1997 Detailed Scouting Report

Last Updated 12 January 1997

On Sunday, November 24, 1996, Mark Jareb (mij6t@avery.med.virginia.edu) posted the following to the Pirate e-mail list. I have edited it and included it here with his permission:
Logistical note: after I list a player's name, I provide some basic information in the following format:
Name: Age_in_'97-Birthdate; #Round_drafted Year_drafted, School_drafted_from

Abbreviations are:
-CAL, Calgary, the Bucs AAA team in the

PCL, Pacific Coast League
-CAR, Carolina, the Bucs AA team in the
SOU, Southern League
-LYN, Lynchburg, the Bucs A+ team in the
CRL, Carolina League
-AUG, Augusta, the Bucs A team in the
SAL, South Atlantic League
-ERI, Erie, the Bucs A- team in the
NYP, New York-Penn League
-GCL refers to the Bucs rookie team in the Gulf Coast League
-DSL refers to the team the Bucs field in the Dominican Summer League. This team is primarily composed of teenagers from the Dominican signed as non-drafted free agents.
The Position Players
Quick link to The Pitchers

#1 Chad Hermansen: 19-9/10/77; #1 '95, Nevada(HS)

He was the Buc's top pick in '95. In his first pro season last year (1995), he tore up both the GCL and NYP and was selected the #1 prospect in both of those leagues by the league's managers and coaches. This year (1996), he continued excelling first at AUG and then LYN. His BA was not fantastic, but his ability to walk and hit for power make him a super prospect. His combined numbers from both levels were 264/364/486. He played in the 1996 Hawaii Winter League where, after a slow start, he's hitting again with a good eye and good power. Considering his age and that he plays SS, these are phenomenal numbers. Because of his size, various scouts have predicted he'll be moved to 3B for defensive reasons. When I've seen him play, he's looked more than adequate at SS rangewise and I think it would be a mistake to move him. Moving him from SS will lower his value, but regardless, I'm quite confident he'll be a star in the majors. I'm guessing he'll play at AA in '97 and stay there the whole season unless his numbers are so impressive that they have to promote him to CAL. But don't expect to see him in Pittsburgh in '97 because he doesn't need to be on the 40-man roster until after the '98 season. I expect he'll play at least part of '98 in Pittsburgh. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
95  R    92  28  10  1  3   9  19   304/363/533
    A-  165  45   8  3  6  18  39   273/354/467
96  A   226  57  11  3 14  38  65   252/377/513
    A+  251  69  11  3 10  29  56   275/352/467
1996 Scouting Report
#2 Aramis Ramirez: 19-6/25/78; ND '95, Dominican Republic(HS)
He played in the Dominican Summer League in '95 for the Bucs and hit well with good power. This past season (1996), his 1st year in the US, he was dominant in the NY-P (and was voted the league's #1 prospect), hitting with fantastic power (and a good batting eye as well). He was promoted at the very end of the season to AUG and continued showing his power. He was probably Augusta's best hitter in the SAL playoffs (which I think was the reason that he was promoted there at the end of the year). At ERI he hit 305/403/525. Played strictly as a 3B the last 2 years, though a move to LF is not out of the question. Probably will start '97 in AUG with a likely promotion to LYN (he's a guy who begs an immediate jump to Lynchburg, but I don't expect they'll leapfrog him over Farris to start the season). 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
95  DSL  (n/a; in 64 G hit 11 HR with BA of 294)
96  A-  223  68  14  4  9  31  41   305/403/525
    A    20   4   1  0  1   1   7   200/304/400
#3 Ron Wright: 21-1/21/76; #7(Atlanta) '94, Washington(HS)
Acquired in the Neagle trade, quite simply his calling card is as a power hitter. He hit more than 30 HRs in each of his last 2 seasons moving from A to AA. Following the trade, a great deal of speculation followed as to how good/bad Wright projects as a Major Leaguer. Of present day MLB players, the best comp's for Wright are Cecil Fielder and Fred McGriff. The numbers comparing those players to Wright are provided below (their numbers are age matched to Wright's '95 and '96). Overall, that comparison shows Wright to have slightly more power, draws walks a little better, while K'ing considerably more. I don't see Wright impressing anyone on an accelerated timetable to the majors. But by '99 and '00 he'll probably be an above-average hitting 1B and he'll be all of 24 years old. In 1996, he played winter ball in Mexico where he didn't fare so well. He'll play in AAA in '97. He'll be in Pittsburgh in '98 with probably a low BA (~.220), a decent walk rate, some massive home run shots, and large # of K's. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
94  R   169  29   9  0  1  10  21   172/218/243
95  A   527 143  23  1 32  62 118   271/348/501
96  A+  240  66  15  2 20  37  71   275/363/604
    AA  246  61  11  1 16  40  80   248/354/496

