WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2010
VSL:  251/325/465, 215 AB, 16 2B, 10 HR, 19 BB, 35 K, 2-6 SB

Osuna was one of the better power hitters in the VSL in 2010, leading the league in HRs at age 17.

2011
R:  331/400/511, 178 AB, 14 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 18 BB, 21 K, 3-5 SB
A-:  250/333/375, 8 AB, 1 2B, 1 BB

Got off to a very fast start in the GCL and, although he cooled off a little, he continued to hit well all summer.  He had almost as many walks as Ks, which is impressive for an 18-year-old who hits with power.  He fanned just a little more than once every nine ABs.  He played left field initially, but moved to first about halfway through the GCL season, probably to make way for the other, faster outfielders.  He had two errors in twenty games, so the move at least wasn’t a disaster.  He got into two games at State College at the end of the season.  BA rated him the 5th best prospect in the GCL.

2012
A:  280/324/454, 482 AB, 36 2B, 16 HR, 31 BB, 82 K, 4-8 SB

The Pirates moved Osuna to West Virginia, where he was the regular first baseman.  For most of the season he didn’t hit especially well or poorly, except for a blistering hot July when he hit 336/366/645 with nine HRs.  His power needed time to pick up, as he didn’t hit a HR until well into May.  He doesn’t have great bat speed and so much of the time hits the ball to the opposite field.  He didn’t strike out a lot, but his walk rate dropped well below where it had been previously.  He had a reverse platoon split, posting an OPS of .673 against LHPs and .817 against RHPs.

Osuna has done well enough to be interesting but not well enough to establish himself as a top prospect.  A breakout could certainly still happen, as he’ll play all of next season at age 20, which is younger than prospects like Polanco and Alen Hanson.  That’s young for high A, which is where he’ll be as the starting firstbaseman.  The big question is how much projection he still has.