The success of a farm system depends on a lot of things. You need good drafting. You need to sign talented players in the international ranks. You need good scouts to identify talent in both places. After the players are in the system, you need to develop them.
But even with all of the things that can be controlled, you still need luck to have a successful farm system. Part of that luck involves keeping everyone healthy. The Pirates haven’t been so fortunate in that regard this season.
Over the weekend, it was announced that Jameson Taillon would have Tommy John surgery, putting him out for the 2014 season. On Sunday, the West Virginia Power game saw Harold Ramirez and Barrett Barnes go down with leg injuries, and both were placed on the DL today. Those two injuries give the Pirates six injuries to their top 20 prospects, including two major injuries. Here is an updated rundown of our top 20 prospects, along with their level, notes, and their injury status, if applicable. All links take you to their top 20 scouting reports.
1. Gregory Polanco, OF
Status: Healthy
Level: Indianapolis
Notes: Expected to arrive in Pittsburgh by mid-season.
2. Jameson Taillon, RHP
Status: Injured
Injury: Tommy John Surgery
Recovery Notes: Taillon will miss the 2014 season. He could be back for the start of the 2015 season.
3. Tyler Glasnow, RHP
Status: Injured
Injury: Lower Back Tightness
Recovery Notes: Glasnow has been pitching in extended Spring Training, building up his innings to get ready for the season in Bradenton. Depending on how his next starts go, he could be in the Bradenton rotation in a week or two.
4. Austin Meadows, OF
Status: Injured
Injury: Hamstring
Recovery Notes: Meadows will probably miss the first month of the season, then will join West Virginia.
5. Alen Hanson, SS
Status: Healthy
Level: Altoona
Notes: Should spend most of the season in Altoona, with the chance for a mid-season debut in 2015.
6. Nick Kingham, RHP
Status: Healthy
Level: Altoona
Notes: The injury to Taillon could have opened a path for him to the majors this year.
7. Reese McGuire, C
Status: Healthy
Level: West Virginia
Notes: Will spend the entire season in West Virginia.
8. Josh Bell, OF
Status: Healthy
Level: Bradenton
Notes: Has a chance to move up to Altoona in the second half with good first half production in Bradenton.
9. Luis Heredia, RHP
Status: Healthy
Level: West Virginia
Notes: Could move up to Bradenton at some point this year, although the main focus is getting him a full year pitching every fifth day.
10. Harold Ramirez, OF
Status: Injured
Injury: Hamstring?
Recovery Notes: No official word yet on the injury for Ramirez, although he left the game clutching his hamstring and went on the disabled list today.
11. Tony Sanchez, C
Status: Healthy
Level: Pittsburgh
Notes: Currently the backup catcher in the majors, although that could change when Chris Stewart returns.
12. Clay Holmes, RHP
Status: Injured
Injury: Tommy John Surgery
Recovery Notes: Holmes had Tommy John surgery in mid-March, which means he will be out for the 2014 season, and is expected to return around Spring Training next year.
13. Stolmy Pimentel, RHP
Status: Healthy
Level: Pittsburgh
Notes: Pitching in long relief, and could have a shot at the rotation at some point this year.
14. Andrew Lambo, OF
Status: Healthy
Level: Indianapolis
Notes: Was sent down to get over his struggles from Spring Training. If that happens, he could have another shot at the majors this year.
15. Joely Rodriguez, LHP
Status: Healthy
Level: Altoona
Notes: Should spend most of the year in Altoona, with a chance to go to Indianapolis in 2015, and possibly arrive in the majors that summer.
16. Blake Taylor, LHP
Status: Healthy
Level: Extended Spring Training
Notes: Could be on the Jamestown roster this summer.
17. Cody Dickson, LHP
Status: Healthy
Level: West Virginia
Notes: Breakout candidate who could jump to Bradenton in the second half of the 2014 season.
18. Barrett Barnes, OF
Status: Injured
Injury: Hamstring?
Recovery Notes: Just like Ramirez, the injury for Barnes isn’t confirmed. However, he went on the DL today. He suffered several hamstring injuries last year, and so far his injury history has prevented him from spending consistent time at any level, which has hurt his development.
19. JaCoby Jones, SS
Status: Healthy
Level: West Virginia
Notes: Making the transition to being a full-time shortstop.
20. Michael De La Cruz, OF
Status: Healthy
Level: Extended Spring Training
Notes: Will play in the GCL this year during his first year in the US.
The Injuries
The Pirates have two major injuries, with Taillon and Holmes out for the year with Tommy John surgery. They have a few minor injuries that we won’t remember in a few weeks, such as Glasnow and Meadows. It’s too early to know how long Ramirez and Barnes will be out. The injury to Barnes is a bigger concern, since it’s just another in a long line of leg injuries for the outfielder, which has prevented him from developing in the lower levels.
Currently the Pirates are missing three of their top five prospects, four of their top ten prospects, and six of their top 20 prospects due to injuries. Because of that, the success of the farm system this year isn’t looking good. Fortunately, these aren’t long-term issues. Taillon and Holmes will be back in 2015, and shouldn’t lose any of their upside. The other guys should be back at some point this year, with a few of them expected back early. Until then, things are going to be busy in the training rooms at Pirate City.
Links and Notes
**Over the weekend I’ve been working on adding new writers to the site. I’m still in that process, but we’ll have some new writers starting this week, mostly at the minor league level. Adding new writers is made possible by purchases on the products page of the site. That’s where you can buy our 2014 Prospect Guide, with information on every player in the minor league system. We also now have a Pirates Prospects logo t-shirt available. It’s my goal to keep all of the website content free, while also adding as much content as possible. The more funds received through these products, the more coverage we can add going forward.
**Prospect Highlights: Polanco Crushes a HR, McGuire Shows Off a Cannon
**Minor League Schedule: Monday Rainouts Lead To Busy Tuesday
**Minor Moves: Harold Ramirez and Barrett Barnes To The Disabled List
**Tony Sanchez, Chris Stewart, and the Depth vs Best 25 Debate
**Top Performers: Homers For Polanco, Bell, Jhang, and Osuna in Week One
**Top Performers: Even Without Taillon and Glasnow, Pirates Get Strong Pitching