McGriff
83  A   119  37   3  1  7  20  35   311/410/529
    A+  350  85  14  1 21  55 112   243/346/469
84  AA  189  47  13  2  9  29  55   249/349/481
    AAA 238  56  10  1 13  26  89   235/311/450

Fielder
83  A   500 156  28  2 16  58  90   312/384/472
84  A+  222  63  12  1 19  28  44   284/364/604
    AA  236  60  12  2  9  22  48   254/318/436
#4 TJ Staton: 22-2/17/75; #10 '93, Ohio(HS)
He had a breakout year this past season at CAR where he jumped from A- to AA, he upped his BB rate, lowered his K rate slightly, and developed good power. He hit 308/403/503. In the Fall 1996, he played in the Arizona Fall League where he put up decent numbers, though his BB rate has dropped to '95 levels. I missed the boat on him in last year's Scouting Report as I didn't take into account injuries in '94 that slowed his development. Even taking that into account, it was quite a dramatic improvement in '96 especially considering he skipped a level. He strictly played in LF in '96 though I think he could handle RF as well. He will get a shot at playing in Pittsburgh in '97 though I think the Bucs will start him out in Calgary. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
93  R   115  41   9  2  1   8  14   357/398/456
94  R    39  10   3  0  1   1   8   256/293/410
    A-   45   8   3  0  0   0   7   178/178/244
    A   125  27   6  1  0  10  38   216/272/280
95  A   391 114  21  5  5  27  97   292/340/409
96  AA  386 119  24  3 15  58  99   308/403/503
1996 Scouting Report
#5 Freddy Garcia: 24-8/1/72; ND (Blue Jays), Dominican Rep.
Taken in the Rule V draft in '95, the Bucs held onto him throughout the 1995 season on the parent club, even though he was clearly overmatched by MLB pitching. He played all of '96 at Lynchburg at 3B and hit extremely well (306/358/534). Didn't draw walks as well as I would've liked, but really slugged the ball with more than 60 XBH. This off-season, he played in the Dominican Winter league where he was drawing walks and hitting 2B (though a low BA). I think it's a good sign to see that when he faces better pitching (like MLB in '95 and Dominican in '96) he draws more BB. He'll start '97 in AA but I could easily see him moving up the ladder to AAA and possibly Pittsburgh even before September. I'd say an almost definite September callup in '97. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
93  R   264  63   8  2 11  31  71   239/319/409
94  A-  260  74  10  2 13  33  57   285/366/488
95  MLB  57   8   1  1  0   8  17   140/246/193
96  A+  474 145  39  3 21  44  86   306/358/534
1996 Scouting Report
#6 Jose Guillen: 21-5/17/76; ND '93, Dominican(HS)
OF(RF), R-R, 5-11 175
Likened to Roberto Clemente for his strong throwing arm and mix of high BA and power, the most comparable player in MLB is probably Raul Mondesi. That's a very good MLB player, but his upside is hurt by his lack of patience at the plate (he draws walks at a rate considerably below league average). Note that his HBP (already has 33 in 3 years) really augments his OBP about the same level as his BB. Still, his overall numbers are quite impressive (322/357/498) and was voted MVP of the Carolina League all at the age of 20. This off-season, he played in the Dominican Winter league where his lack of plate patience showed up via relatively poor numbers. He'll be the RF in AA in '97 and I'd expect something in the range of 300/330/500 from him with a likely September callup. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
94  R   110  29   4  1  4   7  15   264/341/427
95  A-  258  81  17  1 12  10  44   314/367/527
    A    34   8   1  1  2   2   9   235/316/500
96  A+  528 170  30  0 21  20  73   322/357/498
1996 Scouting Report
#7 Lou Collier: 23-8/21/73; #31 '92, Triton,IL(JC)
SS, R-R, 5-10 170
A draft and follow from '92, he's an excellent find from the 31st round. A good fielding SS from all accounts (especially his arm), he's consistently been above average offensively in the minors. A speedy guy with moderate power, most of his offensive value comes from getting on base. He hits for a relatively good BA, but his BB rate is only slightly above league average. His MLE for '96 (by STATS Inc.) is 263/318/330. He hit well last year in Arizona and is doing so again this year (1996). If he develops normally, he'll be an above average middle IF at his peak. If he develops more patience at the plate, he could be extremely good. With that said, his '96, if anything, was a slight step backwards as his BB rate decreased slightly from '95 (while practically everyone else at AA increased their BB rate). Also, he showed even less power than '95 or '94. I wouldn't be surprised if that is the doing of a coach instructing Collier to hit the ball on the ground more (I find this particular coaching practice to be particularly useless as I've never seen any benefit in performance when players adopt this strategy). Hopefully, in the future he'll use the same approach to hitting that he's used in Arizona this past fall season. Though, there's been talk of him being in PIT this year, I expect him to start '97 at AAA. If an injury occurs (or our MI's in PIT aren't very good), then he'll likely be called up. He'll be in PIT in '98 almost definitely. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
