Pirate 1999 Scouting Report - Outfielders

Last Updated 6 February 1999

On January 7, 1999, 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.

Index: | Pirates | Nashville | Altoona | Lynchburg | Hickory | Williamsport | GCL | Projections |
Pirates
Al Martin: 31-11/24/67; #8 '85(Atl); USC
OF(LF), L-L, 6-2 210
Martin suffered through his worst season in '98, and rumors persist that he is on the trading block. He currently has 2 years left on his contract with a couple of club options after that. He had eye surgery in the offseason which apparently has improved his eyesight. Currently, there's a logjam of starters in the OF with Martin, Giles, Brant Brown, and Guillen. Martin is likely to be the odd man out unless he's traded. I actually think he'll bounce back strong to the level of performance in past years or even better. Prior to '98, almost every year, he's had nagging injuries to his hand and wrist and, if healthy with better eyesight, I think he'll do well. If Martin is with the Bucs in '99, he'll likely start against most RHP. Without a trade before opening day, I expect a 4-man outfield with Martin, Giles, Brown, and Guillen each getting 3/4's of the starts.
Previous Martin Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
92 PIT   12   2   0  1  0   0   5   0  0  167/154/333
93 PIT  480 135  26  8 18  42 122  16  9  281/338/481
94 PIT  276  79  12  4  9  34  56  15  6  286/367/457
95 PIT  439 124  25  3 13  44  92  20 11  282/351/442
96 PIT  630 189  40  1 18  54 116  38 12  300/354/452  200/290/326 327/372/487
97 PIT  423 123  24  7 13  45  83  23  7  291/359/473  326/417/446 281/342/480
98 PIT  440 105  15  2 12  32  91  20  3  239/296/364  216/259/295 244/306/381

Jose Guillen: 23-5/17/76; NDFA '93; San Cristobal, DR
OF(RF), R-R, 5-11 165

Guillen now has had two seasons in the majors each with similar results. He did exhibit a little bit more power in '98 in the sense that he upped the % of hits for extra bases from 29% to 35%. One of his biggest downfalls has been his lack of patience at the plate which more than affecting his OBP, IMO, has affected his power output. For someone who projects as a power hitter, in his 2 major league seasons, an alarming 2/3 of his outs have been grounders -- for perspective, Guillen makes more ground outs than Tony Womack. Guillen needs to start waiting for pitches he can drive in the air, as opposed to simply swinging at balls he can simply get his bat on. Defensively, he showed improvement both in judging balls, as well as harnessing his strong arm. As testement to his throwing ability, Guillen's throw in Coors Field from the base of the RF wall on the fly to 3B (about 360 feet) to nail Neffie Perez was a '98 highlight. As I've mentioned before, his skills are much like those of Raul Mondesi, and with the appropriate adjustments, I can easily see Guillen putting up numbers similar to Mondesi in the future. Guillen will likely be the starting Right Fielder for the Bucs in '99, though he may see a little less PT against RHP.
Previous Guillen Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
94 R    110  29   4  1  4   7  15   2  1  264/341/427
95 A-   258  81  17  1 12  10  44   1  5  314/367/527
   A     34   8   1  1  2   2   9   0  0  235/316/500
96 A+   528 170  30  0 21  20  73  24 13  322/357/498
   DOM   95  21   3  0  1   0  14   -  -  221/267/284
97 PIT  498 133  20  5 14  17  88   1  2  267/300/412
   DOM  115  41  12  0  4   8  16   -  -  357/398/565  263/302/394 268/300/416
98 PIT  573 153  38  2 14  21 100   3  5  267/298/414  275/304/504 265/296/387

Brian Giles: 28-1/20/71; #17 '89(CLE); El Cajon, CA(HS)
OF(LF/RF/CF), L-L, 5-11 200

