2006 MLB Draft: Pittsburgh Pirates

Total Picks: 50 (College: 23, High School: 18, Juco: 9, Other: 0)
Position Players: 25  Pitchers: 25

Players signed indicated in Bold

Round Overall Player Position School State Bonus
1 4 Brad Lincoln rhp Houston TX $2,750,000
Always a talented two-way player, Lincoln began building momentum as a possible 2006 first-rounder with a breakout performance in the Cape Cod League last summer. He has continued improving and made himself a candidate to go to the Royals with the No. 1 overall pick. Lincoln raised his arm slot while on the Cape and became more confident challenging hitters. He's throwing more downhill, making his size (6 feet) less of an issue, and locating his pitches better in the strike zone. He sits at 91-93 mph with good life on his fastball, touches 95-96 most games and has peaked at 98. He holds that velocity throughout games. His curveball is equally as impressive, and he can throw it for strikes or break it out of the zone as a chase pitch. He also shows feel for a changeup that's close to an average pitch already. Lincoln is close to big league ready and his competitive makeup means he'll get everything out of his considerable ability. A lefthanded hitter with power to all fields, Lincoln led the Cougars in RBIs as a first baseman/DH. He conceivably could move to third base or the outfield as a pro, but he's too good on the mound to consider that option.
2 48 Mike Felix lhp Troy AL $725,000
Following a disappointing stint at Auburn, Felix transferred to Troy and split time between the outfield and the mound. He came on strong this spring, pitching in relief and flashing a fastball up to 93 mph and a plus breaking ball. Felix has drawn comparisons to Mike Hampton for his athletic frame. His arm works well from a high three-quarters slot, which enables him to get good downward break on his curveball. He will throw his curveball in any count, and it's a swing and miss pitch with nasty late break. He pitches at 89 mph and showed good command of all of his pitches this season, though in the past he struggled to throw strikes. This season he began mixing his pitches and changing speed off his fastball, which elevated his stock. He shows an adequate changeup. His ceiling is that of a set-up man, and as long as he can continue to throw strikes Felix figures to fill a role as a reliable reliever.
3 80 Shelby Ford 2b Oklahoma State OK $450,000
Ford hit 16 homers as a freshman and .370 as a sophomore at Texas Christian, but he slumped horribly in the first half of the season after transferring to Oklahoma State. He snapped out of it in time to re-establish himself as the top college position prospect in the state. He's a switch-hitter who has a good stroke from both sides of the plate (especially lefthanded). He has loft in his swing and could add power if he can bulk up his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame. A former shortstop, he's dependable if not flashy with the glove. He profiles as an offensive-oriented second baseman or utilityman as a pro.
4 110 Jared Hughes rhp Long Beach State CA $305,000
Hughes entered 2003 as one of the nation's top prep prospects--ranked right with lefthander Andrew Miller, the No. 1 overall prospect this spring--only to have a so-so spring that sent his stock tumbling. He opted to attend Santa Clara, but a shakeup in the coaching staff and a difficult first season there led Hughes to transfer to Long Beach State. He isn't a strikeout pitcher and profiles for the back of the rotation, despite his big frame. His two-seam fastball sits at 90-91 mph and has average sinking life when Hughes is at his best. He has a good feel for his solid-average slider and gets a lot of groundballs with both pitches. He can throw a decent curve, and his changeup, which has cutting action in to lefthanded hitters, could become an average pitch as he throws it more often. Hughes is intelligent, and at times too analytical and just needs to stay aggressive in the strike zone. While scouts have questioned his competitiveness over the years, Long Beach State's staff has been pleased with his makeup and approach.
5 140 Pat Bresnehan rhp Arizona State AZ $202,500
Bresnehan's performance has not matched the potential forecast for him out of a Massachusetts high school. Bresnahan has a power body and a fastball that reaches 93 mph (particularly when he pitches in relief), but his stuff flattens out too often, and he has lost his feel for the strike zone as a junior.
