Baseball's amateur draft is still months away, but the prospect watch has begun in earnest. Baseball America has released its first peek (subscribers only) at the how the first round could play out and it looks good for the black and gold. Unlike last year, this draft is deep in talent, especially from the college ranks. It's looking better and better that the Bucs will have some talent to choose from when they draft with the 11th selection overall.

When it comes to the draft, I am not one who advocates drafting by need. I think teams that draft for need often times get themselves in trouble by over-drafting a guy, or worse, passing on a superior talent just to fill a hole. The lag time between when a prospect gets drafted, and when he makes the majors (that is, if he makes the majors) can be a year or two in the most optimistic of scenarios. Most players take much longer. The strengths and weaknesses of a major league team can change so much in that time. By the time the player reaches the bigs, the need may not exist anymore. The draft should be used to broaden a team's talent base. If it pans out, talent has value -- either for the home team or in a possible trade.

All that being said, it is nice when "best talent available" happens to coincide with "need". The Bucs need major league-ready bats and this draft has 'em. The Pirates have not drafted a colege bat with their first pick, since they took Jeff King first overall in 1986 and Barry Bonds in 1985. I think the time is ripe.

At this stage, BA has Ole Miss slugger Stephen Head going to the Bucs at number 11. Head has one of the finest swings in the college ranks and BA points to him as one of the prospects closest to the the majors. Basically, he is a perfect fit for the Pirates. Stanford First baseman/Outfielder John Mayberry Jr. is slotted in at twelve and he would also make a fine pick if Head goes off the board. Mayberry is athletic, can hit, and has the bloodlines that scouts love. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman of Virginia (slotted at number 10 by BA) is another interesting name. He hits for average and is a plus fielder. He hasn't shown alot of pop yet, but the scouts believe it will come.

This list, while a nice preview, is very premature. The college season is just getting underway and players' stocks will rise and fall quite a bit as the season progresses and the draft draws closer. It is quite possible that all three of the players listed above will be off the board by the time the Pirates make their selection. Likewise, it is entirely possible that players currently lower on the list will surge and become legitimate mid-round picks. The nice thing about these early lists is that it gives fans some names to keep an eye on, especially when the College World Series rolls around. It's never too early to get a look at the next Pirate.