Giles was acquired this offseason from the Indians in exchange for Ricardo Rincon. He has hit the ball well his entire career; he's consistently shown the ability to get on base and, since '94, hit for power. He has been somewhat platooned while in Cleveland, but it doesn't seem to be necessary. He's likely to see time at every position in the OF though primarily the corner slots. Defensively, I'd say he's just as good of a CF as Brant Brown, but the Pirates seem to think otherwise. I expect to see him in the lineup against both LHP and RHP.
Previous Giles Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
89 R, 90 A, 91 A+, 92 A+/AA
93 AA   425 139  16  6  8  57  43  18 12  327/409/449
94 AAA  434 136  18  3 16  55  61   8  5  313/390/479  296/        321/
95 AAA  413 128  18  8 15  54  40   7  3  310/395/501  312/        310/
   CLE    9   5   0  0  1   0   1   0  0  556/556/889
96 AAA  318 100  17  6 20  42  29   1  0  314/395/594  281/        329/
   CLE  121  43  14  1  5  19  13   3  0  355/434/612  364/444/500 354/432/636
97 CLE  377 101  15  3 17  63  50  13  3  268/368/459  295/429/443 263/356/462
98 CLE  350  94  19  0 16  73  75  10  5  269/396/460  229/383/250 275/398/493

Brant Brown: 28-6/22/71; #3 '92(Cubs); Fresno St.
OF(CF/LF)/1B, L-L, 6-3 205

Brown was acquired from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Jon Lieber. '98 was his first season with regular playing time in the majors, and he hit very well. Some people have suggested that those numbers may be somewhat of a fluke. When you look at his numbers over the last several years, it bears some similarities to Kevin Young's numbers with a significant power jump in the minors that became apparent in the majors after a couple of seasons. In other words, I doubt it's a fluke, and I'd expect that he puts up relatively similar numbers in '99. He typically has shown a platoon split in his career, so I doubt he'll see much PT against LHP. In addition to primarily playing CF, I expect that he'll occasionally spell Young at 1B against tough RHP.
Previous Brant Brown Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
92 A    248  68  14  0  3  24  49   3  4  274/335/367
93 A+   266  91   8  7  3  11  38   8  7  342/371/459
   AA   110  35  11  3  4   6  18   2  1  318/372/582
94 AA   470 127  30  6  5  37  86  11 15  270/330/391
95 AA   446 121  27  4  6  39  77   8  5  271/332/390
96 AAA  342 104  25  3 10  19  65   6  6  304/346/482  231/        336/
   CHI   69  21   1  0  5   2  17   3  3  304/329/536  091/091/091 345/371/621
97 AAA  256  77  19  3 16  31  44   6  6  301/379/586  274/        320/
   CHI  137  32   7  1  5   7  28   2  1  234/286/409  118/211/118 250/297/450
98 CHI  347 101  17  1 14  30  95   4  5  291/348/501  234/275/453 304/365/512

Turner Ward: 34-4/11/65; #18 '86(NYY); South Alabama
OF, B-R, 6-2 182

Ward is entering the 2nd year of a 2 year, $1.6M deal. He was a decent 4th OF and was one of our better pinch hitters. One of a number of veterans expected to be on the '99 Pirates roster, if Al Martin is still with the team, Ward effectively forces Adrian Brown back to the minors. Though, Ward is a good spare part, IMO he's an unnecessary one for this team. His PT will probably drop in '99 as he'll get fewer starts and be used more as a PH and defensive replacement on double switches.
Turner Ward's gritty style of play is captured by his running through the OF wall at TRS; what makes that play more amazing is the play occurred late in a slaughter game vs the Dodgers. Previous Ward Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
90 AAA  495 148  24  9  6  72  70  22  -  299/388/420
   CLE   46  16   2  1  1   3   8   3  0  348/388/500
91 AAA  269  82  12  4  8  53  31   2  -  305/419/468
CL-TOR  113  27   7  0  0  11  18   0  0  239/306/301
92 AAA  280  67  10  2 10  44  43   7  5  239/343/396
   TOR   29  10   3  0  1   4   4   0  1  345/424/552
93 TOR  167  32   4  2  4  23  26   3  3  192/287/311
94 MIL  367  85  15  2  9  52  68   6  2  232/328/357
95 MIL  129  34   3  1  4  14  21   6  1  264/338/395
96 MIL   67  12   2  1  2  13  17   3  0  179/309/328
97 AAA  209  71  18  3  9  24  26   7  1  340/418/584
   PIT  167  59  16  1  7  18  17   4  1  353/420/587
98 PIT  282  74  13  3  9  27  40   5  4  262/328/426

