Pirate 1998 Scouting Report - Outfielders

Last Updated 10 Febuary 1998

On January 5, 1998, Mark Jareb (lshark@AKULA.COM) posted the following to the Pirate e-mail list. I have edited it and included it here with his permission.

Abbreviations are:
-CAL, Calgary, the Bucs AAA team in the
PCL, Pacific Coast League (Nashville replaces Calgary in '98)
-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.
Index: | Pirates | Calgary | Carolina | Lynchburg | Augusta | Erie | GCL | Projections |
Pirates
Al Martin: 30-11/24/67; #8 '85(Atl); USC
OF, L-L, 6-2 210
Martin has now put up four consecutive seasons that are very similar in terms of rate of raw production. Surprisingly though, in '97, he hit LHPs quite well (326/417/446) whereas in the 3 previous seasons he was quite poor (200/264/306). Necessarily, his numbers against RHP were slightly down in '97. But what does this mean for Martin in '98 and beyond? Obviously, Martin made some new adjustments against LHP that should help him in the future, but I think Lamont's spotting him only against some lefties also helped. His slight decrease in production vs RHP was really just a decrease in BA coupled with a little extra power. I think he'll maintain that level. Given his age I'd expect similar numbers for at least the next couple of seasons. Martin is signed through '99 with club options in 2000 and 2001. Martin is a poor defensive OFer, so it will be interesting to see the Bucs' decisions in 2000, particularly if Martin's '99 is similar to the past several years. I think that, barring injury (which is a consideration in Martin's case) we can expect that he'll be the starting LFer until at least 2000 whenever the other team throws a RHP. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
92 PIT   12   2   0  1  0   0   5   167/154/333
93 PIT  480 135  26  8 18  42 122   281/338/481
94 PIT  276  79  12  4  9  34  56   286/367/457
95 PIT  439 124  25  3 13  44  92   282/351/442
96 PIT  630 189  40  1 18  54 116   300/354/452
97 PIT  423 123  24  7 13  45  83   291/359/473

Jermaine Allensworth: 26-1/11/72; #1(supp) '93; Purdue U.
OF, R-R, 6-0 190

Allensworth had a disappointing '97 in many people's eyes (notably the Bucs coaching staff and the front office), so his '98 season, and even spring training, will be particularly important for him. He actually was having a pretty good season offensively until breaking his hand in mid-May. The injury may have shorted his power stroke somewhat, though it does seem that even early in the season, he was making more of a concerted effort to draw BB and get on base (at the expense of at least some power). A greater concern IMO of Gene Lamont et al. was Allensworth's defense in CF where at times he was tentative and showed lapses of judgement. I think the hand injury may have indirectly contributed to this as well. Allensworth will go into spring training as the starting CF, but he'll have competition from Adrian Brown and Turner Ward. Partly due to talent issues and partly due to a particularly good work ethic, I think Allensworth will keep the starter's job and have a strong '98 (I'm guessing a 350+ OBP and 380 SLG). In the event that Allensworth doesn't have a good spring training at the least he'll be the RH platoon in CF. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
93 A-   263  81  16  4  1  24  38   308/390/411
94 AA   452 109  26  8  1  39  79   241/315/341
95 AA   219  59  14  2  1  25  34   269/357/365
   AAA  190  60  13  4  3  13  30   316/375/474
96 AAA  352 116  23  6  8  39  61   330/406/497
   PIT  229  60   9  3  4  23  50   262/337/380
97 PIT  369  94  18  2  3  44  79   255/340/339

Jose Guillen: 22-5/17/76; ND '93, Dominican(HS)
OF(RF), R-R, 5-11 165

Jose made the jump all the way from A ball to the majors and fared decently. His ML numbers were very similar to his '96 Class A numbers translated to a neutral NL park from '95. All in all he really wasn't that good for a starting RF in MLB in '97, but he really does project pretty well for the future. A reasonable expectation would be a really significant increase in BA and power sometime in the next two or three years. I actually think Jose will surprise people next season and hit something like 290/320/450. His defense was also erratic as was his strong arm. Hopefully, with time and experience, his defense will improve as well. Still, I do have mixed feelings about Guillen, because he'll always be an overrated player because of his lack of patience at the plate. Yes, he'll be an above average, or very good player, but he won't be a superstar, though he'll likely get that type of money from someone. For the meantime though, I'm going to enjoy the next few seasons with Guillen stationed in RF. One other positive about Guillen -- he was the recipient of the Roberto Clemente Humanitarian Award this winter in the Dominican for his charity work there. 
         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
    DOM  95  21   3  0  1   0  14   221/267/284
97  PIT 498 133  20  5 14  17  88   267/300/412
    DOM 115  41  12  0  4   8  16   357/398/565
1997 Scouting Report