93  A-  201  61   6  2  1  12  31   303/356/368
94  A   318  89  17  4  7  25  53   280/345/425
    A+  158  42   4  1  6  15  29   266/348/418
95  A+  399 110  19  3  4  51  60   278/365/368
96  AA  443 124  20  3  3  48  73   280/355/359
1996 Scouting Report
#8 Garrett Long: 20-10/5/76; #2 '95, Houston,TX(HS)
1B, R-R, 6-3 215
After a truly excellent 1st season as a pro, Garrett's '96 was basically lost to injury. In '95, he hit a combined 304/413/404 between R and A-. In '96 with an ailing shoulder, he only had 82 Plate Appearances at A-, but was still able to hit 286/370/343. Diagnosed in August with "shoulder instability", he essentially had the same reconstructive shoulder surgery that Dave Justice had this year. The rehab appears to be going well and he has a chance to be ready for spring training (if not then, a midseason return is highly likely). What impresses me is that at a relatively young age, even with an injury robbing him of power, he adjusted to still put up a good BA and very good OBP. Add in that he projects as a power hitter (and the shoulder, once healed shouldn't hinder that development) and he has an extremely high upside. Where he'll be in '97 is tough to call because of the injury -- I expect he'll play in AUG at some point in '97 (hopefully to start the season). 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
95  R    63  22   2  1  1  17  10   349/488/460
    A-  108  30   4  0  2  15  25   278/365/370
96  A-   70  20   2  1  0   9  17   286/370/343
1996 Scouting Report
#9 Brandon Cromer: 23-1/25/74; #1(sup) '92 (Toronto), S. Carolina(HS)
SS (2B in AFL), L-R, 6-2 175
Picked up by the Bucs in the trade that sent Garcia, Merced, and Plesac to the Jays, Cromer became a valued commodity almost solely due to his breakout year in '96. He eclipsed his previous highs in OBP and SLG both by 40+ points. In short he dramatically increased his BA, his BB rate, and his power while keeping his K rate the same all while moving up a level. He did the same thing in '95 albeit because he was absolutely abysmal in '94. He's continued his stellar '96 by putting up some of the best offensive numbers in the AFL. Primarily a SS in the minors, he's learning to play some 2B in the AFL. Part of me wants to rate him higher than Collier, but I think I should wait to see if '96 was a fluke or a real increase in performance. He'll challenge for a spot in PIT this year along with Collier, Womack, or an as yet to be signed free agent. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
92  R   180  51  12  3  1  14  26   283/348/400
93  A-  278  64   9  2  5  21  64   230/286/331
94  A   259  35   8  5  6  25  98   135/209/274
95  A+  329  78  11  3  6  43  84   237/332/343
96  AA  318  88  15  8  7  60  84   277/392/440
#10 Charles Peterson: 23-5/8/74; #1 '93, South Carolina(HS)
OF(RF/CF), R-R, 6-3 200
Considered the best athlete in the organization, he's also considered raw in baseball skills. Nevertheless, he's a good defensive OF and he's improved (or at least maintained) his performance while moving up levels. Slowed down in '96 with a sprained ankle early in the year, he picked it up in the second half to put up practically identical numbers to '95 with a slight increase in power. He's the kind of batter that can look horrendous in an AB and then come back the next AB and look great. Played primarily in RF in AA (after exclusively being a CF in lower levels), though that had more to do with Adrian Brown as opposed to any defensive deficiencies. He will be in the starting OF in AAA in '97. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
93  R   188  57  11  3  1  22  22   303/374/410
94  A   415 106  14  6  4  35  78   255/316/347
95  A+  391 107   9  4  7  43  73   274/345/371
    AA   70  23   3  1  0   9  15   329/415/400
96  AA  462 127  24  2  7  50 104   275/345/381
1996 Scouting Report
#11 Reed Secrist: 27-5/7/70; NDFA '92, Briar Cliff (IA)
3B/1B(C-OF), L-R, 6-1 205
Secrist jumped from being a non-prospect to someone who could contribute in the majors with his '96 performance. He's always had good peripherals throughout the minors (hits for power and can draw a walk) and his offense has really broken through the past 2 seasons. He got on the map by hitting 282/372/485 in '95 in LYN, then jumped to AAA in '96 and he continued hitting well. His biggest deficiency appears to be on defense where he's shown the ability to play a number of positions but none of them well. Not on the 40-man roster but likely will compete for a spot on the major league roster as a utility player. Likely to start the year in AAA simply because a LH backup corner IF/OF doesn't fit well with the other Bucs expected on the MLB team. 