Adrian Brown: 25-2/7/74; #48 '92, McComb,MS (HS)
OF(CF), B-R, 6-0 185

Adrian has worked and developed himself into a reasonable ML 4/5th OF/pinch runner particularly due to his defense. His bat is OK, but he's not patient enough at the plate. He's shown a strong platoon split in the majors, though it's not been nearly as strong at AAA. I believe he has one option left and with the current OF situation, he'll likely be back in Nashville to start '99. He does have an outside shot to make the team as a 6th OF taking the roster spot of Doug Strange (if he's released) or the spot of a backup SS who fails to make the team.
Previous Adrian Brown Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
92 R    121  31   2  2  0   0  12   8  4  256/268/306
93 R+   282  75  12  9  3  17  34  22  7  266/319/404
94 A    308  80  17  1  1  14  38  19 12  260/292/331
95 A    287  86  15  4  4  33  23  25 14  300/372/422
   A+   215  52   5  2  1  12  20  11  6  242/284/298
96 A+   215  69   9  3  4  14  24  18  9  321/368/447
   AA   341 101  11  3  3  25  40  27 11  296/345/372
   AFL  139  34   4  2  1  13  23   -  -  245/312/324
97 AA   145  44   4  4  2  18  12   9  5  303/388/428
   AAA  248  79  10  1  1  27  38  20  4  319/383/379  328/        316
   MLB  147  28   6  0  1  13  18   8  4  190/273/252  296/367/407 167/252/217
98 AAA  311  90  12  5  3  28  38  25  7  289/346/389  302/        284/
   MLB  152  43   4  1  0   9  18   4  0  283/323/322  395/422/442 239/284/275

Emil Brown: 24-12/29/74; #6 '94(Oak); Harlan HS (IL)
OF(RF/CF), R-R, 6-2 195

After spending the '97 season on the Pirates roster (and the bench mostly as a Rule V pick), Brown had a very good 1997 AFL season and then an even better year at AA in '98. In his September callup, he didn't hit well, but he appeared more comfortable than during his '97 stint. His BB rate went down, but that was due to getting more hits. He did play some CF at Carolina, but he ended up playing more RF as Alex Hernandez was moved to CF. My sense is that he has the range and arm to play CF, but some scouts in the organization think otherwise. He'll be at AAA as the primary RF, and probably won't see Pittsburgh again until September.
Previous Emil Brown Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
94 R     86  19   1  1  3  13  12   5  1  221/350/360
95 A    459 115  17  3  3  52  77  35 19  251/337/320
96 A+   211  64  10  1 10  32  51  13  5  303/406/502
   R     15   4   3  0  0   3   2   1  1  267/421/467
97 PIT   95  17   2  1  2  10  32   5  1  179/304/284
   AFL  107  31   5  2  6  19  41   -  -  290/397/542
98 AA   466 154  31  2 14  50  71  24  7  330/401/496
   PIT   39  10   1  0  0   1  11   0  0  256/293/282

Mark Smith
(signed by Yakult Swallows of the Japanese League)

Manny Martinez: 28-10/3/70; NDFA '88(Oak); Dom. Rep.
OF, R-R, 6-2 169
(unconditionally released - picked up by the Expos)

Nashville AAA
Chad Hermansen: 21-9/10/77; #1 '95, Green Valley,NV(HS)
OF (CF/LF), R-R, 6-2 185
Even though Hermansen has now moved to the OF, I still rank him as our top position prospect (partly since Aramis Ramirez no longer has rookie status in MLB). Hermansen's '98 season was thought of as somewhat disappointing, but when taken in the context that he just turned 21 at the end of the season, it becomes much less disappointing. While one of the youngest players at AAA, Chad hit 28 HR and half of his hits went for extra bases. His BB rate was about league average. He accomplished all this while he was working primarily on his defense. His '98 AFL season stats were not strong, but he was distracted quite a bit as he got married during the middle of that season. He'll begin the '99 season at Nashville again, and he'll see some time in Pittsburgh during the year particularly since he's on the 40-man roster. Having seen him bat on a number of occasions, I'm confident that he'll immediately hit for power in the majors. When he makes contact the ball jumps off the bat. He played mostly LF early in the '98 season, but switched to CF late in the season.
Previous Hermansen Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
95 R     92  28  10  1  3   9  19   0  0  304/363/533
   A-   165  45   8  3  6  18  39   4  2  273/354/467
96 A    226  57  11  3 14  38  65  11  3  252/377/513
   A+   251  69  11  3 10  29  56   5  1  275/352/467
   HAW  161  41   4  3  2  23  35   -  -  255/358/354
97 AA   487 134  31  4 20  69 136  18  6  275/373/478
   AFL  179  61  10  4  8  24  52   -  -  341/419/575
98 AAA  458 118  26  5 28  50 152  21  4  258/334/520
   AFL  110  24   4  0  3  14  43   6  1  218/320/336

