 | Name: Tony Sanchez Position: Catcher Birth Date: May 20, 1988 Height: 6'0'' Weight: 220 Bats: Right Throws: Right College/HS: Boston College Acquired: 2009 Draft, 1st Round Major League ETA: 2013 |
| McEffect Report: Sanchez was an unexpected choice for the Pirates with the 4th overall selection in the 2009 draft. He was largely looked at as a signability draft pick, which was backed up by the fact that the Pirates spent a large amount of money on prep pitchers later in the draft. His first two years in the minor leagues made the selection look brilliant. He hit .309/.409/.539 in 2009 and .314/.416/.454 in 2010 before struggling in Altoona last summer with a .241/.340/.318 line. He missed a big part of the 2010 season when he was hit by a pitch in the face, it's possible that that could have effected his 2011 season. The best part of Sanchez's game is his defense, which alone gives him a good chance to make the big leagues some day. However, he had trouble throwing out base stealers last year which added to the frustration of that season. He remains a strong defender with upside on offense. The Pirates are very thin at catcher in terms of prospects, so Sanchez is one of the keys to the farm system. He'll probably start the year in AA again but if he plays well he could earn a pretty quick promotion to AAA. |