Adrian Brown: 24-2/7/74; #48 '92, McComb,MS (HS)
OF(CF), B-R, 6-0 185

Adrian Brown began '97 at AA, hit well there, and then was called up to Pittsburgh when Allensworth broke his hand in mid-May. After a poor showing at the plate (though defensively he played well), Brown went to AAA where he hit well as he had done at AA. A legitimate CF, he still doesn't walk enough (and hence have a good enough OBP) to offset his lack of power, but he does have room for improvement. Although speed is supposedly a big part of his offense, he's caught stealing too often for it to really be of much value. As a switch-hitter with Pittsburgh, he hit LHP pretty well and was pretty abysmal vs RHP, though at AAA he didn't show any real split. In truth, he seems quite similar to Allensworth (a little less power but a little higher BA), but for some reason (perhaps his '97 performance in Pittsburgh) I rate him a notch below. He has a shot at beating out Allensworth as the starting CF, but the most likely scenario is that he starts '98 at Nashville. 
         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
   AFL  139  34   4  2  1  13  23   245/312/324
97 AA   145  44   4  4  2  18  12   303/388/428
   AAA  248  79  10  1  1  27  38   319/383/379
   MLB  147  28   6  0  1  13  18   190/273/252
1997 Scouting Report

Emil Brown: 23-12/29/74; #6 '94(Oak); Harlan HS (IL)
OF, R-R, 6-2 195

Brown was selected off of the A's roster in the Rule V draft in the 96-97 offseason and remained on the Pirates roster all year, though he didn't receive as much playing time as expected. His spotty playing time IMO contributed to his poor numbers and prompted concern as to how much his development was set back. However, his excellent performance when he did get regular playing time in the AFL this offseason suggests that he wasn't hurt much at all by sitting on the bench. It also suggests that the Bucs made quite a nice pick in the Rule V draft. Brown gets on base well and hits for good power. His defense seemed solid, and he does have strong arm. He'll likely start '98 as the starting CF at Carolina. I rate him as our best long term prospect at CF. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
94 R     86  19   1  1  3  13  12   221/350/360
95 A    459 115  17  3  3  52  77   251/337/320
96 A+   211  64  10  1 10  32  51   303/406/502
   R     15   4   3  0  0   3   2   267/421/467
97 PIT   95  17   2  1  2  10  32   179/304/284
   AFL  107  31   5  2  6  19  41   290/397/542

Mark Smith: 28-5/7/70; #1 '91(Bal); USC
OF/1B, R-R, 6-3 205

Smith was acquired by the Bucs in a trade on the eve of the '97 season essentially in exchange for Trey Beamon (and to make room on the 40-man roster). An NCAA home run champion and a #1 pick of the Orioles, he really didn't develop as expected until '96, where he began the season blistering the ball at AAA Rochester. However, he hurt himself shortly after a mid-season callup to the O's. The big question going into '97 was whether his '96 numbers were a fluke. His '97 performance emphatically says it was no fluke. In addition to showing good power, Smith also showed an improved ability to draw BB and get on base. Smith is not a particularly pretty OF, but he's adequate. He's also attempting to learn 1B in the offseason to give him another place to play and get his bat in the lineup (he attended the Instructional League in October). He'll be the Bucs 4th OFer playing the corners as well as getting some time at 1B if his defense there is passable. He'll almost certainly start against most LHP. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
91 A+   148  37   5  1  4   9  24   250/296/378
92 AA   472 136  32  6  4  45  55   288/351/407
93 AAA  485 136  27  1 12  37  90   280/341/414
94 AAA  437 108  27  1 19  35  88   247/311/444
   BAL    7   1   0  0  0   0   2   143/143/143
95 AAA  364 101  25  3 12  24  69   277/328/462
   BAL  104  24   5  0  3  12  22   231/314/365
96 AAA  132  46  14  1  8  14  22   348/424/652
   A+     1   0   0  0  0   0   0   000/000/000
   AA    22   2   0  0  1   1   6   091/200/227
   BAL   78  19   2  0  4   3  20   244/298/423
97 AAA  137  51  14  1 14  21  15   372/463/796
   PIT  193  55  13  1  9  28  36   285/374/503

