MLB: Pirates to draft a catcher in Round 1 for 2nd time in four years?

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a very important draft ahead of them with the No. 9 and No. 14 overall selections. For a small market team like the Pirates you need to take advantage of two first round picks and hit on them.

As much progress that the Pirates have made in putting a substantial amount of money into the draft since 2008, this management group continues to have their miscues from selecting catcher Tony Sanchez with the No. 4 overall selection in the 2009 draft, to taking the gamble of selecting Mark Appel who had no interest in signing.

The selection of Sanchez was a huge blunder for the organization and the Pirates have their eyes once again on a catcher in the first round, this time a prep catcher in Reese McGuire (6-1, 190lbs) of Kentwood High School.

GM Neal Huntington has scouted McGuire heavily and the catcher is strongly linked to the Pirates at No. 9. What stands out with McGuire is that scouts contend his defensive ability is already at a Major League level. Regarded as the best throwing catcher in the class, McGuire consistently shows pop times to second base in under 1.85 seconds.

His potential at the plate is more of a question mark. There are mix opinions from scouts and talent evaluators but some feel the left handed hitting catcher would hit well in PNC Park and the potential to be a 10-15 home run guy with a .270 average.