The Pirates Prospects 2015 Prospect Guide is now on sale. The book features prospect reports on everyone in the system, the 2015 top 50 prospects, and the most comprehensive coverage of the Pirates’ farm system that you can find. While the top 50 prospects are exclusive to the book, we will be releasing the top 20 prospects over the next few weeks. Be sure to purchase your copy of the book on the products page of the site.
To recap the countdown so far:
20. Luis Heredia, RHP
19. JaCoby Jones, SS
18. Willy Garcia, OF
17. Clay Holmes, RHP
16. Gage Hinsz, RHP
15. Trey Supak, RHP
14. Cody Dickson, LHP
13. John Holdzkom, RHP
12. Adrian Sampson, RHP
11. Harold Ramirez, OF
10. Elias Diaz, C
9. Cole Tucker, SS
8. Mitch Keller, RHP
7. Alen Hanson, 2B
6. Nick Kingham, RHP
5. Reese McGuire, C
4. Josh Bell, 1B
3. Austin Meadows, OF
2. Jameson Taillon, RHP
We continue the countdown with the number 1 prospect, Tyler Glasnow.
1. Tyler Glasnow, RHP
Glasnow has made a lot of progress with his development over the last three years. He entered pro ball largely unknown, with no top draft prospect status, and nothing more than a tall, projectable frame to like. Not all projectable pitchers add velocity. Some take years to see an increase. In Glasnow’s case, it happened almost immediately. He went from a pitcher who threw 88-92 MPH to a guy who was routinely hitting 96 MPH at the end of his first pro season.
Glasnow now consistently works in the 94-96 MPH range, touching as high as 100 MPH. He pairs that fastball with a big breaking curveball that can be a plus offering when he has full command of the pitch. He didn’t have much need for a changeup in high school with those two offerings, so the last two seasons have been about adding that pitch.
The Pirates have pushed the changeup development in High-A with Jameson Taillon and Adrian Sampson in the past, and it was no different with Glasnow in 2014. He was throwing the pitch 10-15 times per start to get comfortable with the offering, and by the end of the season he was showing some progress.
A bigger focus for Glasnow has been his control. While he has amazing stuff, the main thing holding him back right now is a lack of control, which has gotten slightly better over the last two years. The issue here is repeating his delivery, which can be a problem for tall pitchers who aren’t used to their frames. Glasnow shot up eight inches in high school, and has been adjusting ever since.
Glasnow has the best stuff of any starter in the Pirates’ system, and the highest upside. He will go to Altoona in 2015, and should spend the entire season there, working on his control issues. This will be a big step, as his stuff has allowed him to dominate the lower levels, even with control issues. It might not be as easy in Double-A. He could make the jump to Indianapolis by the end of the year, and will probably spend half a season there in 2016. He’s projected to arrive in the majors by the middle of 2016, with the upside of a number one starter, potentially giving the Pirates a devastating trio when paired with Cole and Taillon.
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