Turner Ward: 33-4/11/65;#18 '86(NYY); South Alabama
OF, S-R, 6-2 182

Ward was picked up by the Bucs right before the start of the '97 season when he was cut by the ChiSox. Ward began the year at AAA Calgary hitting extremely well and simply never stopped - even after being called up to Pittsburgh. Initially, he got an occasional spot start against a tough RHP, but he was hitting so well that he had the majority of starts in CF in September. Primarily known for his defense, Ward's offensive performance in '97 wasn't even close to any other season he's had before. Considering he was 32 at the time, it seems highly likely it was a fluke, career year. Ward parlayed his success into a 2-yr $1.6 M contract with the Bucs. He does give the Bucs a needed LH bat off the bench and a backup CF. Though he'll likely have a big dropoff from his '97 stats, if he can produce similarly to his '95 year in Milwaukee (~340/400) he'll be a solid bench player. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
90 AAA  495 148  24  9  6  72  70   299/388/420
   CLE   46  16   2  1  1   3   8   348/388/500
91 AAA  269  82  12  4  8  53  31   305/419/468
 CL-TOR 113  27   7  0  0  11  18   239/306/301
92 AAA  280  67  10  2 10  44  43   239/343/396
   TOR   29  10   3  0  1   4   4   345/424/552
93 TOR  167  32   4  2  4  23  26   192/287/311
94 MIL  367  85  15  2  9  52  68   232/328/357
95 MIL  129  34   3  1  4  14  21   264/338/395
96 MIL   67  12   2  1  2  13  17   179/309/328
97 AAA  209  71  18  3  9  24  26   340/418/584
   PIT  167  59  16  1  7  18  17   353/420/587

Calgary AAA
Manny Martinez: 27-10/3/70; NDFA '88(Oak); Dom. Rep.
OF, R-R, 6-2 169
Martinez became part of his 5th organization when he signed with the Bucs as a minor league Free Agent during the '96-'97 offseason. Martinez resigned with the Bucs this offseason and was even added to the 40-man roster. His main asset has been a high BA (though he has a below average BB rate), but in '97 at AAA he showed a large increase in power. However, Calgary's thin air may be the biggest reason for the power surge. Thus far in the Dominican winter league, Martinez again has a high BA but little power. Martinez is a dark horse candidate for the CF job in Pittsburgh in '98. If his power increase in '97 was real, then he's a legitimate contender, but I don't think that's the case. Additionally, since he bats RH, that limits his chances of landing a job as a backup OF/PH off the bench with the parent club. More likely, Martinez will end up in Nashville as an insurance OFer in case of injury. He is one of the frontrunners to be dropped off of the 40-man roster at the end of spring training. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
90 A-   244  60   5  0  2  16  59   246/306/291
91 A+   502 136  32  3  3  34  80   271/324/365
92 A+   495 125  23  1  9  39  75   253/309/358
93 A+   459 148  26  3 11  41  60   322/381/464
   AAA   59  18   2  0  1   4  12   305/349/390
94 AAA  536 137  25  5  9  28  72   256/302/371
95 AAA  397 115  17  8  8  20  64   290/327/433
96 AAA  344 101  16  2  4  27  58   294/347/387
   SEA   17   4   2  1  0   3   5   235/350/471
   PHI   36   8   0  2  0   1  11   222/263/333
97 AAA  420 139  34  1 16  33  80   331/379/531
   DR   112  36   7  0  2  17  15   321/411/438

TJ Staton: 23-2/17/75; #10 '93, Elyria, OH(HS)
OF(LF), L-L, 6-3 200

After a breakout season in '96, Staton had a hard fall back down in '97. The big difference at Carolina in '96 from his other seasons was a very good BB rate. After an abysmal start in '97 at Calgary (where he wasn't playing everyday which might have played a role in those bad numbers), he was demoted back to Carolina and went back to his pre-'96 aggressive batting style where he put up numbers very predictive of his pre-96 performance. He's still fairly young, so his '98 season will be an important gauge of his future. If he can keep his BA near .300 and hit with power numbers similar to his '96 and '97 AA, he has a future regardless of his BB rate. He should be in Nashville starting everyday, though the Bucs may have signed a few too many minor league FA to let that happen. I think it would be a step backward for his development if he was back at AA. 
         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
    AFL 117  29   4  0  2  11  36   248/318/333
97  AAA 199  47  14  0  2  22  51   236/317/337
    AA  207  60  11  2  6  12  60   290/341/449
1997 Scouting Report

