Scouting Report: The Pirates’ first-round draft pick and second overall selection in 2008 from Vanderbilt is a complete hitter with the ability to center the ball on the barrel of his bat and good strike-zone judgment.

Pittsburgh projects Alvarez to be a third baseman in the majors but he has the frame to eventually move to 1st base in the future.

Scouting Report: Acquired from the New York Yankees in a 2008 trade, Tabata is a strong and muscular hitter with good bat speed and the leverage to start hitting for power. He mashes left-handed pitching but struggles against breaking pitches and rarely walks.

He is an aggressive base runner with average speed. He possesses good arm strength and average range. The Pirates were happy with the new-found maturity he showed during spring training. – John Perrotto

Scouting Report: The Pirates’ first-round draft pick in 2006 from Houston has a strong frame and has managed to stay healthy since undergoing Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery in 2007. He began showing the ability to miss bats last season while also featuring improved off-speed pitches.

He is a hard thrower and has good movement on his fastball, and his curveball has a chance to be an above-average pitch. He needs to repeat his delivery more often to help his changeup and overall command.- John Perrotto

Scouting Report: He was the top college catcher in last year’s draft with his strong and athletic build, and the Pirates selected him with fourth overall pick in the first round from Boston College. He uses the whole field with his hitting approach and squares the ball up well.

Estimated arrival: September 2011.

Scouting Report: He is a good athlete with above-average speed and will take a walk, making him a leadoff candidate.

- He hasn’t hit for power yet but that should come as his body fills out, though he doesn’t figure to be a big home run threat. He has an outstanding arm, with decent range – John Perrotto

Estimated arrival: 2012: Potential 15 HR, 30 SB

Scouting Report: He had Tommy John surgery in 2007 and missed the first two months of this season with a sore shoulder. Injury concerns have plagued him throughout his professional career but scouts believe he has the potential to be a high end #3 starter.

- Has a live fastball that reaches 95 mph with movement and a big-breaking curveball that could eventually be his best pitch. He needs work on his changeup and changing speeds with the curve - John Perrotto

Scouting Report: He is very athletic, which allows him to repeat his delivery well, consistently throw strikes and keep the ball down in the zone.

-  He has good movement on a fastball that reaches 92 mph and his curveball is becoming a swing-and-miss pitch.

- Like most young pitchers, he struggles with the changeup - John Perrotto

Scouting Report: He has taken the biggest step forward of any player in the system this season.

- He attacks hitters with a three-pitch arsenal that includes a low-90s fastball, slider and changeup.

- He continually pounds the bottom of the strike zone with all three pitches and is not afraid to work inside. - John Perrotto

Scouting Report: He is hard thrower, whose fastball tops out at 96 mph, though it tends to be straight and he may to lower his high three-quarters arm slot to get more movement on it.

- His slider continues to improve and could an out pitch and his changeup is serviceable.

- He is also durable - John Perrotto