Welcome to In The System, our new daily analysis of the latest throughout the Pirates' organization!
Each morning, we'll spotlight an individual player or performance from the previous day/night, in addition to offering convenient links to find all the information anyone could want on Class AAA Indianapolis, Class AA Altoona, high Class A Greensboro and low Class A Bradenton throughout the season.
Player: Hudson Head
Position: Outfielder
Bats/throws: Left/Left
Age: 20
Size: 6-1, 180 pounds
MLB organizational rank: No. 6
Affiliate: Bradenton
Head was the highest rated prospect the Pirates acquired the offseason, serving as the headliner in the Joe Musgrove trade with the Padres.
On Friday, he achieved liftoff for the first time this season:
OF Prospect, Hudson Head #Pirates
— Pirates Prospect Talk (@TalkPirates) May 22, 2021
The #6 prospect in the system hits his first homerun on the season. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WHhNkcoZ6Z
Head is going to be a test of the Pirates' new player development. He is the Pirates' top outfield prospect, but incredibly raw. He could theoretically crack top 100 prospect lists as soon as next year, assuming he takes a step in his development.
He has a rare combination of raw power and speed, but his mechanics are definitely a work in progress. He's already cleaned up some of his footwork since being drafted in 2019, but there's more work to do. If he can tap into that power and shore up the lower-half of his swing, he could be the Pirates' center fielder of the future.
ELSEWHERE
• James Marvel, the Pirates' 2019 minor-league pitcher of the year, is quietly off to a good start this year. On Friday he allowed just one unearned run over 5 1/3 innings for Indianapolis, lowering his season ERA to 2.30.
• Max Kranick gave another reminder that Roansy Contreras isn't the only big arm in Altoona right now. The right-hander was hitting 98 mph in the fifth inning of his start against Harrisburg Friday, and he allowed just one run while striking out eight over his five frames. Rodolfo Castro added three hits and the Curve won, 4-2.
• More bad news for Greensboro's middle infield. Nick Gonzales is going to miss the next four to six weeks after breaking his right pinkie finger.
Michael Burrows allowed three runs over 4 1/3 innings and the Grasshoppers lost to the Hickory Crawdads, 3-0.
OFFICIAL LINKS
YOUR TURN: We'd love to hear from you, too, especially if you make it out to see any of these prospects and affiliates play. Feel free to file your own original scouting reports and other observations in comments.