Billy Lott: 27-8/16/70; #2 '89(LA); Hattiesburg, MS(HS)
OF, R-R, 6-4 210

Lott was signed as a minor league FA by the Expos in the '96-97 offseason, was released after played badly at Ottawa, and the Bucs picked him up and he hit very well at Calgary. Lott has shown good power, though he has a slightly below average BB rate and a fairly high K rate. Also, other than his '94 at San Antonio (a pitcher's park in a hitter's league), his only good years at the plate have come in hitter's parks in the PCL. Still, he's the right kind of AAA insurance OF to have because he has the possibility of being a good bat. Lott wasn't listed as a minor league FA though it seems like he ought to be one. As well with recent minor league FA signings our OF at AAA and AA is pretty crowded. He might be at AAA but I think it's more likely that he'll be in Mexico City or with another team. I'd prefer him at AAA over Bieser and Geisler though. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
89 R    150  29   2  4  0  10  48   193/248/260
90 A+   133  27   1  1  2   6  46   203/241/271
   A-   240  66  13  2  4  10  62   275/307/396
91 A+   314  70  10  1  5  25  90   223/282/309
92 A+   435 107  17  4  3  22 107   246/284/324
93 AA   418 106  17  2 15  23 111   254/293/411
94 AA   448 131  25  4 12  31 100   292/342/446
95 AAA  146  46   7  2  5  13  48   315/371/493
96 AAA  418 111  20  1 19  46 124   266/345/455
97 3A-O 108  24   5  0  2   8  22   222/271/324
   3A-C 239  75  18  0 15  35  56   314/405/577

Steve Bieser: 30-8/4/67;#32 '89(Phi); Southeast Missouri State U.
OF/C, L-R, 5-10 170

Bieser was signed by the Bucs as a minor league FA this offseason. He was a big surprise last season to start '97 on the Mets opening day roster. A big reason for his spot with the Mets was that he can be a legitimate emergency catcher. He's a LH batting slap hitter with a slightly below average BB rate (gets HBP at good clip though). His BA can be pretty good but he has absolutely no power. Of course that must mean his OF defense is pretty good. He's not a bad choice to have as a 4th OFer at AAA, but he's not a good one either. I doubt he'll ever make it to the majors again. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
89 A-    75  18   3  1  1  12  20   240/352/347
90 A-   160  37  11  1  0  26  27   231/339/313
91 A    168  41   6  0  0  31  35   244/366/280
92 A+   203  58   6  5  0  39  28   286/422/365
   AA   139  38   5  4  0   6  25   273/322/367
93 AA   170  53   6  3  1  15  24   312/374/400
   AAA   83  21   4  0  0   2  14   253/279/301
94 AAA  228  61  13  1  0  17  40   268/329/333
95 AAA  245  66  12  6  1  22  56   269/351/380
96 AAA  382 123  24  4  1  35  55   322/386/414
97 NYM   69  17   3  0  0   7  20   246/346/290
   AAA  122  20   5  0  0   9  20   164/250/205

Phil Geisler: 28-10/23/69;#9 '91(Phi); U. of Portland
OF, L-L, 6-3 200

Geisler was signed by the Bucs as a minor league FA this offseason. The best asset he brings to the organization is that he swings from the left side of the plate. For an OFer, he's below average in BA, getting on base, and hitting for power and this is at the minor league level. He is likely to be an extra OFer at AAA. I'd rather have Steve Hazlett or even Rick Holifield. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
91 R+   114  37   5  0  1  23  25   325/442/395
   A    129  21   3  0  1  14  36   163/245/209
92 A+   400  87  10  3  6  41  88   218/295/303
93 A+   344 105  23  4 15  29  70   305/368/526
   AA   178  48  14  1  3  17  50   270/343/410
94 AAA  183  36   5  1  0  18  48   197/270/235
   AA   254  70  12  1  7  24  55   276/340/413
95 AA   272  63  10  3  2  21  65   232/294/313
   AAA   43   8   5  0  1   2  13   186/222/372
96 AA   355  89  17  2 11  33  96   251/316/403
97 AAA  335  86  24  0  9  24  90   256/302/408

Steve Hazlett: 28-3/30/70;#20 '91(Min); U. of Wyoming
OF, R-R, 5-11 170

Rick Holifield: 28-3/25/70; #21 '88(Tor); Ganesha HS(CA)
OF, L-L, 6-2 185

Hazlett and Holifield are career minor league OFers who played mostly at AA Carolina last year. Both are minor league free agents and unlikely to be resigned by the Bucs now that Bieser and Geisler have been signed.

