and Resources Used for This Article – First Inning and Minor League Splits