By John Perrotto
November 21, 2011


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, 2011.

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TOP TEN PROSPECTS

1. Gerrit Cole, rhp 2. Jameson Taillon, rhp 3. Josh Bell, of 4. Starling Marte, of 5. Luis Heredia, rhp 6. Kyle McPherson, rhp 7. Tony Sanchez, c 8. Robbie Grossman, of 9. Stetson Allie, rhp 10. Jeff Locke, lhp

BEST TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average Starling Marte Best Power Hitter Josh Bell Best Strike-Zone Discipline Robbie Grossman Fastest Baserunner Alen Hanson Best Athlete Starling Marte Best Fastball Gerrit Cole Best Curveball Jameson Taillon Best Slider Gerrit Cole Best Changeup Kyle McPherson Best Control Kyle McPherson Best Defensive Catcher Tony Sanchez Best Defensive Infielder Pedro Ciriaco Best Infield Arm Jordy Mercer Best Defensive Outfielder Gorkys Hernandez Best Outfield Arm Starling Marte

PROJECTED 2015 LINEUP

Catcher Tony Sanchez First Base Alex Dickerson Second Base Neil Walker Third Base Pedro Alvarez Shortstop Chase d'Arnaud Left Field Andrew McCutchen Center Field Starling Marte Right Field Josh Bell No. 1 Starter Gerrit Cole No. 2 Starter Jameson Taillon No. 3 Starter Luis Heredia No. 4 Starter James McDonald No. 5 Starter Kyle McPherson Closer Stetson Allie

TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2011 Org. 2002 J.R. House, c Long Island (Atlantic) 2003 John Van Benschoten, rhp Padres 2004 John Van Benschoten, rhp Padres 2005 Zach Duke, lhp Diamondbacks 2006 Neil Walker, c Pirates 2007 Andrew McCutchen, of Pirates 2008 Andrew McCutchen, of Pirates 2009 Pedro Alvarez, 3b Pirates 2010 Pedro Alvarez, 3b Pirates 2011 Jameson Taillon, rhp Pirates

TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2011 Org. 2002 Bryan Bullington, rhp Hiroshima (Japan) 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 2008 Pedro Alvarez, 3b Pirates 2009 Tony Sanchez, c Pirates 2010 Jameson Taillon, rhp Pirates 2011 Gerrit Cole, rhp Pirates

LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY

Gerrit Cole, 2011 $8,000,000 Jameson Taillon, 2010 $6,500,000 Pedro Alvarez, 2008 $6,000,000 Josh Bell, 2011 $5,000,000 Bryan Bullington, 2002 $4,000,000

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The Pirates have committed to building from within and spending generously on scouting and player development ever since Bob Nutting ousted Kevin McClatchy as the franchise's chairman prior to the 2007 season.

Pittsburgh has spent $47.6 million in the draft during Neal Huntington's four years as general manager, including a major league-record $17 million last year in a haul that included No. 1 overall pick Gerrit Cole ($8 million) and second-rounder Josh Bell ($5 million), and reportedly drew a rebuke from commissioner Bud Selig at the owners' meetings in August. The Pirates have also been as aggressive as they have been in Latin America—they signed Mexican righthander Luis Heredia for $2.6 million in 2010—since legendary scout Howie Haak became a pioneer in that part of the world in the late 1950s.

However, all of that bonus money has yet to make an impact at the major league level. Pittsburgh's run of consecutive losing seasons now stands at 19, a record for a North American sports franchise, after it surprisingly occupied first place in the National League Central in late July only to lose 43 of its final 62 games. Of the club-record 52 players who saw action for the Pirates last season, just Pedro Alvarez and Chase d'Arnaud were signed as amateurs during the Huntington regime.

Pittsburgh counted on Alvarez as a major building block when they drafted him with the second overall pick in 2008 and gave him a $6.3 million major league contract. Now he's a question mark after batting .191/.272/.289 with four homers in 262 plate appearances last year. D'Arnaud looked overmatched in his big league debut, hitting .217/.242/.287.

The Pirates have used the strategy of exceeding MLB's bonus recommendations in the later rounds to sign pitchers away from solid college commitments. While that has stocked the lower levels of the system with live arms, none is close to being ready to help the major league club. The heavy concentration on pitchers also has left Pittsburgh with few impact hitting prospects beyond Bell, who has a chance to be special but has yet to play in a professional game, and fellow outfielder Starling Marte.

Nutting and club president Frank Coonelly are happy with the progress the organization is making and, to be fair, Huntington stepped into quite a mess when he replaced Dave Littlefield in September 2007. Huntington received a three-year contract extension in September that takes him through the 2014 season with a club option for 2015. Afterward, he did some rearranging in the front office.

Farm director Kyle Stark and scouting director Greg Smith both were promoted to assistant GM. Stark will oversee all elements of medical, physical, mental, personnel and player development at the major and minor league levels, while Smith will be in charge of all elements of the scouting operation at the amateur, professional and international levels.

Tyrone Brooks went from baseball operations director to player personnel director and will now lead the professional and international (non-Latin America) scouting efforts. Area scout Larry Broadway took over as farm director and Joe DelliCarri moves up from assistant scouting director to amateur scouting director and will run Pittsburgh's drafts.

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