Darryl Brinkley

Well-traveled outfielder Darryl Brinkley at least put himself in the Pirates' consciousness with a fine 1997 winter season for Mexicali in the Mexican Pacific League. The 28-year-old hit .284 with 11 homers and 27 RBIs in 59 games. He led the league in runs (46), tied for first in hits (67), tied for second in homers (11) and tied for third in steals. The Pirates acquire Brinkley from San Diego's Double-A Mobile farm club midway through last season (June) and assigned him to the Mexico City Reds of the Mexican League. 
         AVG  AB   R   H 2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO  SB
97 AA   .307 215  41  66 14  1  5  33  26  30  10
   AAA*
   MWL  .284 236  45  67 11  0 11  27  36  28  13  284/384/470
*AAA with the Mexico City Reds
Carolina AA
Charles Peterson: 24-5/8/74; #1 '93, Laurens,SC(HS)
OF(RF/CF), R-R, 6-3 200
Peterson is a "tools" players whose tools have not translated into performance yet. '97 was probably fairly demoralizing for him as he wasn't promoted to AAA, and Adrian Brown passed him by on the depth chart. In short, his numbers have regressed after a promising '95; his BA has gone down slightly, but more importantly, his power hasn't developed. As Peterson was taken off the 40-man roster this offseason his stock has dropped even further. It's likely he'll repeat AA, though this time as the 4th OF. He needs to step it up greatly in '98 to get back on the prospect map. 
         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
    MEX  21   1   0  0  0   2   5   048/167/048
97  AA  442 111  26  4  7  40 105   251/318/376
1997 Scouting Report

Mike Asche: 26-2/13/72; #6 '94; U. Nebraska-Kearny
OF/3B, R-R, 6-2 190

Asche is old for the level he's been playing at, so it's not necessarily surprising that he had an excellent year at Lynchburg. He was definitely hurt by the excess of minor league Free Agent OFers signed by the Bucs in the '96-'97 offseason as he should have been playing everyday at AA. Still, he has decent line drive power, hits for a decent average, and walks at about league average. He should get a fair amount of PT in AA next season, though I could see him losing ABs to younger players whose development the Bucs want to speed up. He needs to have similar numbers to his '97 at AA or higher to get himself a chance to play in the majors. 
          AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
94 A-   204  49   5  1  4  13  30   240/289/333
95 A    376 100  17  6  6  35  60   266/334/391
96 A+   498 147  25  6  7  38  92   295/343/412
   HAW  149  36   5  2  2  11  19   242/299/342
97 AA    42   9   1  1  0   4   6   214/283/296
   A+   409 125  34  4 11  41  77   306/368/489
Lynchburg A (full season, high)
Alex Hernandez: 21-5/28/77; #4 '95, Puerto Rico(HS)
OF, L-L, 6-4 190
Hernandez had a very good '97 after jumping over Augusta to Lynchburg. He was rated by Baseball America as the Pirates organization's best hitter for average and best defensive OF. In addition, his high number of doubles suggest that he may develop decent power. One concern though (a major one IMO) is his very low BB rate coupled with his very high K rate. Typically, that bodes poorly for future development in that it suggests he's an aggressive hitter who simply misses the ball a lot. This makes me question whether he'll actually develop more power. However, Hernandez is unusual in that he maintained a high BA with such BB and K rates, so it's difficult to project what he might do since batters with comparable attributes at such a young age are rare. Hernandez should be the starting RF in Carolina. I'm curious to see how he handles the pitching at AA. 
         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
97 A+   520 151  37  4  5  27 140   290/324/406
   PR   133  33   5  2  1   9  34   248/294/338
1997 Scouting Report

Julian "Tike" Redman: 21-3/10/77; #5 '96; Tuscaloosa Academy HS
OF, L-L, 5-11 165

Known as Tike, Redman didn't put up great numbers in '97, but considering his age, pro experience, and level, he still looks like a good prospect. In addition, it was his first full season ever, and his numbers really nosedived toward the end of the season. If he can get his BA back to around his '96 levels and increase his BB rate a little, he could turn into a good leadoff hitter. He is the fastest baserunner in the Bucs minors. Also, although he'll never be a power hitter, he looks like he could develop decent gap power. Paul Tinnell commented that Redman was the Bucs MVP for the 1997 Instructional League. With Emil Brown slated to start in Carolina, Redman will either find himself the starting LF in Carolina or back as the starting CF in Lynchburg. I'd like to see them push Redman to AA but I think he'll get kept back due to an excess of bodies at upper levels. Hopefully, there will be promotions by midseason. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
96 R    104  31   4  1  1  12  12   298/368/385
   A-   170  50   4  6  2  17  30   294/353/424
97 A+   415 104  18  5  4  45  82   251/333/347

