What makes a player a prospect?
Prospects are ultimately players who have the chance to play in the Major Leagues one day. As a player gets closer to the big leagues, their prospect status is dependent on the reality of that goal being accomplished. When a player is first starting his career, the “prospect” status can hinge on a few tools, or small showings of promise that can be built upon.
At the Single-A level, most of the prospects are going to be sleepers, wild cards, or lottery tickets. There will be players from the current Bradenton Marauders roster who eventually reach the majors. As of right now, their path to the big leagues is uncertain.
What we know today are the tools that get these players their prospect label. To play in Single-A, you need to have displayed good results in rookie ball, while showing at least one MLB-quality attribute that can be developed upon. As a result, each player at this level should have at least a visible hypothetical path to the big leagues.
Below are five players who have stood out to me from this year’s Bradenton roster. [ppp_patron_only level=”5″ silent=”no”]
Each of these players is in their age 20-21 season. They each have a stand out tool or skill that allows you to dream about them making the Majors one day. None of them have the numbers right now to give them the full prospect label, or to project any certain MLB future.
For now, they’re sleepers to follow as they play in the lowest full-season level in pro ball.
Omar Alfonzo, C/1B
I wrote about Omar Alfonzo at the start of the year as a sleeper to follow. The son of former big league catcher Eliezer Alfonzo, Omar has the catching abilities to eventually sit behind the plate in the big leagues like his father. He’s also displayed good hitting and on-base skills.
Alfonzo is currently batting .262/.404/.381 in 52 plate appearances. He has 10 walks and nine strikeouts in this stretch, along with one homer and two doubles. Alfonzo has also played first base, where he’s shown just enough pop to justify the assignment. Last year, Alfonzo hit four homers, seven doubles, and a triple in 182 plate appearances in Single-A. He hit .273/.390/.413 during that run.
What has stood out, beyond this year’s stat line, is Alfonzo has been consistently hitting the ball hard, with a lot of 100+ MPH exit velocities, and a lot of balls hit a long way. He’s got some power potential, great plate patience, and most importantly, the skills to be an MLB quality catcher.
Shalin Polanco, OF
Shalin Polanco is one of the biggest international bonus signings in Pirates history, receiving $2.35 million at the start of 2021. He stands out for his plus power potential, which was shown last year with 12 home runs in 303 plate appearances at the Single-A level. The downside from that power came with his swing and miss, with 87 strikeouts in that span.
Polanco is having a worse start to his 2024 season. He’s currently batting .170/.254/.283, with just one homer in 53 at-bats. His strikeout rate remains around 28.8%, but this year’s total comes with a massive decline in power. He stole 17 bases in 24 attempts last year, but is 0-for-1 this year.
The key for Polanco will be his power, but making that power useful. He will need to reduce his swing and miss, putting the ball in play more often. Across four seasons, he’s never had a strikeout rate below 25%, nor an average higher than .250. Reducing the contact issues isn’t impossible, but it’s an established part of Polanco’s game right now.
Jesus Castillo, INF
Jesus Castillo is one of my favorite prospects to follow in the lower levels, even if the following may be a bit irrational. He’s in his second year in Single-A at the age of 20, after a .209/.387/.251 line last year. He doesn’t hit for average or hit for power. That’s not the makeup of a guy to follow.
What Castillo does well is get on base with walks, and steal bases when he’s on the paths. He walked 102 times last year, while stealing 39 bases in 48 attempts.
This year has been a repeat of that performance. Castillo has already walked 20 times, leading to a .431 OBP, despite a .178 average. He’s got a .200 slugging, showing that he’s still not hitting, or hitting for power. He does have eight stolen bases in ten attempts, showing the speed is still there.
Castillo is unlikely to hit for power from a 5′ 10″, 144 pound frame. If he can improve his contact skills, then his speed and plate patience will play up into a legit prospect to follow each night.
Javier Rivas, SS
Javier Rivas has looked like one of the most unlucky players on the 2024 Bradenton Marauders, and perhaps in all of the Pirates’ system. He consistently hits the ball hard, picking up exit velocities in excess of 105 MPH in many of his games. He’s also had a high amount of 105+ MPH balls hit into play that went for outs, including three of the ten hardest hit balls in Bradenton two weeks ago.
Rivas is a tall shortstop, at 6′ 6″, 165 pounds. That profile, along with the power potential of consistent hard hits, makes him an intriguing prospect to follow. He’s batting .122/.173/.245 this season, with most of those hard hits going for outs. This changed on Sunday, when Rivas went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a home run, finally getting the results from that power swing.
If Rivas can have more games like Sunday’s power-filled contest, he will emerge as a prospect to follow, rather than a frustrating case of hard hits consistently going for outs. He’s the oldest player on this list, in his age 21 season, compared to the age 20 season of every other player.
Esmerlyn Valdez, 1B/OF
Unlike other players on this list, I don’t have a standout tool for Esmerlyn Valdez. Perhaps it’s his hitting ability, which put him on my radar last season, and has kept him there this year. Valdez is currently batting .261/.375/.370 in Single-A, after getting a brief look at the level at the end of last season.
The promotion to Bradenton last year followed a .312/.377/.518 line in rookie ball, where Valdez homered six times in 141 at-bats. He not only was consistent with his hitting, but the 6 ‘2″, 181 pound outfielder showed off some power production before his 20th birthday.
Now in his age 20 season, Valdez has been splitting his time this year between first base and the corner outfield spots. Those positions will put the emphasis on the bat. Fortunately, Valdez has shown promise in this area, with some power ability to go with his hitting skills.
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THIS WEEK ON PIRATES PROSPECTS
This week’s premium article drop for Patreon subscribers looks at players in Single-A with the Bradenton Marauders. Like every other level, this group is highlighted by interesting pitchers. There are also some hitters to follow on the position player side, which I broke down in my premium column.
**Williams: Pirates Prospects Sleepers to Follow in Single-A – READING
Michael Kennedy was an over-slot prep pick in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. The lefty is in his first full-season league in pro ball, and showed promise this past weekend with an eight strikeout performance.
**Michael Kennedy Shows Path to Big Leagues With Eight Strikeout Performance
Khristian Curtis has a six pitch mix, despite not having a lot of time on the mound in his pitching career. The Pirates gave him an over-slot bonus as a 12th rounder last year, giving them the chance to develop his arsenal.
**Khristian Curtis Features Big Stuff From a Six Pitch Mix
Carlson Reed is showing promise in his early results with Bradenton. The West Virginia draftee has a 2.45 ERA in his first three starts this year, after being taken in the fourth round last year.
**West Virginia Pitcher Carlson Reed is Off to a Great Start With the Pirates
Relievers aren’t usually prospects in the lower levels, but Magdiel Cotto is a lefty who can get his fastball up to 95. The Pirates went over-slot on him in the 11th round last year, and he’s showing good results as a reliever in the 2024 season.
**Magdiel Cotto is an Over-Slot Lefty With a Fastball That Gets Up to 95
The Pirates traded for Connor Oliver at the start of the season, getting something in return for Colin Selby. This marks his sixth different organization since the start of 2020, with hopes that the Pirates can develop the lefty into an MLB option.