6 170 Jim Negrych 2b Pittsburgh PA $150,000
There is quality at the top of Pennsylvania's college ranks, but little depth. Third-team preseason All-America second baseman Jim Negrych lived up to his lofty offensive expectations, leading Pittsburgh in the triple crown categories (.396-11-60). At the same time, Negrych is undersized (he's generously listed at 5-foot-10), not very athletic, a below-average runner and a poor defender at second base. He plays above his tools to get the job done, and his lone above-average tool is the most important: He can really hit. Early in the year, Negrych was trying to elevate everything, but as the season progressed he returned to his smooth line-drive stroke and his statistics improved. Negrych generates good bat speed and slightly above-average power with his quick hands, but he thrives when he stays in control and drives balls to the gaps or the opposite field. He has improved his approach and pitch recognition this season, becoming a more selective, mature hitter. Defensively, Negrych has below-average arm strength, he plays the wrong hops, and he never has forward momentum when he fields the ball. His bat and makeup will likely carry him to the top five rounds, and the paucity of position players could inflate his stock further, but he would be a reach in the top three rounds.
7 200 Austin McClune of Santa Fe HS, Edmond, Okla. OK $140,000
McClune is a center-field version of Tyler Henson. He's a 6-foot-2, 175-pound athlete with speed, raw power and arm strength. As with Henson, McClune is still raw and not a sure thing at the plate. He starred at defensive back for a Santa Fe High football team (quarterbacked by Ty Weeden) that went 11-0 before losing in the state 6-A quarterfinals. McClune has the option of attending either Oklahoma State or Seminole State if he doesn't turn pro.
8 230 Alex Presley of Mississippi MS $95,000
Pressley arrived in Oxford thanks in part to the recruiting of his Neville High teammate, Robert Lane. Lane was the more highly touted of the twosome entering their senior seasons in 2003, but spent his time concentrating on football at Ole Miss. Pressley, meanwhile, developed in to a good all-around outfielder. He doesn't hit for enough power to play a corner outfield position, and his range doesn't profile in center. He has good speed and a below-average arm.
9 260 Steve Macfarland rhp Lamar TX $76,000
Macfarland opened his college career at Pace (N.Y.) in 2004, then transferred to Lamar when the Setters dropped to NCAA Division II. He spent most of his freshman and sophomore seasons as a reliever before making the transition to starting this spring. Macfarland won his first three decisions but has been inconsistent ever since. He pitched in the low 90s and touched 94 coming out of the bullpen in the Cape Cod League last summer, but has sat mostly in the high 80s in 2006. His fastball lacks life and his command wavers, so it's hittable when he leaves it over the plate. His slider can be a plus pitch at times, clocking in at 80-83 mph. He projects better as a reliever in pro ball, and he's going to have to improve his control in any case. A team that liked his arm strength on the Cape could pop him in the fifth round.
10 290 Charles Benoit lhp Oklahoma State OK $55,000
11 320 Lonnie Chisenhall 3b West Carteret HS, Morehead City, N.C. NC
Chisenhall served as his team's leadoff hitter and was intentionally walked in the first inning of a game this spring, a mark of the respect opponents showed him. A pure hitter with the ability to rake from the left side of the plate, Chisenhall's overall game is not polished. There are mixed reviews on his power potential, leading some observers to wonder if he is ready to make the jump to pro ball. Chisenhall is a below-average runner with sloppy footwork. A shortstop in high school, he rates as an average defender who will land at third base or possibly left field. He committed to play at South Carolina and is considered a tough sign.
12 350 Kent Sakamoto 1b Fresno State CA
13 380 Brandon Holden rhp Douglas HS, Parkland, Fla. FL $155,000
Holden came on strong early in the spring, helping Douglas High to a national ranking and flashing improved velocity in front of lots of scouts who were also evaluating teammate David Christensen. He was lifted from a late March outing with a sore triceps muscle and had at least one MRI, and he never returned to the mound in game action. It was uncertain if he would be healthy enough to pitch in the Florida high school all-star game right before the draft. Holden has a loose, quick arm and a projectable body. His mechanics require some cleaning up. He often misses up in the zone, but when his delivery is online his fastball has good life at 88-92 mph. His hammer curveball is an above-average offering, though he gets around it occasionally. He had potential to be taken as high as the second or third round, but his inconsistent fastball command and health could cause him to slip.
