10 Prospects in 10 Days rolls on with Gregory Polanco.

Quick Profile
Position: Outfield
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Age: 21
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 170 lbs.

The Pirates signed Polanco out of the Dominican Republic as a 17 year old in 2009.

Here’s a scouting report from MLB:

He has the chance to be a true five-tooler on the field. With a long, lean frame, he’s an aggressive swinger who started to learn the values of plate discipline, making him a much more dangerous hitter. He should hit for average and at least a little power. His plus speed will make him a long-term basestealing threat and an outstanding defensive outfielder.

Polanco excelled in 2012, becoming one of the top breakout performers in all of minor league baseball. Here are his stats through four professional seasons:

Year Age Tm Lg Lev G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS
2009 17 Pirates DOSL FRk 63 221 34 59 8 6 0 24 12 4 .267 .370 .357 .727
2010 18 Pirates GULF Rk 53 188 21 38 5 1 3 23 19 2 .202 .245 .287 .532
2011 19 Pirates GULF Rk 48 169 34 40 4 4 3 34 18 0 .237 .333 .361 .694
2011 19 State College NYPL A- 3 10 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 .100 .100 .100 .200
2012 20 West Virginia SALL A 116 437 84 142 26 6 16 85 40 15 .325 .388 .522 .910
4 Seasons 283 1025 173 280 43 17 22 167 89 21 .273 .347 .413 .760
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

His first full year as a pro was a tremendous one, and all five tools were on display. At the plate, he hit for average (.325) and power (16 HR, 26 doubles, six triples), in addition to tacking on 40 steals with his speed. In the field, he committed just three errors (.987 fielding percentage) and had 12 assists from the outfield. Baseball America named him the best athlete, best defensive outfielder, and best hitter for average in Pittsburgh’s farm system.

Polanco’s great 2012 campaign moved him way up on prospect lists. He’s listed at #65 in MLB’s top 100, and fourth overall in the Pirates system. He should start with High-A Bradenton in 2013. MLB estimates 2015 as a possible time of arrival for Polanco; he definitely has the potential to make a huge impact in Pittsburgh in the future.

Previous Editions:
Wyatt Mathisen
Victor Black
Alex Dickerson
Barrett Barnes
Josh Bell
Luis Heredia