Darryl Brinkley: 30-12/23/68; NDFA '96 (SD);
OF, R-R, 5-11 205

Brinkley has had an interesting career playing in Europe and various foreign leagues until getting signed as a 28 year old by the Padres. The guy can hit, but I doubt he'll ever get a chance in the majors. His age is one factor working against him, and the fact that he doesn't have the typical body shape of a baseball player. It's unclear whether the Bucs still have his rights; regardless, I expect he'll end up in Mexico in '99.
Previous Brinkley Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
97 AA   215  41  14  1  5  26  30  10  9  307/394/451
   MEX  236  67  11  0 11  36  28  13  -  284/384/470
98 AAA  372 132  23  3  9  27  53  10  8  355/416/505
   MWL

Ray Montgomery: 29-8/8/69; #13 '90(HOU); Fordham U.BR> OF, R-R, 6-3 195

Montgomery was signed as a minor league free agent this offseason having played his entire career in the Houston organization. In the last several years at AAA, he developed a better batting eye plus some power, though that primarily has been in Tucson in the PCL ('98 Houston's AAA affiliate was in New Orleans). He is reasonable insurance to have at AAA; I expect he'll spend the entire year at AAA mostly as a 4th OF. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
90 A-   193  45   8  1  0  23  32  11  5  233/317/285
91 A    433 109  24  3  3  37  66  17 14  252/321/342
92 AA   148  31   4  1  1   7  27   4  1  209/244/270
93 AAA   50  17   3  1  2   5   7   1  2  340/411/560
   AA   338  95  16  3 10  36  54  12  6  281/355/435
94 AAA  332  85  19  6  7  35  54   5  3  256/328/413
95 AA   127  38   8  1 10  13  13   6  3  299/384/614
   AAA  291  88  19  0 11  24  58   5  3  302/351/481
96 AAA  360 110  20  0 22  59  54   7  1  306/407/544
   HOU   14   3   1  0  1   1   5   0  0  214/267/500
97 AAA   73  21   5  0  6  11  15   1  1  288/381/603
   HOU   68  16   4  1  0   5  18   0  0  235/276/324
98 AAA  272  79  18  1  9  26  48   4  2  290/354/463
   HOU    5   2   0  0  0   0   0   0  0  400/400/400

TJ Staton: 24-2/17/75; #10 '93, Elyria, OH(HS)
OF(LF), L-L, 6-3 200
(claimed on waivers by Montreal)

Darrel Whitmore (signed by Cincinnati as a minor league FA)

Altoona AA
Alex Hernandez: 22-5/28/77; #4 '95, Puerto Rico(HS)
OF (CF/RF), L-L, 6-4 190
Hernandez is thought of highly in the Bucs organization and was added to the 40 man roster this offseason. His numbers aren't that good, but he made some important strides in '98. He cut down his K rate considerably while increasing his BB rate. Against RHP, he actually was league average at drawing walks. Also, he changed another aspect of his hitting approach midseason -- at the all-star break he hadn't hit a single HR. This adjustment did cost him considerably in BA -- in the second half, he hit 230/308/393, but it show that he has the ability to make these adjustments. The apparent strong platoon split is a liability, but it suggests that his numbers are better than they appear. He's very solid defensively switching to CF in '98 after having mostly played RF. I expect he'll split time between CF and RF at Nashville in '99. A couple of important areas to watch are whether he can keep hitting for more power while bringing up his BA. He's playing in the Puerto Rican League this winter, but has only had limited playing time.
Previous Hernandez Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
95 R    186  50   5  3  1  17  33   4  4  269/330/344
96 A-   225  65  13  4  4  20  47   7  8  289/344/436
97 A+   520 151  37  4  5  27 140  13  8  290/324/406
   PR   133  33   5  2  1   9  34   -  -  248/294/338
98 AA   452 117  22  7  8  41  81  11  4  259/317/392  204/230/258 273/338/426
   PR    31   6   2  0  0   4   8   0  1  194/286/258

