After selecting Baseball America’s 15th ranked prospect in the second round, the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted Alex Dickerson in the third round, rated 42nd overall by Baseball America. Dickerson has played outfield with Indiana, but ultimately profiles as a first baseman due to his 6′ 3″, 225 pound frame. He’s a left hander who gets his value from the bat, with a .367/.440/.540 line in 215 at-bats in 2011.
Dickerson only hit nine homers in 2011, although he was bothered by back problems, and was pitched around. He has average to plus power, and can use that power to all fields. The back issues are a big issue, as he had surgery on a bulging disc in high school, and dealt with those issues again in 2011.
Dickerson won the Big Ten Triple Crown in 2010, although his power drop off raises similar questions to the ones that surrounded Anthony Rendon. Was his power decline in 2011 due to the new bats, the back injury, or being pitched around? Or, does it mean he won’t hit for power with wood bats? The selection of Dickerson, paired with Gerrit Cole and Josh Bell, gives the Pirates three players in Baseball America’s top 50 for the 2011 draft.
