By John Perrotto
November 27, 2007

Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible. Ages are as of April 1, 2008.

Scouting reports for the Top 10 Prospects  (How to subscribe)
Pirates Chat  John Perrotto	Pre-Order the 2008 Prospect Handbook 30 scouting reports on every team

TOP TEN PROSPECTS

1. Andrew McCutchen, of 2. Neil Walker, 3b 3. Steve Pearce, 1b/of 4. Brad Lincoln, rhp 5. Daniel Moskos, lhp 6. Shelby Ford, 2b 7. Jamie Romak, of 8. Brian Bixler, ss/2b 9. Duke Welker, lhp 10. Brad Corley, of

BEST TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average Steve Pearce Best Power Hitter Steve Pearce Best Strike-Zone Discipline Steve Pearce Fastest Baserunner Pedro Powell Best Athlete Andrew McCutchen Best Fastball Daniel Moskos Best Curveball Dave Davidson Best Slider Daniel Moskos Best Changeup Tony Watson Best Control Todd Redmond Best Defensive Catcher Andrew Walker Best Defensive Infielder Brian Friday Best Infield Arm Brian Bixler Best Defensive Outfielder Andrew McCutchen Best Outfield Arm Austin McClune

PROJECTED 2011 LINEUP

Catcher Ronny Paulino First Base Adam LaRoche Second Base Freddy Sanchez Third Base Neil Walker Shortstop Jack Wilson Left Field Jason Bay Center Field Andrew McCutchen Right Field Steve Pearce No. 1 Starter Tom Gorzelanny No. 2 Starter Ian Snell No. 3 Starter Brad Lincoln No. 4 Starter Paul Maholm No. 5 Starter Zach Duke Closer Matt Capps

TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2007 1998 Kris Benson, rhp Orioles 1999 Chad Hermansen, of Marlins 2000 Chad Hermansen, of Marlins 2001 J.R. House, c Orioles 2002 J.R. House, c Orioles 2003 John Van Benschoten, rhp Pirates 2004 John Van Benschoten, rhp Pirates 2005 Zach Duke, lhp Pirates 2006 Neil Walker, c Pirates 2007 Andrew McCutchen, of Pirates

TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2007 1998 Clint Johnson, lhp/of Northern Lg. 1999 Bobby Bradley, rhp Out of baseball 2000 Sean Burnett, lhp Pirates 2001 John Van Benschoten, rhp Pirates 2002 Bryan Bullington, rhp Pirates 2003 Paul Maholm, lhp Pirates 2004 Neil Walker, c Pirates 2005 Andrew McCutchen, of Pirates 2006 Brad Lincoln, rhp Pirates 2007 Daniel Moskos, lhp Pirates

LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY

Bryan Bullington, 2002 $4,000,000 Brad Lincoln, 2006 $2,750,000 Daniel Moskos, 2007 $2,475,000 John Van Benschoten, 2001 $2,400,000 Bobby Bradley, 1999 $2,225,000

PIRATES LINKS

Pirates' Team Page Pirates Top 10 Scouting Reports  Last Year's Pirates Top 10 Prospects 2007 Draft: Pirates (Basic Database) 2007 Draft: Pirates  (Advanced Database) 2007 Draft Report Cards: National League  Complete Index of Top 10 Prospects Pre-Order the 2008 Prospect Handbook

The Pirates finally completely blew up their organization following the 2007 season, after years of poor drafts and the farm system's failure to produce star-quality players contributed to a continuing downward spiral for the franchise.

Team president Kevin McClatchy, who put together the group that bought the team in 1995, was nudged aside by majority owner Bob Nutting and replaced by Frank Coonelly, who had been a Major League Baseball vice president and chief labor counsel. Nutting, whose family had quietly taken over majority interest in the Pirates many years earlier, also became the public face of the franchise when he assumed the role of controlling owner.

General manager Dave Littlefield was fired after six unsuccessful years on the job, capped by a bizarre deal at the trade deadline. He acquired Matt Morris, who had $13.7 million left on his three-year, $27 million contract and was winless in his previous eight starts, from the Giants for a pair of marginal prospects in outfielder Rajai Davis and righthander Steven MacFarland.

Neal Huntingon, a special assistant to Indians GM Mark Shapiro, was hired to replace Littlefield. Huntington jettisoned manager Jim Tracy, who compiled a 135-189 record in two years, and hired John Russell, manager of Philadelphia's Triple-A farm club and a former Pirates third-base coach, to replace him.

Huntington also fired farm director Brian Graham and scouting director Ed Creech, who in six years together couldn't produce the talent necessary to end a string of 15 straight losing season, one short of the major league record set by the Phillies from 1933-48. After a long search, Huntington named Indians assistant farm director Kyle Stark to replace Graham and former Tigers scouting director Greg Smith to take over for Creech.

"We need to change the culture of the organization," Huntington said. "It's not always easy to make changes. I had to let go some very good baseball people and that was very difficult. However, it has become fairly obvious that we need a fresh start here, new people and some new ideas."

Huntington believes player development and scouting will be the lifeblood of the small-market franchise. He also plans to hire more area scouts in an effort to improve the flow of talent into a farm system that hasn't signed an impact hitter since third baseman Aramis Ramirez out of the Dominican Republic in 1995.

Pittsburgh has been somewhat better at producing pitchers in recent years. They drafted each of their top three starters in 2007—Ian Snell, Tom Gorzelanny and Paul Maholm—as well as closer Matt Capps.

"I feel we're building an organization that is going to be very cohesive, with the scouting and player development departments on the same page in their goal of finding talent, developing and sending it to the major leagues," Huntington said.

"I think these are good people with a lot of good ideas. It will be a cohesive group, everyone committed to making the Pittsburgh Pirates a winning organization again, but also a group that has people that will challenge each other and be willing to step outside their individual boxes."

Scouting reports for the Top 10 Prospects  (How to subscribe)

Pre-Order the 2008 Prospect Handbook 30 scouting reports on every team