Shon Walker: 24-6/9/74; #1(s) '92, Cynthiana, KY (HS)
OF/1B/DH, 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. However, due to an excess of minor league FA OF signings by the Bucs and knee injuries, he found himself back in Lynchburg in '97 primarily playing DH. He still produced good numbers in '97 though he went back to his more patient approach which caused a drop in his BA but more BB and a little more power when he hit the ball. Though, he played more in the OF than 1B this past season, I'd expect that he'll split time more eqaully in Carolina in '98 between 1B, DH, and OF (i.e he'll take over the Tracy Sanders role). This is likely Walker's last season to get on the Bucs 40-man as he'll be a minor league FA after '98, so he needs to impress people now. 
         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
97 A+   303  79  15  6 15  77 131   261/408/498
1997 Scouting Report

Charles Rice: 22-8/31/75; #1(s) '93; Birmingham Parker HS (AL)
OF/1B, L-R, 6-2 227

Rice was taken with the draft pick we received as compensation for losing Barry Bonds. Thus far, he's been a disappointment, but he'll be back for at least another year because of his power potential. His biggest difficulty is that he hasn't been able to make adjustments when promoted to a higher level. He is still relatively young, but he needs to produce this year at Lynchburg or he'll lose what little prospect status he has left. Then again, if he combines a good BA with the power he showed at Augusta, he could put himself pretty high on the prospect map. I expect he'll see a fair amount of PT in the OF in Lynchburg to start '98. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
93 R    126  26   2  2  3  26  46   206/342/325
94 R    204  60  16  2  6  29  43   294/398/480
95 A     54  12   3  0  1   2  14   222/276/333
   A-   269  85  15  2  8  19  59   316/377/476
96 A    185  33   5  1  3  18  57   178/276/265
   A-   187  47  12  1  4  23  39   251/357/390
97 A+    95  20   2  1  2  10  28   211/296/316
   A    156  39   6  1 10  16  37   250/326/494

Albert Davis: 21-10/5/76; #39 '94; Alcoa HS (TN)
OF, R-R, 5-9 175

Davis missed the entire '96 season with an injury and came back in '97 to put up some decent numbers. He has the ability to take a walk, steals bases well, and looks to be developing some decent power. Considering that recovering from his injury may have hampered his '97, he's worth keeping an eye on in '98. Potentially, an excellent pick for the 39th round. I expect he'll see a lot of playing time in Lynchburg in '98. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
94 R    128  36   5  3  1  20  28   281/377/391
95 R     43  13   3  0  3   1   6   302/318/581
   A-   152  35  12  0  2  19  26   230/318/349
97 A    279  67  13  3  6  49  67   240/362/373
   A+    60  10   2  0  1   7  13   167/250/250

Garrett Long's scouting report is found on the firstbaseman's page.

Augusta A (full season, low)
Freddy May: 22-1/24/76; #9 '95; John F. Kennedy HS (WA)
OF, L-L, 6-2 190
Since arriving in Augusta, May's career has gone downward. He draws BB's at a decent rate and he's shown signs of developing power, but he just hasn't been able to hit. He steals a fair number of bases but his SB percentage is poor. He may get promoted to Lynchburg this year as the 4th OF, though it's possible that he'll be back for a 3rd season in Augusta or even out of baseball. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
95 R     96  32   5  2  2  18  16   333/435/490
   A-    90  24   3  1  1   5  23   267/309/356
96 A    390  79   8  6  5  72 119   203/330/292
97 A    358  84  13  7  4  43  84   235/316/344

Alex Pena: 20-9/9/77; FA 1/7/94; Dom. Rep.
OF, R-R, 6-2 175

Pena played his second season at Augusta and hasn't shown much promise - though he's still quite young. He has a poor batting eye with a high K rate. He may develop power, but he also needs to up his BA considerably to have any real value. Since, he's young, I think it's likely that he'll be in Augusta again in '98. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
95 R    172  41   7  3  1   6  26   238/264/331
96 A    167  27   4  2  0   7  51   162/194/210
   A-   281  75  10  3  4  14  52   267/305/367
97 A    356  87  12  2  5  18  81   244/286/331

Aljereau Benjamin: 20-9/9/77; #12 D&F '95; San Jacinto JC(TX)
OF, R-R, 6-1 190

Benjamin was a draft and follow from '95 who's still quite raw. He had a good season in his 2nd try in rookie ball. His one projectable tool is power. His plate discipline, though, is quite poor. I don't see much of a future for him, but it's still quite early in his career. Might be in Augusta in '98 but has an eqaul chance to find himself in Erie. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
96 R    172  39   5  4  3  12  35   227/278/355
97 R    152  49  14  2  2   4  26   322/340/480
   A     14   2   0  0  0   0   3   143/143/143

