Top Prospects List

This last week, many of the baseball writers released their top prospect lists.  To read Jonathen Mayo's top 50 list for mlb.com, click HERE.  Also you can check out Keith Law's Top 100 for ESPN by clicking HERE.

Naturally Pedro Alvarez was on both list. He ranked 7th on Mayo's and 35th on Law's.  Jose Tabata and Tony Sanchez also cracked he Top 100 on Law's list. Atlanta's Jason Heyward and Washington's Steven Strausberg were one and two on both list.

So what does all of that mean? Absolutely nothing.  Now some of you may be asking, with all of those trades, we only have three guys recognized?    Well that's three more than in recent times.  To look at the Pirates situation, one must look deeper. Out of the Pirates Top 30 prospect this season, 22 of them were either drafted or acquired the last two seasons.

For years, there have been guys ranked high on those list who became average or below average major leaguers and there have been guys not ranked who have turned into studs. It is good for the guys to be recognized, but in reality it doesn't mean much.  I'm very into reading it all and finding out things and looking at projections, but in the end, that's all they are-projections.

Looking at the Baseball America Organizational Rankings, the Bucs are up to 16th, a considerable jump up from the bottom of the barrell.  Looking at a couple less recognized sources, one even has the Bucs as high as sixth. Very few people pay more attention to minor league baseball than me and I can tell you that there are few can't misses and the rest is all guess work. hence the disparity on Alvarez's ranking.

One thing is for sure is that the depth in the organization is much better, but no where near complete. In the next couple of years, we will see more Buccos be recognized on these lists. Until then, strap yourself in for what looks to be another long season of Pirates baseball.