Pirates Protect Four from Rule 5 Draft

Today was the final day for the Pirates to add players to their 40-man roster and protect them from the Rule 5 Draft.  For those unfamiliar with the draft, every MLB team can draft a player from another team's organization if he is not on that team's 40-man roster and he has been in the organization for so long.  If you carry that player on your 25-man roster for the entire season he becomes your property.  If you don't keep him on your 25-man roster the whole year, he is returned to his original team.  There are some instances of this working, Johan Santana was a Rule 5 pick, but it usually doesn't produce stars because the best prospects are protected.  The Pirates did this today by protecting four players.

Gregory Polanco

This was a no brainer.  Polanco is a top twenty prospect in the MLB and is this team's future star (I believe he'll be better than Cutch).  We signed him out of the Dominican Republic in 2009 and he has been ripping up the minors ever since.  His potential is as a high average hitter who can hit between 20-30 home runs.  He also has the best range of any outfielder in the majors right now for the Pirates.  He has the speed to steal a lot of bases.  I've never liked comparing Cutch to Barry Bonds but I have no problem doing that with Polanco.  He'll be up in 2014 some time playing right field.

Alen Hanson

Another no brainer.  Hanson is a top five prospect in the Pirates system and the #38 prospect in America.  He is another Dominican signing from 2009 and is the team's future shortstop.  He can definitely hit for average and will make a great leadoff hitter if everything goes well.  The knock on Hanson is that he may not be able to stick at shortstop because of his defense.  From what I gather, Hanson will make a great play at short and then make an error on a routine play.  With more maturity he should stick at short and start for the Pirates some time in 2015.

Joely Rodriguez

This was a surprise to me at first but I can understand the move now.  Rodriguez is a lefty SP from the Dominican.  Also signed in 2009, he has never pitched above high A.  From reading, I see he can throw 95 and has three quality pitches.  Since the Pirates, and most other organizations, don't have much promising left handed pitching depth this was a good move by the Pirates to keep him because I have no doubt someone would have picked him.  Think a young Wandy Rodriguez who could be here in 2015.

Casey Sadler

I don't think we should have added Sadler.  He has good numbers as a starter but he doesn't throw a lot of hit and miss pitches.  That can be good if our defense stays the best in the history of the game but that's not likely with Hanson coming up and Pedro/Walker likely gone by 2016.  I would have preferred to protect Gift Ngope.  He is a SS who apparently has the best defense in any organization in baseball.  His bat is awful but still.  He can serve as someone's Clint Barmes and I would think someone will draft him as a defensive ace off the bench.  Back to Sadler, he should be here by 2015 and his upside looks to be like a Jeff Karstens.