Corey Pointer: 22-9/2/75; #2 '94(ATL); Waxahachie HS (TX)
OF/3B/C, R-R, 6-2 205

Pointer was the third guy acquired in the Denny Neagle deal, but has struggled since arriving in the Pirates organization. He hits for power, but has an extremely high K rate and a poor BA. He produced in a similar fashion playing in the Hawaii Winter League this offseason. One note, in Hawaii, he also played some catcher and 3B (he originally began his pro career as a catcher). I expect that he'll be back in Augusta in '98 though at what position is a question. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
94 R     77  11   4  0  1   8  31   143/241/234
95 R+   158  44   5  3  8  19  60   278/370/500
96 A     25   6   1  0  1   0   9   240/269/400
   A-   233  57  12  3 14  35  88   245/349/502
   A-    21   4   1  0  0   0   9   190/227/238
97 A    248  47   9  0  7  26 116   190/287/310
   A-    43   5   0  0  2   3  22   116/235/256
   HAW  100  20   4  1  4   9  42   200/266/380

Jason "J.J." Johnson: 22-2/1/76; #5 '94(TEX); Hogan HS (CA)
OF, R-R, 6-2 190

Johnson was acquired from Texas in the AA portion of the of the Rule V draft in December '96. He hadn't shown much of an ability to hit previously, but his '97 season was a pleasant surprise. Though old for Erie, he hit well enough there to get promoted to Augusta. He tends to walk a little above the league average rate, and he has shown some gap power. If he can improve to consistently hit with a better average, then he could turn into a prospect. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in Lynchburg as the 4th OF, or he may be starting everyday at Augusta. That's dependent on his play this past instructional league and in spring training. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
94 R    188  39   8  3  0  30  60   207/320/282
95 A-   150  36   7  3  5  12  38   240/314/427
96 A    391  85  18  4  1  43 115   217/304/292
97 A-   103  33   7  1  2  11  21   320/385/466
   A     57  13   1  0  1  12  17   228/362/298
Erie A (short season)
Dawan Elliott: 21-7/30/76; #5 '95; Long Branch HS(NJ)
OF, L-L, 6-3 200
Elliot has not developed as expected thus far. He's shown signs of developing power, but his plate discipline is poor. He'll likely get another look in '98, this time at Augusta, but he needs to show improvement. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
95 R    109  24   1  2  0   6  30   220/261/266
96 R     90  27   7  1  0   8  12   300/364/400
   A-   115  17   5  0  2  16  42   148/258/243
97 A-   172  43  13  0  2   9  32   250/288/360

Robert Mackowiak: 22-6/20/76; #53 '96; South Suburban JC(IL)
OF/3B, L-R, 5-10 165

Drafted out of Junio College as a SS-2B, Mackowiak switched to the OF and has put together two very similar, above average seasons. He draws walks at a decent rate (plus gets HBP fairly often) and hits for a decent average with OK line drive power. Like May and Johnson, he may end up in Lynchburg or Augusta to start '98. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
96 R     86  23   6  1  0  13  11   267/366/360
97 A-   203  58  14  2  1  21  47   286/371/389

Felix Lara (Parreno): 20-10/30/77; FA 5/95; Dom. Rep.
OF, L-L, 6-0 170

Felix (who at various times was listed with the last name of Lara or Parreno and even just as Lara Parreno) showed good power in the DSL, but looked to be more like a leadoff hitter when he played for Erie. His BB rate was OK, but his K rate was very high. As he still seems raw around the plate and is fairly young, I think the Bucs will develop him slowly. He'll probably be in Augusta next year, though it's not out of the question that he'll repeat Erie. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
95 DSL  135  25   2  2  1  15  53   185/267/252
96 DSL  245  60  10  0 11  23  74   245/310/420
97 A-   165  41   8  1  1  17  55   248/319/327

Korwin Dehaan: 21-7/16/76; #7 '97; Morningside College (IA)
OF, L-R, 6-2 185

Dehaan's a speedy OFer who can draw a walk. His BA faded down the stretch but he still had an OBP over 350. Though fast, his SB success rate wasn't very good (14 SB/ 9 CS), so he needs to improve in that area. He'll likely start '98 as the starting CF at Augusta, though a jump to Lynchburg is not out of the question. 
        
        AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
97 NCAA 156  57         8           365/   /
97 A-   205  49   8  6  1  38  43   239/357/351

Chris Clark: 22-8/20/75; #37 '97; Stanford U.
OF, R-R, 5-10 180

A late draft pick, Clark hit decently in limited time at Erie. If the Bucs didn't have so many bodies to play the OF, I'd expect that he'd remain as a 4th or 5th OFer either in Lynchburg or Augusta. But since the Bucs do, I don't see Clark coming back. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
97 NCAA 219  68  11  1  9  14  37   311/352/493
   A-    90  23   4  0  3   6  13   256/316/400

J.J Davis: 19-10/25/78; #1 '97; Pomona, CA (HS)
OF, R-R, 6-6 230

Davis was the Bucs #1 pick in '97 -- signing bonus considerations caused him to be drafted this high as he was projected by most experts as a late first rounder. Initially, he was looked at as a pitcher, but then his burgeoning power and a drop in velocity his senior year in HS caused a change of opinion, and scouts now saw him as an OFer (though he played mostly 1B in HS). His numbers in rookie ball weren't stunning but neither were they discouraging. He showed a decent eye at the plate and his XBH suggested that he will develop power. Also, reports from instructional league were positive concerning his development. He likely will start '98 in Augusta since the Bucs tend to push their #1 picks a little harder. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
97 HS    77  41   7  2  9           532/   /1026
   R    165  42  10  2  1  14  44   255/315/358
   A-    13   1   0  0  0   0   4   077/077/077

Gulf Coast (Rookie League)
Maurice Washington: 19-5/22/79; #4 '97; Chaparral HS(NV)
OF/3B, R-R, 6-1 195
Washington was picked in the 4th round of this year's draft (as was his brother Dion, by the Yankees). A fairly raw talent who barely played as a junior in high school, Washington's power potential was the tool that got him drafted. He didn't really show the power in rookie ball though he did show some patience. It wouldn't surprise me for him to start '98 in Bradenton again. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
97 HS                  13           ~500
   R     94  19   2  1  0  11  34   202/286/245

Jose Nicolas: 18-1/1/79; #2 '97; Westminster Christian HS (FL)
OF, R-R, 6-3 210

Nicolas was drafted in the 2nd round out of the same high school that produced Alex Rodriguez. Nicolas dropped to the second round after a relatively disappointing senior year (i.e. he didn't stand out like a top 10 selection as some thought he would). Athletic with a lot of tools, his success is dependent on whether his power potential will develop as he doesn't appear to have the plate discipline to take advantage of his speed. Nicolas will likely start next season at Erie. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
97 R    141  34   6  3  0  13  44   241/310/326

Andrew Jones: 19-10/27/78; #19 '97; Phoenix, AZ (HS)
OF, R-R, 6-3 190

Jones is a speedy OFer who had a lukewarm first season. He showed good plate discipline, but his hitting took a nosedive towards season's end. He may repeat at Bradenton, or he may start '98 in Erie. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
97 R     91  20   1  0  0  11  21   220/311/231

Jeremy Rockow: 20-10/25/77; #12 '96; N. Fort Myers HS(FL)
OF/1B, L-L, 6-3 180

Rockow spent his second season in rookie ball and showed a big increase in his power production. His batting eye is a little below average, and he needs to increase his BA, but the improvement in power and decrease in K rate from '96 is a good trend. He will likely start '98 in Erie possibly seeing a little more time at 1B. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
96 R    108  24   4  1  1   9  37   222/292/306
97 R     73  17   5  0  3   7  18   233/317/425

Raul De La Cruz: 21-5/6/77; FA 11/94; Dom. Rep.
OF/1B, R-R, 5-11 175

De La Cruz had a monster year in the DSL in '96, but he preformed realtively poorly in Bradenton in '97 especially in light of his age. He may get promoted to Augusta but I think it's more likely that he's out of the organization. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
95 DSL  229  51  12  1  3  10  53   223/255/323
96 DSL  243  94  16  0  5  17  37   387/427/514
97 R     92  22   0  1  2   3  25   239/268/326

Pete Austin: 23-11/6/74; #40 '97; Millsaps College (MS)
OF, R-R, 6-2 195

Austin was a late draft pick and given his performance and age, it's unlikely that he'll be back in '98. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO    BA/OBP/SLG
97 NCAA 128  47   9  0  1           367/423/461
   A-    13   2   0  0  0   1   4   154/313/154
   R     53  13   2  0  0   4  10   245/293/283

Projections:

Bucs: LF: Martin CF: Allensworth RF: Guillen Bench: Smith/Ward
Nashville: LF: Staton CF: A Brown RF: Martinez Bench: Bieser/Geisler
Carolina: LF: Asche CF: E Brown RF:Hernandez Bench: Peterson/S. Walker
Lynchburg: LF: Long CF: Redman RF: Rice Bench: A. Davis/J. Johnson/May
Augusta: LF: J. Davis CF: Dehaan RF: Elliott Bench: Mackowiak/Pena/Pointer
Erie: LF: Benjamin CF: Lara RF: Nicolas Bench: Rockow/draft pick
Gulf Coast League: M. Washington A. Jones draft picks

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