         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
92 A-   117  25   6  0  1  19  36   214/331/291
93 A    266  71  16  3  6  27  43   267/332/417
94 A+   221  54  12  0 10  22  58   244/314/434
95 A+   380 107  18  3 19  54  88   282/372/495
96 AAA  420 129  30  0 17  52 105   307/385/500
1996 Scouting Report
#12 Shon Walker: 23-6/9/74; #1(s) '92, Cynthiana, KY (HS)
1B(OF), L-L, 6-1 182
A supplemental 1st round pick for losing Bonilla to free agency, '96 was the year that Walker began to show the potential that made him such a high draft pick. Previously, he'd shown that he knew how to get on base, but in LYN he added power as well as a good BA. He continued his good hitting over the winter in Hawaii. Some part of his improvement has been attributed to becoming more mature off the field (less partying, becoming more self-confident, fighting for custody of his 1-year old son). One other change that may have contributed is that he moved to 1B after having been strictly an OF thoughout his career. He's slated to be the 1B in Carolina in '97 though I expect he'll see action in the OF there as well. 

         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
92 R    156  46  10  2  2  30  50   295/409/423
93 A    226  47  11  0  3  19  85   208/269/296
   A-   118  23   3  1  2  14  52   195/280/288
94 A    242  55   6  1  4  62  84   227/382/310
95 A    358  82  20  0  6  68 127   229/349/335
96 A+   323  98  19  3 14  49  99   303/394/511
   HAW   51  14   6  1  2  10  22   275/393/549
1996 Scouting Report
#13 Alex Hernandez: 20-5/28/77; #4 '95, Puerto Rico(HS)
OF/1B, L-L, 6-4 190
A good defensive OF who's projected to have decent gap power, Hernandez has progressed nicely. He walks slightly below league average but has shown pretty good power for his age. Played some 1B in Erie in '96 because of Garrett Long's injury. He'll be in the OF in Augusta though a jump straight to Lynchburg is not out of the question. 

         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
95 R    186  50   5  3  1  17  33   269/330/344
96 A-   225  65  13  4  4  20  47   289/344/436
1996 Scouting Report
#14 Adrian Brown: 23-2/7/74; #48 '92, McComb,MS (HS)
OF(CF), B-R, 6-0 185
A legitimate CF, he doesn't walk enough to offset his lack of power but it's possible he could improve in that area. He doesn't strike out very much which suggests he's very aggressive at the plate and/or he's good at making contact. Although speed is supposedly a big part of his offense, he's caught stealing too often for it to really be of value. Added to the 40-man roster this season, he likely will be the CF in Calgary to start '97. 

         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
92 R    121  31   2  2  0   0  12   256/268/306
93 R+*  282  75  12  9  3  17  34   266/319/404
94 A    308  80  17  1  1  14  38   260/292/331
95 A    287  86  15  4  4  33  23   300/372/422
   A+   215  52   5  2  1  12  20   242/284/298
96 A+   215  69   9  3  4  14  24   321/368/447
   AA   341 101  11  3  3  25  40   296/345/372

* in '93 played with Lethbridge, a co-op team in Frontier League
1996 Scouting Report
#15 Lee Evans: 19-7/20/77; #4 '96, Tuscaloosa,AL(HS)
C, B-R, 6-1 185
Hit for power and drew walks above league rate: the two main things I look for in a player without much pro experience. Baseball America rates him the best athlete we drafted in '96. He's likely to start the year in Erie in '97 though a jump straight to Augusta is definitely possible. 

