This December we will be releasing the 2013 Prospect Guide, which is the third Prospect Guide that we’ve produced. The 2013 Prospect Guide will feature profiles of every player in the system, along with helpful resources like signing bonus information, and any Rule 5 and Minor League free agency dates. It is also the only place to find our top 50 prospect list. All of the reports are compiled from information we’ve obtained from seeing the players in action, talking to team officials, coaches, opposing scouts, and the players themselves. You can now pre-order the 2013 Prospect Guide, which is expected to be completed right after the 2013 Winter Meetings, and is expected to ship in mid-December, just in time for Christmas. We won’t be selling the book at PirateFest this year, so the only way to purchase it will be online. To pre-order the book, head over to the products page and place your order.
The Cover
In previous years there hasn’t been a specific method to finding a cover player. In 2011 we went with the four best pictures of the top prospects that we had. In 2012 we went with the top four pitching prospects in the system. Starting this year, the cover will feature the previous year’s Player of the Year or Pitcher of the Year. This year the cover features Gregory Polanco, who is our 2012 Player of the Year.
What’s New in 2013?
The 2013 version has a few changes on the production side. In previous years we printed on “Publisher Grade” paper, which didn’t lead to the best image quality in the books. This year we’re making the switch to standard paper, which should lead to better printing quality. The book is slightly bigger than previous books (6×9 instead of 5.5×8.5). That will allow the text size to be slightly increased, which was an issue that a few people brought up last year.
The switch does result in more expensive paper, which will lead to two changes. First, the player profiles will be changed. The top 50 prospects will still be featured in the same way, but the additional prospects will be reduced, especially with organizational players. There will still be a summary for each player, but the summary for some players will be shorter. There is also a $1 price increase, which is half of the increase in production cost for the book. That means the book will be shipped for $25.
Digital Version
Like last year, there will be a digital version of the Prospect Guide, although that will not be available for pre-sales, and will come out shortly after the Prospect Guide is released. The digital version will be an e-book that can be accessed on any e-reader, including iPads, Kindles, and Smartphones.
The 2013 Annual
Around early-February 2013 we will be releasing our other book, the Pirates Prospects 2013 Annual. The Annual looks at the major league team, with profiles for all of the players on the 40-man roster, the non-roster invitees for Spring Training. It will include featured articles on several of the team’s top performers, Pitch F/X profiles, and Matt Bandi’s projections for each individual player in 2013.
All pre-sales of the 2013 Prospect Guide will come with a coupon for $5 off the 2013 Annual. The Combo Pack will also be available for pre-sales. If you purchase the combo pack, your books will be shipped separately. The Prospect Guide will be shipped in mid-December, and the Annual will be released when the book is printed.
