Pittsburgh Pirates: Breaking Down the Top 5 Prospects in the Pirates' System

Last year was a nice change of pace for the Pittsburgh Pirates. They were over .500 at the Trade Deadline, and decided to make some small moves to see if they could contend the entire season. It didn't happen, not that anyone was surprised, as they limped to the finish with a 72-90 record. 

Despite the poor finish, optimism is high in the Steel City right now thanks to their New York Yankee-like spending in the draft over the last four years. They have been aggressive and it is starting to show in their farm system with an improving crop of talented young players that figure to make this team a consistent contender in the not-too-distant future. 

It is going to be another long year in Pittsburgh, but help is coming. Here are five prospects that have brought so much hope for the Pirates' future. 

1. Gerrit Cole, RHP, 21

Thanks to his raw potential and dominant stuff, Cole was taken with the No. 1 pick in a very deep and talented draft last June. He took advantage of the Pirates' aggressive spending habits in the draft by signing a contract that paid him a record $8 million signing bonus. 

Strengths: Cole's stuff is big league-ready right now. He throws a fastball in the mid-to-high-90's with ease, and he can crank it up to 100 if he wants to. His changeup is a fantastic offering already, with good late fade. His slider is also a swing and miss pitch with a hard, sharp break. His mechanics are sound, with not a lot of movement or extra stress on his arm.

Weaknesses: As good as his stuff is, he tends to try and overthrow everything. He falls in love with his fastball, leaves it up in the zone and hitters tee off on him. His numbers in college were not as impressive as they should have been, considering the quality of his stuff. He needs to develop more consistency with his delivery and trust his off-speed pitches in order to hit his ceiling. 

Report: Cole has ace potential. The only pitching prospect whose stuff grades out better than his right now is Matt Moore with Tampa Bay. He needs to become more of a pitcher than a thrower to become the top-of-the-rotation starter that his stuff suggests he should, but everything is there for him to be dominant in the big leagues. 

ETA: 2014.

2. Jameson Taillon, RHP, 20

Taillon was one of the most talked about high school pitchers in the 2010 draft, chosen second after Bryce Harper. He was over-managed in 2011 as the Pirates wanted to keep his innings and pitch count down in order to keep him healthy.

Strengths: Despite being just 20 years old, Taillon has a big-league fastball and curveball combination already. He throws in the mid-90's and his breaking ball is a knee-buckler. His combination of size--6'6", 225 pounds--and delivery make him an ace in the making. 

Weaknesses: The Pirates can't afford to baby him this year. He threw just 92.2 innings in low Class A. You can appreciate what the team is trying to do, but that could also backfire by stunting his development. In addition to the innings limit, he barely threw his curveball or changeup. He has to get a better feel for those pitches in order to fulfill his potential. 

Report: Like Cole, Taillon has true No. 1 starter potential. I have to believe that the Pirates will let him throw at least 130-140 innings this season and incorporate more off-speed pitches into the game plan. As good as his strikeout numbers were last year, 9.4/9 IP, that total could go up with the use of all three pitches. 

ETA: 2014.

3. Josh Bell, OF, 19

Prior to last year's draft, Bell was one of the most talked about prospects. He was a tremendous talent, but everyone expected him to go to college. He fell to the Pirates in the second round, and they were able to lure him away from school with $5 million. 

Strengths: Bell might have been the best hitting prospect in the 2011 draft. He has incredible bat speed and he should grow into more power thanks to his easy swing. He has a strong arm that would play in right field if the Pirates wanted him out there. 

Weaknesses: He is not a great defensive player right now. He doesn't read the ball off the bat well and he needs to improve the accuracy on his throws. As great as his hitting potential is, he will still have to adjust to professional pitching. He was not a very selective hitter in high school, but he won't be able to get away with being overeager against better pitching.

Report: Bell is a prototypical corner outfielder. He should fit right into the middle of the lineup as he projects to hit for 25-30 home runs and a .300 average. He has the athleticism to play either right or left field. 

ETA: 2015.

4. Luis Heredia, RHP, 17

While Cole and Taillon get all the publicity, Heredia deserves to sit right alongside them as the best pitching prospect in the Pirates' system. The only thing holding him back is his age and inexperience, but everything is there for him to be a dominant starter. 

Strengths: Despite being just 17 years old, Heredia shows a good feel for all of his pitches. He throws a fastball that sits in the low-90's already and he could add velocity as his body fills out. His curveball and changeup are still works in progress, but there have been times where they look like plus pitches. His mechanics are good and he doesn't have problems repeating his delivery. 

Weaknesses: As good as the stuff looks, it is important to remember that Heredia is just 17 years old. He is still incredibly raw and has only thrown 30.1 innings in pro ball. He has plenty of development ahead of him before we really see what kind of pitcher he is going to be. 

Report: If you are just evaluating Heredia on stuff, he is a No. 1 starter. He is going to add more velocity over the next couple of years, making it easier on him to miss bats. He is still at least four years away from making it to "The Show," so there is a lot of risk involved with him at this point. 

ETA: 2016.

5. Starling Marte, OF, 23

Marte could easily rank higher than Heredia on this list, because he has proven himself in the minors over the last five years. There is less risk involved with projecting him to be a big leaguer, but his upside isn't quite as high as Heredia's. 

Strengths: He might have the best set of tools for any position player in the system. He has great speed, though he does need to work on his baserunning instincts. He has very good bat speed that should allow him to hit for 15-20 home runs. His defense in center field is fantastic. He is able to cover a lot of ground and he has a strong, accurate throwing arm. 

Weaknesses: Marte does not have a lot of plate discipline right now. He had 19 unintentional walks last season and just 73 total in over 1,500 plate appearances in the minors. He doesn't use his lower half when he swings the bat, which limits his power potential. 

Report: He has all the tools to be an All-Star center fielder. He does have to be more selective at the plate, and it would be good to see him use his legs more when he swings just to see if he could increase his power potential. 

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