As the minor league affiliates' seasons end, I will be reviewing each one.
The GCL Pirates ended their season yesterday and, unlike last season, did not make the playoffs.
Team record: 29-31
Best Hitter: Ramon Cabrera
After a very successful season in the Venezuelan Summer League, Cabrera was promoted to finish off the season in the Gulf Coast League. The 5' 7" 19-year old hit .291/.372/.417. The .291 BA was tops on the team and the .790 OPS was 2nd on the team. An interesting quote about Cabrera from the PG: "At least one member of Pirates' baseball operations believes his skill set can challenge Tony Sanchez offensively and defensively as he rises through the system."
The GCL Pirates ended their season yesterday and, unlike last season, did not make the playoffs.
Team record: 29-31
Best Hitter: Ramon Cabrera
After a very successful season in the Venezuelan Summer League, Cabrera was promoted to finish off the season in the Gulf Coast League. The 5' 7" 19-year old hit .291/.372/.417. The .291 BA was tops on the team and the .790 OPS was 2nd on the team. An interesting quote about Cabrera from the PG: "At least one member of Pirates' baseball operations believes his skill set can challenge Tony Sanchez offensively and defensively as he rises through the system."
Best Pitcher: Jhonatan Ramos
This 20-year old lefty dominated the GCL in his first season there. He was coming off a successful '08 campaign in the VSL. Like, Cabrera, he's got a small frame (5' 8"), but the numbers don't like. Ramos was 5-0 with a 1.82 ERA in 34.2 innings. He struck out 33 batters while only walking 3 and had a WHIP of 0.75.
Other Notables:
Freeman struggled in his first full season of pro ball hitting just .210/.275/.344. He knocked 4 HR, but struck out 59 times in 157 AB. His performance this season almost guarentees he will not be in a full-season league (West Virginia) next season and will most likely be back in the GCL or go to State College.
This 20-year old led the club in HR, SLG, and OPS. He hit .250/.325/.485 with 6 HR. Like Freeman, though, he struck out a lot: 51 times in 136 AB.
The 19-year old South African had a rough season at the plate, but did show great discipline, which is amazing for someone so young and so raw. He hit just .238, but thanks to 21 walks had very respectable OBP of .341. He hit his first homer of the season in his last game of the year. Ngoepe also draws rave reviews of his glove.
The '09 2nd round pick got his first taste of action in the GCL and did pretty good. He finished 2-2 with a 3.04 ERA. In 23.2 innings, he struck out 20 and walked 11.
The Pirates' 7th round pick in this years' draft, Stevenson lived up to the hype by looking very impressive in his first taste of pro ball. He finished with a 1.20 ERA in 15 innings and did not allow a run until his last appearance. He struck out 8 and did not walk a batter.
The receiver of the Pirates' 2nd highest draft bonus this year pitched in one game for the GCL Pirates and looked impressive. He pitched 2 perfect innings where he struck out two and did not allow a ball out of the infield.