         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
96 R    111  31   5  2  3  18  26   279/394/441
The Pitchers

#1 Elvin Hernandez: 19-8/20/77; NDFA '94, Dominican(HS)
P, R-R, 6-1 165

Hernandez quite simply has excelled at every level he's pitched, and he's almost always been one of, if not, the youngest pitcher in the league. Still filling out his frame it's likely he'll add velocity over the next couple of years and his fastball, though not particularly hard is already pretty good. His best asset is his command of offspeed and breaking pitches which translates into his low walk totals with many strikeouts. Basically his K/IP and K/BB are excellent. Will be in Lynchburg in '97. 

          G  GS    IP   H HR  BB   K   ERA
94 DSL   11  11  70.0  62 na  13  68  2.70
95 A-    14  14  90.1  82  8  22  54  2.89
96 A     27  27 157.2 140 13  16 171  3.14
#2 Kris Benson: 22-11/7/74; #1 '96, Clemson
P, R-R, 6-4 190
Consensus #1 pick overall in the '96 draft, Benson's fastball hits 95 MPH but it's the command of his pitches that makes him so highly touted. Appeared to fade down the stretch in '96 as he pitched 100+ IP more than he had in any previous season. Still had an excellent K/IP and K/BB in the Olympics. Probably will start '97 in the rotation at Carolina. He'll probably see some action in the majors in September. Will definitely compete for a spot on the MLB staff in '98 

          G  GS    IP   H HR  BB   K   ERA
94 NCAA  17  na  85.0  84 na  29  73  4.24
95 NCAA  14  na  79.0  75 na  23  79  3.20
96 NCAA  19  19 156.0 109 na  27 204  2.02
96 USA    9   9  55.0  55 na  12  53  4.12
#3 Jimmy Anderson: 21-1/22/76; #9 '94, Chesapeake,VA (HS)
P, L-L, 6-1 180
Anderson lasted to the 9th round in '94 because he had a scholarship to U. of Miami and was considered unsignable. His main out pitch is a slider that compliments his ~90 MPH fastball. He's moved up extremely quickly yet he's done well at every level. His K/IP has been good at all levels, though his BB rate is a little higher than I like. On the other hand, his HR totals and ERA's suggest he's groundball pitcher who doesn't give up many XBH which I do like. He'll probably start '97 in Calgary with a chance at seeing some action in Pittsburgh depending on how he pitches. Likely to be in Pittsburgh in '98. 

          G  GS    IP   H HR  BB   K   ERA
94 R     10  10  56.1  35  1  27  66  1.60
95 A     24  23 129.0 107  2  52 107  2.58
   A+    10   9  52.1  56  1  21  32  4.13
96 A+    11  11  65.1  51  2  21  56  1.93
   AA    17  16  97.0  92  3  44  79  3.34
#4 Bronson Arroyo: 20-2/24/77; #3 '95, Brooksville,FL(HS)
P, R-R, 6-5 165
Lanky and athletic, Arroyo has a pretty good fastball coupled with very good control. As he'll likely fill out his frame over the next couple of years, it wouldn't be surprising to see him add a little velocity to his pitches. He projects well at this point but we only have 2 years of performance with which to evaluate. He'll start '97 in Lynchburg, more of a hitter's park and league than he's faced in the past. It should be a good test for him. 

          G  GS    IP   H HR  BB   K   ERA
95 R     13   9  61.1  72  4   9  48  4.26
96 A     26  26 135.2 123 11  36 107  3.52
#5 Jose Silva: 23-12/19/73; #6 '91 (Toronto), Chula Vista,CA(HS)
P, R-R, 6-5 210
Silva came to the Bucs in a 9-player deal with Toronto. He was considered a top-notch prospect until a rather serious car accident pretty much wiped out his '95 season. In '96, he was still overcoming injuries from the accident, but appeared to be regaining his old form toward the end of the season. Since the injuries didn't affect his arm, the biggest stumbling block has simply been getting back into shape and getting his mechanics back together. A hard thrower, he's been mentioned as a possible candidate as a closer. I do think he'll start '97 in the Pirates bullpen, but I think he'll eventually be competing for a spot in the rotation. I think he'll surprise people and be a solid middle reliever in '97. 