14 410 Greg Smith 1b Fordham NY
15 440 James Barksdale of North Alabama AL
16 470 Kris Watts c Santa Clara CA
Santa Clara senior Kris Watts is a decent receiver and thrower who also has lefthanded pop.
17 500 Mike Crotta rhp Florida Atlantic FL
Crotta's changeup is a 60 pitch on the 20-80 scouting scale, and he mixed in a split-finger fastball for Florida Atlantic. His fastball sits between 88-92 mph.
18 530 Francisco Ortiz rhp Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, Toa Alta, P.R. PR
19 560 Jason Moseby of Newport HS, Bellevue, Wash. WA
20 590 Matt Clarkson c Oklahoma State OK
21 620 Kody Paul rhp Glynn Academy, Brunswick, Ga. GA
22 650 Miles Durham of Northwestern State LA
23 680 Preston Claiborne 3b Newman Smith HS, Carrolton, Texas TX
Tulane has had a nice run of two position players in recent years, with first-round picks Michael Aubrey and Brian Bogusevic among them. Claiborne could be the next in line if he decides to attend college. Scouts are split on whether he should pursue pitching or hitting as a pro. As a pitcher, he has an 88-89 mph fastball that reaches 92 mph, plus a hard slider and good command. As a hitter, he has a short stroke, bat speed and a lot of power, including to the opposite field. His strong 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame is an asset either way. Claiborne obviously has the arm strength for third base, but he may fit more as a corner outfielder in pro ball. The two factors working against him in the draft are that he struggled on a national stage at last year's Area Code Games, and that Tulane recruits are notoriously difficult to sign.
24 710 Scott Massey rhp Southern Mississippi MS
25 740 Adam Simon rhp San Diego State CA
26 770 Ryan Kelly rhp Hilton Head (S.C.) HS SC $100,000
27 800 Cache Breedlove 3b Santa Fe HS, Edmond, Okla. OK
28 830 Rudy Owens lhp Mesa (Ariz.) HS AZ $390,000
29 860 Brandon Williams rhp South Carolina-Upstate SC
30 890 Alphonso Owens of Dillon (S.C.) HS SC
31 920 Jared Keel 3b Troy AL
32 950 Jorge Charry rhp Lake City (Fla.) CC FL
33 980 Victor Alvarez ss Cumberland (Tenn.) TN
34 1010 Pernell Halliman rhp West Hills (Calif.) JC CA
35 1040 Josue Peley ss Seminole State (Okla.) JC OK $110,000
36 1070 Chadwick Arnold rhp Southridge HS, Kennewick, Wash. WA
37 1100 Damian Walcott of Brookdale (N.J.) CC NJ
38 1130 Brian McCullen rhp Western Carolina NC
39 1160 Tom Hagan of Virginia VA
40 1190 Phillip Brannon rhp Broome HS, Spartanburg, S.C. SC
41 1220 Scott Kuhns rhp Parkland (Ill.) CC IL
42 1250 Jon Harmston lhp Bullard HS, Fresno, Calif. CA
43 1279 Devin Copley rhp Gulf Coast (Fla.) CC FL
44 1308 Tanner Hines ss Hudson HS, Lufkin, Texas TX
45 1337 Paul-Michael Klingsberg 1b Notre Dame HS, Sherman Oaks, Calif. CA
46 1366 Ryan Groth of Indian River (Fla.) CC FL
47 1394 Brandon Wilkerson ss Lamar HS, Arlington, Texas TX
48 1422 Ken Wieda rhp Vernon (Texas) JC TX
49 1450 Carson Middelton rhp Lindale (Texas) HS TX
50 1478 Marquise Zachery of Lake City (Fla.) CC FL

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