I am counting down my personal list of the top 25 Pirate prospects. You can follow the countdown here, or by clicking on the “Top 25 Prospects” link in the site header.
Date of Birth: 12/16/1985
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 180 pounds
Bats/Throws: R/R
Position: SS
Drafted: 3rd Round, 2007 (Rice University)
Brian Friday is said to have excellent makeup, which could make him a candidate to overachieve in the future. He is undersized and has shown little power in his professional career, and has also battled injuries. He was limited to 341 at-bats with Lynchburg in 2008 due to back problems. Friday is a smart player with a great work ethic, and he has produced solid walk rates aside from his debut for State College in 2007. He is pretty solid defensively, with a strong arm being his greatest asset. His upside is pretty limited, but his strong fundamentals could make him an average starting shortstop down the road. At the least, he should become a solid utility player. Friday likely has the inside track to taking over the starting shortstop spot in 2011, although there are several prospects from the 2008 draft that will be right behind him.
Expected arrival in Pittsburgh: 2011
