SUMMARY OF PIRATE DRAFTS -- 1999-2007

What follows is a summary, with grades, of the outcome of each of the Pirates' drafts starting in 1999.  I didn't include 2008, seeing as how many of the players they signed haven't even played yet, or played very little.  I also didn't include players the Pirates drafted but failed to sign.

The 1999-2001 drafts were conducted by Mickey White under GM Cam Bonifay.  The 2002-07 drafts were conducted by Ed Creech under GM Dave Littlefield.  Bonifay was fired shortly after the 2001 draft, which probably impacted the signings from that draft because Littlefield, after he took over, ended the practice of paying above-slot bonuses.  Littlefield's arrival may have cost the Pirates Stephen Drew or Jeremy Guthrie.

1999

Players Who Reached the Majors:  C Ryan Doumit (2), C J.R. House (5), 1B Walter Young (31).

Summary:  If he stays healthy, Doumit will be one of the best-hitting catchers in the majors.  Young made only a cameo appearance and House has settled in as a marginal backup.  Grade: C+.

2000

Players Who Reached the Majors:  LHP Sean Burnett (1), RHP Chris Young (3), 3B Jose Bautista (20), OF Nate McLouth (25), RHP Ian Snell (26).

Summary:  Young is one of the game's better starters when he's healthy, McLouth just made the All-Star team, Snell is a very solid starter when he's focused, Burnett could become a solid lefty reliever, and Bautista will probably settle in as a utility player.  An outstanding draft, even if Littlefield did give Young away for nothing.  Grade: A+.

2001

Players Who Reached the Majors:  RHP John Van Benschoten (1), IF Jeff Keppinger (4), OF Chris Duffy (8), RHP Jon Albaladejo (19), LHP Zach Duke (20), 1B Chris Shelton (33), OF Rajai Davis (38), LHP Shane Youman (43).

Summary:  This draft was very deep but didn't produce any significant talents.  Keppinger is a good utility player and Duke could still regain enough of his rookie effectiveness to be a decent 5th starter.  Otherwise, the draft produced bit players and one major disappointment in Van Benschoten, who should never have been moved from hitting to the mound.  The arrival of Littlefield and his strict adherence to slot bonuses probably undermined this draft, as the Pirates signed only six players out of the first eleven rounds.  Grade: B-.

2002

Players Who Reached the Majors:  RHP Bryan Bullington (1), 1B Brad Eldred (6), RHP Matt Capps (7), LHP Dave Davidson (10), RHP Chris DeMaria (17), OF Nyjer Morgan (33).

Summary:  Capps is a good closer, but he's still only a reliever and does not offset the team throwing away the top pick in the draft on Bullington.  In fact, the first five picks (Bullington, RHP Blair Johnson, SS Taber Lee, RHP Wardell Starling, RHP Alex Hart) were a waste.  Morgan is likely to see extended time in the majors as a backup.  Grade: C-.

2003

Players Who Reached the Majors:  LHP Paul Maholm (1), LHP Tom Gorzelanny (2), IF Craig Stansberry (5), RHP Josh Sharpless (24).

Players Who Could Still Make It:  C Steve Lerud (3).

Summary:  This draft produced little after the first two picks, although Lerud could eventually make it as a backup catcher.  Maholm appears to have established himself as a mid-rotation starter and Gorzelanny could be even better if he gets in shape and rediscovers the strike zone.  Grade: A-.

2004

Players Who Reached the Majors:  SS Brian Bixler (2).

Players Who Could Still Make It:  3B Neil Walker (1), LHP Kyle Bloom (5), RHP Brad Clapp (19), RHP Todd Redmond (39).

Summary:  The success of this draft turns entirely on Walker, who struggled in AAA in 2008.  Bixler looks like little more than a marginal utility player, and Bloom and Redmond are only marginal prospects as well.  Clapp is a longshot.  Grade: D+.

2005

Players Who Reached the Majors:  SS Brent Lillibridge (4), 1B/OF Steve Pearce (8).

Players Who Could Still Make It:  OF Andrew McCutchen (1), RHP Jeff Sues (5), 1B/OF Jason Delaney (12), RHP Eric Krebs (16).

Summary:  Lillibridge and Pearce have seen their stock drop in the last year.  McCutchen remains the Pirates' best prospect not named Pedro, although he probably won't hit for the power the team once hoped to see.  Krebs and especially Sues could be good relievers.  Delaney is a longshot.  Like the previous draft, this one turns largely on the top pick, but there are some other useful players and McCutchen looks like a much better prospect than Walker now.  Grade: B+.

2006

Players Who Reached the Majors:  None yet.

Players Who Could Still Make It:  RHP Brad Lincoln (1), 2B Shelby Ford (3), RHP Jared Hughes (4), RHP Pat Bresnehan (5), 2B Jim Negrych (6), RHP Brandon Holden (13), RHP Mike Crotta (17).

Summary:  Lincoln made a successful recovery from Tommy John surgery but has yet to do much as a pro.  Ford and Negrych both have good shots at reaching the majors, but both have defensive limitations and neither has shown much power.  Hughes, Bresnehan, Holden, and Crotta are all extreme longshots.  Lincoln would have to come through for this to be a successful draft and, like nearly all of the drafts under Littlefield, it's short on depth.  Grade: C.

2007

Players Who Reached the Majors:  None yet.

Players Who Could Still Make It:  LHP Daniel Moskos (1), SS Brian Friday (3), OF Quincy Latimore (4), C Andrew Walker (5), LHP Anthony Watson (9), OF Marcus Davis (18), 3B Bobby Spain (19), RHP Tom Boleska (35).

Summary:  This is probably the worst Pirate draft of the past decade.  Even apart from the disastrous Moskos pick, very few players have emerged as real prospects; the list of players who could still make it is very generous.  Friday looks like a Bixler clone, Watson may not have the stuff for higher levels, Spain put together one solid half-season as an overage player in low A, and Boleska has had trouble staying healthy.  Latimore, Walker and Davis have struggled as pros.  Grade: D-.


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