The Florida Complex League started up this month, with the Pittsburgh Pirates sending a lot of talented young players to their rookie level.
Last week, we ran our preview of the FCL, looking at ten prospects to follow, along with features on many of the biggest names on the team — most linked below. This week’s Roundtable discussion was pushed back after some big league topics took priority. I didn’t want to lose it completely, because it’s a good one.
I asked everyone which FCL prospect they were most looking forward to following this year.
The catch?
If anyone picked Bubba Chandler, they could only pick him as a pitcher or a hitter. I’m sure Chandler would be the easy choice as a two-way player, but does he carry the same appeal over everyone else if one of the positions is removed? Readers can weigh in on that with their thoughts in the comments.
Here are the picks from the Pirates Prospects team:
JOHN DREKER: Shalin Polanco, OF
The Pirates have never spent more on an international amateur position player, and they did it in a year where they couldn’t expand their bonus pool with trades, making Polanco the key piece by far from that group. His slow start last year was not a good look, but he picked it up a bit late in the season, putting up a .781 OPS in 17 September games. He came to the U.S. this year, arriving for Spring Training not long after his 18th birthday. So we are still talking about someone who will be younger than a majority of high school draft picks this year. The bonus amount will keep interest high around him for years, but I really want to see if those late season numbers can carry over against better competition, especially with the FCL being a more advanced league than the previous version of the GCL. It’s a bigger jump than normal, though he’s also a bigger prospect than normal, so expectations should be higher. He doesn’t need to put up huge numbers for the year to be successful. You would at least like to see an improvement on last year’s overall numbers, when he posted a .644 OPS.
Shalin Polanco Earned His Spot in the Florida Complex League
WILBUR MILLER: Shalin Polanco, OF
I would have answered with Lonnie White, Jr., but it’s not clear whether we’ll see him much this year. Instead, I’ll say Shalin Polanco. He hasn’t gotten the same attention as White or Bubba Chandler, but his $2.3M bonus was larger than White’s and not hugely lower than Chandler’s $3M. Unlike the other two, Polanco saw significant action last year, which makes him less of a mystery but more intriguing in a way. He had a very rough time in his first two months in the DSL, but came around well in September. Polanco’s similar to White in that he’s a very toolsy outfielder who could stick in center and has the potential to hit and hit for power. And, like White, his ability to make contact is going to bear watching. It’ll also be interesting to see whether the Pirates can finally get a good hitter out of their international program. They’ve had a large number of hitting prospects look good in the DSL and then struggle when they came stateside.
The Pirates Are Being Smart and Taking it Slow With Lonnie White Jr.
ANTHONY MURPHY: Owen Kellington, RHP
While Lonnie White was one of the players I was the most excited for when the Pirates drafted him, I am looking forward to following Owen Kellington in the FCL right now. The righty out of Vermont had a certain level of mystery to him when he was drafted, thanks mainly due to the lack of info throughout the process. He put up video game numbers in high school, with over 90% of his outs recorded by strikeout. He seems like the perfect projectable pitcher with an upside we have yet to see yet due to limited coverage, as well as the competition he faced. The early returns have been positive, now it’s just time to see him on the field. He’s currently on the 7-day IL, so hopefully Kellington finds his way back on the mound soon.
Two-Pitch Combination Gives Owen Kellington Edge Over Competition
RYAN PALENCER: Bubba Chandler, RHP
I was planning to take the easy out with Bubba Chandler, as he’s the only answer as a two-way player. However, I’ll stick with Chandler as a pitcher. He has the ability to throw four pitches, though some not as advanced as others. Regardless, the baseline for a 19-year-old to do that, along with the power pitches is too much to pass on giving a look. Additionally, the athleticism to play the field, along with football, also plays up on the mound as well. You never hear about a guy who’s too athletic.
Bubba Chandler: “At the end of the day this is an elite competitor”
TIM WILLIAMS: Braylon Bishop, OF
My pick was going to be Owen Kellington, just because I like following players who we don’t know much about. He quickly went on the IL this year, so I’ll change my selection to another 2021 draft pick who has intrigued me: Braylon Bishop. He wasn’t the biggest bonus prep addition last year, but the draft round and dollar amounts don’t always indicate the talent. Bishop has a nice swing with a lot of easy power at a young age. His swing can get a bit aggressive, but the barrel quickly gets to the contact point, and his bat stays smooth through the quick swing. He has shown an ability to go opposite field, displaying a tendency to see the ball deeper in the zone. That’s one of the biggest benefits of having a quick bat that gets to the ball immediately — the whole field gets opened. This is a skill that projects for offense at a higher level than the FCL. Bishop is my pick, though he might not be in the FCL all year with the way his bat has looked.
Braylon Bishop Features One of the Sweetest Swings in the System
THIS WEEKEND ON PIRATES PROSPECTS
Prospect Roundtable: Which Pirates Prospect Are You Following in the Florida Complex League?
Tahnaj Thomas: Breaking Pitch Key To Continued Progress
First Impressions on the Pirates in the Florida Complex League
