Tyler Glasnow pitching for the West Virginia Power (Low-A). http://www.milb.com/assets/images/2/0/0/46923200/cuts/Glasnow_2_1tfnete1_ojxcybm0.jpg
The Pirates have an abundance of young pitchers in their minor league system led by the three-headed monster of Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, and Tyler Glasnow. Everyone in Pittsburgh got a taste of what Gerrit Cole can do when he was brought up midseason and went on to win 10 games and post a 3.22 ERA in 117.1 innings. Cole was clutch for the Buccos down the stretch as well as in the playoffs. Taillon is a very similar pitcher. Both are tall, right-handed, hard throwers with plus fastballs and breaking pitches. Taillon spent most of last season in AA Altoona but got a few innings in AAA at the very end of the season. While Taillon hasn’t put up ace-like numbers, most of this is attributed to the Pirates making their young pitchers focus on fastball command from a young age. I look for Taillon to break out this year at the top level of the minors and be up by midseason to help the Pirates in their next playoff push, very similar to what Cole did in 2013 for the Pirates.
Someone you may not be as familiar with though in Tyler Galsnow. Glasnow is another tall right-hander who hits the upper 90s with his fastball. Drafted out of Hart high school (CA) in the 5th round of the 2011 MLB Draft, Glasnow broke out in West Virginia (Low-A) going 9-3 while posting a 2.18 ERA and an astounding 13.3 strikeouts/per nine innings ratio. Glasnow was just another tall hard throwing projectable pitcher when he was drafted in 2011 but has quickly turned into one of the better pitching prospects in the game, being ranked on most major top 100 prospects lists. Glasnow gives the Pirates three true potential aces in the organization. Look for Glasnow to head the rotation for Bradenton (High-A) this season with a potential promotion to Altoona (AA) for the last month of the season. There is no need to rush Glasnow as he will play almost the entire minor league season at the age of 20. If he continues to pitch like he has Glasnow has a good shot to start the 2015 season in AAA with a call up to Pittsburgh by midseason.
With the abundance of top pitching prospects in the system is looks like almost every year there will be a solid pitcher who looks to get called up midseason. This isn’t even mentioning guys like Nick Kingham who aren’t ace type prospects but look to be above average major league starters. This is the advantage of loading your system with young projectable pitchers like the Pirates have under Neal Huntington. So who do you think will have the best career of the three potential aces in the system?
Bucco Talk 
