When you are a pitcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league system, there is hope that you could make an impact in the Major Leagues sooner, rather than later.  Enter 2006 28th round draft pick Rudy Owens, who looked great at Double-A in ’10 and could make his Pirates debut before long.

Granted, he is likely ticketed to open the year at Triple-A, but he’ll be just a call away.  For those thinking Jameson Taillon could get the first opportunity, it seems like a bit of a stretch.  Yes, he has the higher upside (as does Stetson Allie), but he is just 19-years old (Allie, meanwhile, turns 20 in March).  It’s not like the Pirates are going anywhere in 2011, so why would they rush two of their premier prospects?

At the same time, there is an awful lot to like about Owens.  First, look at his 2010 line:

12 Wins
150.0 Innings
2.46 ERA
0.98 WHIP
132 Strikeouts (7.92 K/9)
23 Walks (1.38 BB/9)
.273 BABIP

Think that walk rate is not believable?  It has been consistent at every level since being drafted.  The lefty has a minor league career BB/9 of 1.55 over 354 innings.  That’s pinpoint control, and it certainly goes a long way in helping him be productive.

Known as nothing more than a control artist, Owens took a step to changing that outlook in 2010.  Just look at what Baseball America had to say when ranking him as the Pirates’ seventh best prospect:

“Owens grew stronger as the season progressed in another way, too, as his fastball went from 87-90 to 90-93 mph down the stretch. The extra velocity highly encouraged the Pirates, who proclaimed that his soft-tossing-lefty tag no longer applied.”

If he can maintain that, there certainly is a whole lot to like.  He’s not likely to develop into a top-flight strikeout pitcher, but if he can post a K/9 right around 7.0 he should prove to be incredibly productive.

The Pirates have recently had pitchers burst onto the scene, most notably Zach Duke a few years ago.  Coincidentally, Baseball America compares Owens to Duke.  Is it a good sign for fantasy owners?  Long-term you have to wonder, but in 2011 it could mean catching lightning in a bottle.

Obviously, pitching for the Pirates is going to be a bit of a negative hanging over him.  If that’s the only bad thing we can say (as well as maybe being a little bit lucky), are we really going to shy away?  In the second half he could be a pitcher that helps to put your team over the top, meaning he is certainly a name to have on your radar.

What are your thoughts of Owens?  Do you think he can be worth owning in 2011?  Why or why not?

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