Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker have been promoted from Hickory and Lynchburg, respectively, to Class AA Altoona.
In both cases, these moves have more to do with the facts that Hickory and Lynchburg won´t be in the playoffs than actual merit, but both players have come on strong recently. Walker started the season poorly at Lynchburg - perhaps because he was still recovering from an injury - but he has hit very well in the last month or so. McCutchen currently has an OPS over .800, which is terrific for a 19 year old in full-season ball. McCutchen in particular will probably struggle a bit in Altoona, though, and he will probably wind up down at Lynchburg to start 2007. If he plays well at Altoona, he may start there, but I would be pleasantly surprised if he played all that well.
There?s some discussion of the Pirates? prospects in this diary.