          G  GS    IP   H HR  BB   K   ERA
92 R     12  12  59.1  42  1  18  78  2.28
93 A     24  24 142.2 103  6  62 161  2.52
94 A+     8   7  43.0  41  4  24  41  3.77
   AA    16  16  91.1  89  9  31  71  4.14
95 AA     3   0   2.0   3  0   6   2  9.00
96 AA    22   6  44.0  45  3  22  26  4.91
   MLB    2   0   2.0   5  1   0   0 13.50
#6 Chris Corn: 25-10/4/71; #21 '94 (NYY), U. of Kansas
P, R-R, 6-2 170
Acquired from the Yankees in exchange for Charlie Hayes. He has a wicked curve that compliments an average fastball. After moving up a level and being converted to a starter his K/IP tumbled though his BB rate was even lower. He seemed to tire toward the end of '96 as he threw more innings than ever before. Pitched in relief for Carolina during the playoffs, though not very well. Will start '97 in the rotation at Carolina. 

          G  GS    IP   H HR  BB   K   ERA
94 NCAA  16  na 108.0 108 na  49  76  4.42
94 A-    21   2  50.2  49  4  19  51  3.73
95 A     49   0  82.0  54  3  22 101  1.76
   A+     4   0   5.2   3  0   3   9  3.18
96 A+    26  25 170.1 145 10  38 109  2.91
#7 Jose Pett: 21-1/8/76; NDFA '92 (Toronto), Brazil (HS)
P, R-R, 6-6 190
Acquired along with Silva and a few others in a 9-player deal with the Blue Jays. Pett, though he hasn't really put up good numbers, still ranks highly primarily because he's been one of the youngest pitchers at every level he's pitched. Actually pitched pretty well at AA in '95 and especially '96. A flyball pitcher who at this point gives up too many HR, he may eventually be better suited for the bullpen. Look for him to be in Calgary all of '97 and give up too many HR. But if his K/IP and K/BB look good, I expect he'll be competing for a spot in Pittsburgh in '98. 

          G  GS    IP   H HR  BB   K   ERA
93 R      4   4  10.0  10  0   3   7  3.60
94 A+    15  15  90.2 103  1  20  49  3.77
95 AA    26  25 141.2 132 16  48  89  4.26
96 AA     7   7  44.0  37  4  10  38  4.09
   AAA   20  18 109.2 134 10  42  50  5.83
   AFL   11   8  42.2  55  8  12  34  6.75
#8 Carl South: 22-4/14/75; #23 '93 (Los Angeles), Marietta,GA(HS)
P, R-R, 6-5 210
Acquired from LA in exchange for Dave Clark, South appears to have broken out in '96. He has an above average fastball but had major control problems as well as a penchant for giving up XBH his first couple of seasons. Started '96 as a reliever and was pitching quite poorly. Was placed in Savannah's (LA affiliate in the SAL) rotation about midseason and excelled from that point -- as a starter he had 64 IP giving up 43 H and 26 BB while K'ing 59 with a 2.25 ERA. He'll be in the starting rotation at Lynchburg next season. 

          G  GS    IP   H HR  BB   K   ERA
94 R     15   6  42.0  53  3  35  32  8.14
95 A-    13  10  55.2  72  4  19  30  6.14
96 A     34  11 102.0  90  8  44  93  4.06
#9 Andy Prater: 19-9/27/77; #2 '96, Florrisant,MO(HS)
P, R-R, 6-3 175
A surprise 2nd round pick in the '96 draft, Prater at this point has only a decent fastball but with very good command. The Pirates project that he'll add velocity in the next two years. That coupled with his command could make for a dominating pitcher. Definitely had a good season in the GCL. Will start '97 in the rotation at Augusta. 

          G  GS    IP   H HR  BB   K   ERA
96 HS    na  na  56.0  36 na  16  85  1.76
96 R     12  12  68.0  63  3  11  53  3.18
#10 Brian O'Connor: 20-1/4/77; #11 '95, Redding,OH(HS)
P, L-L, 6-2 175
His best pitch is a biting curveball that he compliments with a pretty decent fastball (mid-to-upper 80's). He also throws a slider and change. Had excellent numbers in '95 in the GCL and the first half of the year in Augusta primarily as a reliever. Sent to Erie to get more innings in as a starter and for whatever reason he had problems with control which led to somewhat poor numbers at Erie. One reason for the control problems was that he was trying to pitch to finely. Even with the downturn in performance at Erie he still kept his K/IP nearly at 1. As long as he doesn't have control problems, he's an excellent pitcher and there's no reason to think that they'll persist. I'm guessing he'll start the year in the rotation at Augusta, though beginning the year at Lynchburg is a definite possibility. 

          G  GS    IP   H HR  BB   K   ERA
95 R     14   5  43.0  33  1  13  43  1.88
96 A     19   0  35.1  33  2   8  37  3.06
   A-    15  15  67.2  76  4  47  60  5.85
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