AUSTIN McCLUNE

11/15/87; '06 7th; Edmond, OK (HS)
R/R; 6-2, 185

Level
BA
OBP
SA
AB
2B
3B
HR
BB
K
SB
CS
2006 R
.291
.321
.338
148
7
0
0
5
32
2
3
2007 A-
.260
.281
.306
196
3
3
0
5
32
15
3
2008 A
.207
.274
.282
425
12
4
4
36
87
10
11
2009 A
.256
.323
.325
308
16
1
1
28
59
12
4

The Pirates drafted McClune as a raw player with speed, whom they believed had some power potential. He had signed with a junior college, Seminole State College in Oklahoma, and he also had football scholarship offers. Unlike other raw speedsters the Pirates drafted in the benighted Dave Littlefield years, such as Joe Hicks and Chris Covington, McClune managed to hold his own in his debut, hitting for average although not much else. His K/BB ratio obviously wasn't pretty. The Pirates considered sending him to Hickory in 2008, but he instead stayed in extended spring training and then went to State College. It was probably just as well he didn't go to Hickory, as McClune again merely held his own. He spent much of the season over .300, but hit .187 in August to finish with his final BA. Obviously, his K/BB ratio was terrible and he showed no power. He struggled with breaking balls, which in turn led to problems against against RHPs. He hit just 224/252/254 against them and 339/344/419 against LHPs. He did use his speed well on the bases and he has a very good arm: he accounted by himself for over half of the team's outfield assists. He also has good range in the outfield.

McClune spent 2008 at Hickory and made progress in some areas, but overall went backwards. His plate discipline was much improved and he showed a little power, but he never hit the ball with any authority. He didn't hit either LHPs or RHPs, and he got worse late in the year, batting just .137 in July and .204 in August, with nine walks and 51 Ks combined in the two months. He didn't do well in his steal attempts, either. He started the season back in RF but moved to CF when Marcus Davis got hurt. McClune once again showed his strong arm, totaling 18 outfield assists, twice as many as any other Crawdad. In 2009, he was playing some at 2B in training camp, but if the Pirates were thinking of converting him to a utility player they didn't follow through on it. He missed the beginning of the 2009 season with mononucleosis, then reported to West Virginia, where he played most days in the outfield, primarily in right with a small number of games in center. He continued to play well defensively, recording 16 assists in 85 games. He made some progress on offense, but not nearly enough to establish himself as a prospect. McClune will still be only 22 at the start of the 2010 season. The Pirates could give him a chance at Bradenton, where'd he'd probably be a backup outfielder.

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