Garrett Long: 22-10/5/76; #2 '95, Houston,TX(HS)
OF/1B (LF), R-R, 6-3 195

Garrett began '98 in Lynchburg, mainly as a 1B, but played strictly the OF when promoted to AA. An excellent hitter for average and getting on base, he keeps showing a little more power as he goes up a level. The increase in doubles at Lynchburg are a particularly good sign. He started out slowly in '98, but really turned it on in the 2nd half of the year hitting 365/459/587 in a little over 100 AB after the A-S break at Lynchburg. I think it's only now that he's fully recovered from his shoulder injury in '96. In limited time at Carolina, he showed a platoon split -- it'll be interesting to see his splits in '99 after a full season. I think he'll break out in Altoona in '99. He'll likely be the primary LF for the Curve.
Previous Long Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
95 R     63  22   2  1  1  17  10   0  1  349/488/460
   A-   108  30   4  0  2  15  25   2  2  278/365/370
96 A-    70  20   2  1  0   9  17   1  2  286/370/343
97 A    280  84  10  2  7  61  78   5  2  300/425/425
   A+    29   6   3  0  1   3  10   0  0  207/281/414
98 A+   309  87  29  1  7  49  83   7  2  282/382/450
   AA    98  29   3  0  0  11  27   1  0  296/373/327  154/313/192 347/397/375

Mike Asche: 27-2/13/72; #6 '94; U. Nebraska-Kearny
OF/3B/C, R-R, 6-2 190

Asche finally got a chance at AA and hit decently there. He's changed his hitting approach such that he's a much more patient hitter, drawing a lot more BB while his K rate has stayed roughly the same. He saw some time in the AFL this offseason learning how to catch. He handled himself just fine with the bat as well. He's old for the level that he's played at thus far, but if he learns to be an adequate catcher, he could play himself into a useful utility player. Time is running out for him, but I like the way he's adapted over these past few years. I think he'll be back at AA helping out with the cactching duties while playing some OF and the occasional IF. I bet he'll be a fan favorite at Altoona..
Previous Asche Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
94 A-   204  49   5  1  4  13  30   6  3  240/289/333
95 A    376 100  17  6  6  35  60  21  5  266/334/391
96 A+   498 147  25  6  7  38  92  26  5  295/343/412
   HAW  149  36   5  2  2  11  19   -  -  242/299/342
97 AA    42   9   1  1  0   4   6   0  0  214/283/296
   A+   409 125  34  4 11  41  77  33  3  306/368/489
98 A+   103  33   8  0  5  10  17   9  0  320/377/544
   AA   212  55  14  4  3  37  45  15  6  259/375/406
   AFL   48  14   2  0  0  11   9   3  3  292/424/333

Charles Peterson: 25-5/8/74; #1 '93, Laurens,SC(HS)
OF(RF/CF), R-R, 6-3 200
(unsigned minor league free agent) 

         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
93 R    188  57  11  3  1  22  22   8  6  303/374/410
94 A    415 106  14  6  4  35  78  27 18  255/316/347
95 A+   391 107   9  4  7  43  73  31 17  274/345/371
   AA    70  23   3  1  0   9  15   2  1  329/415/400
96 AA   462 127  24  2  7  50 104  33 10  275/345/381
   MEX   21   1   0  0  0   2   5   -  -  048/167/048
97 AA   442 111  26  4  7  40 105  20 11  251/318/376
98 AA   296  79  17  1  8  24  53  16  9  267/321/412
   AAA    9   0   0  0  0   0   4   0  0  000/000/000
Lynchburg A+ (full season, high)
Julian "Tike" Redman: 22-3/10/77; #5 '96; Tuscaloosa Academy HS
OF(CF), L-L, 5-11 165
Redman repeated Lynchburg in '98 and actually hit worse, particularly with respect to getting on base. However, he did hit pretty well in the Maryland Fall League particularly the last couple of weeks when he drew many BB and had quite a few hits to raise his BA. He was named the league's player of the week in late October. Defensively, he has excellent range and gets good jumps on the ball. Due to his blazing speed, he can stretch gappers into doubles and triples, thereby keeping his SLG at a decent rate. If he develops his batting eye, he could become a good offensive player. He'll be the primary CF in Altoona in '99, and his performance will likely be very telling about his possible future in MLB.
Previous Redman Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
96 R    104  31   4  1  1  12  12  15  2  298/368/385
   A-   170  50   4  6  2  17  30   7  3  294/353/424
97 A+   415 104  18  5  4  45  82  21  8  251/333/347
98 A+   525 135  26 10  6  32  73  36 16  257/298/379
   MFL  133  39   4  1  0  23  25   9  3  293/392/338

