Matt Curry 1B WV Power
6'1" 225lbs
Bat: L    Throw: R

Matt Curry was redrafted by the Pirates in the 16th round of the 2010 draft (37th round in 2008).  Currently Matt is 22 playing at low A WV.  Its understandable for a late round pick to be playing his way through the low minors but Curry is no slouch when it comes to baseball.  A big question has been when will Curry get the promotion to the next level.  Lets divulge.

1)  Stats from the Baseball Cube show that in 09 and 10 while playing at TCU, Curry continued to improve with his bat.  By the 2010 season he was a power threat and had more BB than Ks.  His OPS was 1.141.  Even in 2009 his BB:K ratio was not bad, 27:40, so its clear even early on that Curry is not one to swing and miss often.

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/profile.asp?P=Matt-Curry-1

2) After being drafted Curry played in short season ball were he continued to mash.  He posted an OPS of .898 with a 39:47 BB:K.  Belting another 7HRs in 240PA.  Numbers that seem down from a player coming from a pretty good college program and playing against IMO lesser talent than college in short season ball, but no matter, his 2010 is what it is.

3) 2011 placed Curry in WV.  Again I feel this is a non progressive placement for someone with a pretty advanced bat, being a college hitter.  So far this season it has shown.  While his numbers were down in the NYP, Curry has risen to the challenge at the next level in WV.  To this point in the season Curry leads the South Atlantic League in OBP, SLG, and OPS.  He ranks second in AVG and 12th in HRs with 8.  The power and the avg are there, he is simply raking at A-.  Posting a 30:26 BB:K, its a question of when will Curry get the call up or better put, what more must he do to get called up?

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=curry-001mat
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=l_bat&lid=116

The only possible knock I can view on Curry going forward is his defense.  I've never seen him play and to this point in the season he has made 1 error in 33 GS at 1B.  To me that makes him pretty sure handed with the glove, although he does play the field righty, but plenty of 1B out there play the position right handed.  The only other explanation would be the 1B playing at the levels above Curry.  The point is though at Bradenton, between Santos, Anderson and Baker, Santos has been the best and Curry could be much better than Santos, no reason why anyone at A+ should be blocking a possible prospect with major power potential playing a CI position. 

The situation at AA seems even worse.  Looking at MiLB, it shows Durham and Ford as the 1B there, both are piss poor at the dish.  Curry who will turn 23 in July should be at Bradenton soon, and if I had to venture to guess he will be at AA this season.  I read somewhere that his coaches are trying to figure out new ways to challenge him so he doesn't grow bored.  This is a reason to move a player up.  And as he has had time in college I think Curry would be alright at AA.  Worst case scenario, he's back in Altoona next season, but why not challenge a player who could potentially be a huge find at 1B, a position we definately lack prospects at.