MLB Pipeline has recently updated their list of the top 100 prospects in baseball and the top 30 prospects for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The also updated the top ten prospects by position and the Pirates have four players on those lists.
While Henry Davis is the top prospect in the system according to Pipeline, the highlight of the position-by-position lists is Termarr Johnson heading the list of top second basemen. This year’s fourth overall prospect has played both shortstop and second base in his brief pro time. Many scouts believe that he will be a second baseman in the future, so his inclusion on this list instead of the shortstop list isn’t a surprise.
Johnson has company on the second base list. Nick Gonzales ranks as the fifth best second base prospect. He just recently returned to action after missing two full months with a heel injury. Even more recently, he had a four-hit game that included three doubles, with the final double leading to a walk-off win. He has a .261/.376/.402 slash line in 51 games this year.
Going back to Henry Davis, he ranks fourth among all catching prospects. He’s ranked 20th overall, so it’s clearly a loaded list for top tier catchers right now. Davis is expected to return to action soon after missing games for a second time this year with a wrist injury.
The fourth Pirates player to make a position top ten list is Quinn Priester, who is tenth among right-handed pitchers. He ranks 47th overall in baseball. He has a 2.50 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 52 strikeouts in 50.1 innings over ten starts with Altoona this year.