Freddy May: 23-1/24/76; #9 '95; John F. Kennedy HS (WA)
OF(LF/CF), L-L, 6-2 190

After a little advice from GM Cam Bonifay at the all-star break in '97, May has gotten his hitting back on track. Batting .193 at the time, Bonifay suggested May straighten up in his stance. He hit .263 the rest of the way, and in '98, he flirted with .300 all season. Freddy has shown the ability to draw a BB, and he occasionally hits the ball with authority. Defensively, Freddy is very strong having been voted the top defensive CF in the SAL in '97. He also has a plus arm more from accuracy than arm strength. He played mostly LF at Lynchburg strictly because Redman was playing CF. There are still aspects of his offensive game that he needs to work on, but his defense will not be what holds him back. I expect he'll be one of the primary OF at Altoona in '99. It will be a big test for him with respect to batting, but I think he'll surprise people with how well he does.
Previous May Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
95 R     96  32   5  2  2  18  16   2  4  333/435/490
   A-    90  24   3  1  1   5  23   5  5  267/309/356
96 A    390  79   8  6  5  72 119  22 18  203/330/292
97 A    358  84  13  7  4  43  84  16 18  235/316/344
98 A+   466 136  23  4  5  51 112  26 16  292/360/391

Corey Pointer: 23-9/2/75; #2 '94(ATL); Waxahachie HS (TX)
OF(RF), R-R, 6-2 205

Pointer started off '98 season hitting very well, but really tailed off in the second half. At the all-star break, Pointer's BA was over 250. He hit with power throughout the season, but also had a very high K rate. I think that he'll begin '99 again in Lynchburg. A promotion to Altoona will be dependent on his BA and K rate.
Previous Pointer Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
94 R     77  11   4  0  1   8  31   2  1  143/241/234
95 R+   158  44   5  3  8  19  60   8  4  278/370/500
96 A     25   6   1  0  1   0   9   2  1  240/269/400
   A-   254  61  13  3 14  35  97  10  2  240/346/480
97 A    248  47   9  0  7  26 116  23  3  190/287/310
   A-    43   5   0  0  2   3  22   3  1  116/235/256
   HAW  100  20   4  1  4   9  42   -  -  200/266/380
98 A+   375  84  25  3 18  53 177  12 10  224/346/451

Shon Walker: 25-6/9/74; #1(s) '92, Cynthiana, KY (HS)
OF/1B/DH, L-L, 6-1 182
(unsigned minor league free agent)

Hickory A (full season, low)
Korwin Dehaan: 22-7/16/76; #7 '97; Morningside College (IA)
OF(CF), L-R, 6-2 185
Dehaan had an excellent '98 season; he finished 7th in BA in the SAL and led the league in doubles. Dehaan also had an above average BB rate, helping to give him a 400+ OBP. Defensively, he's thought of as a solid defender. He'll be the primary CF in Lynchburg in '99.
Previous DeHaan Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
97 NCAA 156  57         8                 365/   /
97 A-   205  49   8  6  1  38  43  14  9  239/357/351
98 A    475 149  39  8  8  69 114  33 13  314/404/480

Jovanny Sosa: 19-4/11/80; NDFA '97; Santo Domingo, DR
OF(RF), R-R, 6-2 180

Sosa began '98 in rookie ball as an 18 year old and hit with so much power, they moved him up all the way to Augusta. He tied the record for most HRs by a Pirate in a rookie league, and then held his own while playing in the SAL. He has little plate discipline, but the power was even evident in the SAL when he was playing against much older competition; almost half of his hits in Class A were for extra bases. It's most likely that he'll be back in the SAL in Hickory, but there is a chance the Bucs will push him and start him at Lynchburg..
Previous Sosa Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
98 R    119  37   6  1  8   8  32   3  1  311/359/580
   A     93  21   8  1  1   4  31   2  2  226/273/366

Santos Cortez: 24-1/18/75; NDFA '98; U. of Tennessee
OF, R-R, 6-1 212

Cortez was signed by the Bucs as an undrafted 5th year senior out of U. of Tennessee. He had excellent numbers in college and looked to be a good gamble. However, he injured himself shortly after playing a few games for Augusta. He should be healthy by spring training, and depending on how he plays, could remain in the organization. If he does play in '99, it will likely be with Hickory.
Previous Cortez Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
96NCAA  228  81  14  4 12  19  30  12  5  355/431/610
97NCAA  injured
98NCAA  212  82  20  0 24  21  33   4  2  387/454/821
   A     19   2   0  0  0   2   3   0  0  105/227/105

