MLB Pipeline posted an article on Tuesday looking at the top ten prospects who fell just outside of their top 100 list, which was released 11 days ago. Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Liover Peguero was among the names on their list of just missed prospects.
Peguero, who turned 20 years old on New Year’s Eve, has yet to play his first game for the Pirates since being acquired in the Starling Marte trade. He hasn’t reached full-season ball yet, but he did attend the Alternate Training Site in Altoona last summer, where he made a strong impression according to reports coming out of camp. Peguero showed a “promising blend of hitting ability, speed and defense at a premium position” according to the Pipeline article.
The Pirates had four players on the top 100 list put out by Pipeline, led by Ke’Bryan Hayes ranked ninth overall. Nick Gonzales, Quinn Priester and Oneil Cruz also made the top 100. The “just missed” tag means that Peguero could join the top 100 list mid-season as players graduate from the list, though Hayes might be the player who graduates from the list to open up Peguero’s spot. Hayes needs just 46 at-bats before he loses his prospect tag.
**MLB announced the dates for teams to report to Spring Training. The Pirates will report on February 17th for pitchers and catcher, followed five days later by the full squad reporting. The Pirates are scheduled to open up Spring Training on February 27th against the Boston Red Sox. Their home opener is scheduled for the next day against the Atlanta Braves.
**The MLB Draft league announced their schedule on Tuesday. The league will run from May 24th until August 13th, play a 68-game schedule, and feature draft-eligible players, who will be able to showcase for scouts. The Trenton Thunder were one of the affiliated teams to lose their Double-A spot, which resulted in a decrease of 36 home dates from their previous schedules.