Brian Ralph: ;NDFA '99; Harvard University
OF, L- , 5-10 175

Ralph was signed this offseason as an undrafted college senior out of Harvard. As a junior in '97-'98, he was named Ivy League player of the year. This past year at Harvard, he looked like he was hurt for part of the year, but hit well when he played. He seems like a good college player to take a flyer on. He likely will start '99 at Hickory, though Lynchburg is a possibility.
Previous Ralph Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
97NCAA  164  64  15  2  6          24     390/   /604
98NCAA  101  35   4  1 10  22  10  14  5  347/464/703

David Hobbs:

Signed this offseason, I know nothing about him other than the fact he's an OFer. He may be Jay Hobbs a 1B/OF who played for Kalamazoo in the Frontier League in '98. A possibility as a 4th/5th OF in Hickory or Williamsport. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
Williamsport A- (short season)
J.J Davis: 20-10/25/78; #1 '97; Pomona, CA (HS)
OF(RF), R-R, 6-6 230
After overcoming some nagging injuries from spring training, Davis began '98 in Augusta . He was very aggressive at the plate, missing when he swung most of the time, but hitting the ball hard when he made contact. He was sent to Erie when their season started and hit quite well there, particularly in the power department. He can look atrocious on a couple of AB, swinging at balls way out of the strike zone, getting fooled on breaking pitches, and then he'll put together a nice AB showing a little patience and then crushing the ball when it's in the strike zone. Baseball America ranked him as the #7 prospect in the NY-P League as voted on by the league managers. His defense is solid, though at times, he doesn't appear to be going full speed. My sense is that he is a hard worker and the lackadaisical-appearing play is more of an illusion of his large size. He'll likely start '99 in Hickory though Lynchburg is a possibility.
Previous Davis Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
97 HS    77  41   7  2  9                 532/   /1026
   R    165  42  10  2  1  14  44   0  0  255/315/358
   A-    13   1   0  0  0   0   4   0  0  077/077/077
98 A    106  21   6  0  4   3  24   1  1  198/220/368
   A-   196  53  12  2  8  20  54   4  1  270/341/474

Jose Nicolas: 20-1/1/79; #2 '97; Westminster Christian HS (FL)
OF(LF), R-R, 6-3 210

Nicolas, like JJ Davis, began '98 playing in Augusta and then went to Erie once their season started. Nicolas showed some nice power potential, and though his K rate was quite high, he did show an improvement in BB rate bringing it near league average. His BA is still on the low side, but he showed improvement in enough areas that one can be hopeful for his future. He'll be the primary LF in Hickory in '99..
Previous Nicholas Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
97 R    141  34   6  3  0  13  44   3  2  241/310/326
98 A    153  30   6  1  3  19  54   2  4  196/291/307
   A-   242  60   8  3  6  22  85   6  5  248/317/380

Felix Lara (Parreno): 21-10/30/77; FA 5/95; San Cristobal, DR
OF(RF/CF), L-L, 6-0 170

The 4th OF for the second straight year at Erie, if anything, he was worse in '98. His plate discipline was even worse while his power and BA were roughly the same. Since he costs the team a visa by playing in the US, I doubt he'll be back in '99 with other younger players from the DR and Venezuela passing him on the depth chart.
Previous Lara Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
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   8  8  248/319/327
98 A-   127  30   7  1  1   4  37   6  4  236/269/331

Joe Hunt: 23-9/3/75; NDFA '98; Santa Fe CC (FL)
OF(CF), B-R, 6-1 180

He played for the Canton Crocs of the Frontier League in '97. The Bucs bought his contract in the '97-'98 offseason. His main skill is his speed. He does have an OK batting eye, but his hitting skill makes it such that he has no power at all. His chances of making it past AA are pretty slim IMO. He'll likely be in Hickory to start '99.
Previous Hunt Reports. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
97 IND  103  30   1  0  0   -   -  17  -  291/   /301
98 A-   217  53   6  0  0  22  42  12  7  244/311/272
Dawan Elliott: 22-7/30/76; #5 '95; Long Branch HS(NJ)
OF, L-L, 6-3 200
(taken in the Rule V minor league draft by the Reds)
Gulf Coast (Rookie League)
Jeremy Harts: 19-6/6/80; #3 '98; Decatur, GA (HS)
OF(CF), B-L, 6-1 185
Baseball America listed him strictly as a pitcher, saying that he has the best raw arm in the state of Georgia. Pitching-wise, he can hit the low 90's despite mechanical flaws. However, it seems as if the Pirates are projecting him as a speedy CFer with a strong arm and potentially a strong bat. He did hit pretty well in rookie ball, and he seems to be an excellent basestealer. He may see some PT early in the year at Hickory, but I think it's likely that he'll at least spend the 2nd half of the season at Williamsport. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
97 HS     -             6          30     512/
98 HS     -             8          33     500/
98 R    123  33   9  3  1   7  37  10  0  268/333/415

Jorjanis Chourio: 18-12/18/80; NDFA '98; Burere, VEN
OF(RF), R-R, 6-2 175

Chourio saw time in Bradenton in the latter half of the short season. He's like most of the other OFers in Bradenton: poor plate discipline with a hint of power. He's one of the first products of the Bucs scouting push in Venezuela. Chourio's young enough that he'll probably be back next season, perhaps in Bradenton or in Williamsport. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
98 R     78  17   3  0  1   2  21   4  0  218/262/295

Willie Burton: 20-11/13/78; #12 '98; Lake Wales, FL (HS)
OF(RF), R-R, 5-10 180

Burton was considered one of the top high school running backs in Florida, but decided to play baseball instead. His speed and athleticism are his main tools. His hitting skills are pretty raw as he has little plate discipline, but shows some power potential when he makes contact with the ball. He'll probably start '99 in Bradenton though he may see some time in Williamsport. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
98 R     63  14   4  1  0   3  26   1  0  222/269/317

Josh Miller: 20-12/1/78; #22 '98; Aiken, SC (HS)
OF(LF/CF), L-R, 6-1 215

Josh was a catcher in high school, but the Bucs project him as a corner OF. Drafted pretty much solely for his hitting ability and power potential, he did hit pretty well in his first year with a wooden bat, and my sense is that his defense was better than expected. His plate discipline is worse than I'd like, but that will have no effect on his progression in the organization. He probably will see time in Hickory, though he may also play in Williamsport. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
98 R    138  37  10  2  2   6  27   4  3  268/306/413

Maurice Washington: 20-5/22/79; #4 '97; Chaparral HS(NV)
OF/3B(LF), R-R, 6-1 195

Maurice now has played 2 seasons in rookie ball. He did show an improvement in power but his plate discipline and BA were still poor. I think he'll get another chance (particularly considering how high he was drafted) perhaps at Hickory though more likely at Williamsport. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
97 HS                  13                ~500
   R     94  19   2  1  0  11  34   1  1  202/286/245
98 R    136  28   4  1  5  12  49   4  0  206/278/360

Andrew Jones: 20-10/27/78; #19 '97; Phoenix, AZ (HS)
OF(CF), R-R, 6-3 190

Jones has now been in rookie ball for a 2nd consecutive year and didn't hit well again. He has a decent batting eye and his power slightly improved, but he simply has had an unacceptably low BA. He may get another chance due to his defensive ability, or he may be out of the organization. His play in extended spring training will determine whether he sees time at Williamsport in '99. 
         AB   H  2B 3B HR  BB  SO  SB CS   BA/OBP/SLG  vs LHP      vs RHP
97 R     91  20   1  0  0  11  21   3  4  220/311/231
98 R     97  18   4  1  0  16  23   4  0  186/296/247
Projections:

Bucs: LF: Giles/Martin CF: B Brown RF: Guillen Bench: Ward
Nashville: LF: A Brown CF: Hermansen RF: E Brown Bench: Hernandez/Montgomery
Altoona: LF: Long CF: Redman RF: May Bench: Asche
Lynchburg: LF: CF: DeHaan RF: Pointer Bench:
Hickory: LF: Nicholas CF: Harts RF: Davis/Sosa Bench: Cortez/Ralph/Hobbs/Hunt
Williamsport: LF: Miller CF: RF: Chourio Bench: Washington
Gulf Coast League: LF: draft pick CF: RF: Burton Bench:

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