Josh Bell

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #4 prospect in 2017
  Bell gained fame after signing for $5 million, a record for a second-round pick, after originally telling teams not to draft him because he wanted to attend Texas. He broke through to the majors in 2016 after a steady climb. The switch-hitter transitioned from right field to first base in 2015, allowing him to focus on hitting and letting his bat flourish. Bell has an advanced understanding of the strike zone, which allows him to work counts and get his pitch to hit. When he does, he makes hard contact to all fields, especially from the left side. He has the size and strength to be an above-average hitter with above-average power and is improving his approach and swing to be successful at the top level. Defensively, Bell has worked hard to improve his play at first base, but his range is limited and his hands are stiff. He is more comfortable in right field, where his strong arm mitigates a lack of range. He is not much of a threat on the bases. Bell is in line to be the Opening Day first baseman for the Pirates but could eventually wind up back in right field, though Pittsburgh projects to have no vacancies there for years. He has a chance to be a middle-of-the-order regular, especially if he can increase his power output.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #3 prospect in 2016
  Bell asked teams not to draft him during his senior year of high school in 2011 because he was intent on furthering his education and playing at Texas. However, the Pirates selected him with the first pick in the second round and signed him for $5 million, a record for a pick outside the first round. Bell's career got off to a slow start when he seriously injured his knee early in 2012, but he bounced back to win MVP honors in the high Class A Florida State League in 2014 and finish 2015 at Triple-A Indianapolis. Though he is strong and athletic, Bell has yet to fully tap into his plus power potential. The switch-hitter makes contact and manages the strike zone from both side of the plate, though he hits for much more power from the left side (.470 slugging since 2012) and doesn't use his legs enough from the right (.409). Adding a leg kick in July helped him drive the ball more consistently. He is a decent runner for a big man. Bell made the transition from right field to first base in 2015. He worked hard to improve but struggled with his footwork and led Eastern League first baseman with 13 errors. Despite having a strong arm, he is tentative to make throws. He draws raves for his work ethic and intellect. Bell will continue learning the nuances of first base, and with the Pirates having no long-term answer at the position, he could take over the job in 2016.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #4 prospect in 2015
  Bell was hampered by a serious knee injury he suffered early in the 2012 season and needed two full years to fully recover. He started living up to his $5 million signing bonus in 2014, when he won the Florida State League MVP award at high Class A Bradenton after leading the circuit in average (.335) and slugging (.502) before a late-July promotion to Double-A Altoona. His .325 average topped the Pirates organization. Some scouts compare Bell to former Pirates slugger Bobby Bonilla because he is a largebodied switch-hitter with power potential. Bell hasn't shown a lot of overthe- fence power so far, but it should come as his body matures because he has a natural lift to his swing. His swing is smoother from the left side, as he tends to be jumpy when batting righthanded. Bell has an extremely strong arm suited best for right field, but he does not consistently read flyballs, so the Pirates began using him at first base in instructional league and the Arizona Fall League. He has a lot of work to do there, as he's currently a well below-average fielder who has had trouble making backhanded plays. Bell does not have a quick initial burst, but he's a fringe-average runner underway. Bell will go back to Altoona to begin 2015. The Pirates would like to see him develop into a first baseman because his path is blocked in the outfield.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #7 prospect in 2014
  The Pirates signed Bell for a $5 million bonus to forgo playing collegiately at Texas, even though he had written all 30 clubs asking not to be drafted. It is the largest bonus ever given to a player selected after the first round, a record likely to stand for a long time because of the draft bonus-pool rules that went into effect in 2012. Bell's first professional season in 2012 ended after just 15 games with low Class A West Virginia when he tore the meniscus in his left knee while running the bases and required surgery. Bell is a switch-hitter with the potential to hit for average and power from both sides of the plate. Scouts report his righthanded swing is geared more toward contact with a flatter swing plane, while he turns it loose and has more leverage from the left side. True to the reports, he hit home runs about twice as frequently batting lefthanded while also striking out about twice as often. Bell finished third in the South Atlantic League in doubles last season and is likely to turn some of those two-base hits into home runs as he gains experience and his knee gets stronger. He has decent range for a corner outfielder, and his above-average arm should enable him to stick in right field. Bell will begin the season at high Class A Bradenton, and he has breakout potential as he puts more distance between himself and his knee injury. He may have to in order to keep up with a crowded Pirates outfield picture.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #6 prospect in 2013
  The Pirates stunned the industry when they landed the thought-to-be-unsignable Bell for $5 million at the 2011 deadline. He had written all 30 teams and asked them not to select him because he was committed to attending Texas, but Pittsburgh had him ranked sixth on its draft board and popped him at No. 61 overall. His 2012 pro debut ended quickly, as he had surgery April 26 after tearing the meniscus in his left knee while running the bases. He was supposed to return for instructional league but persistent swelling in the knee scuttled that plan. Bell has big-time power potential from both sides of the plate. With his bat speed, strike-zone discipline and mature approach, he also should hit for average. He had average speed before he got hurt, and there's some fear that he might lose a step after his knee injury. Bell projects as a right fielder with average range and solid arm strength. Bell has the makings of a No. 3 or 4 hitter in a contender's lineup. Though he essentially lost a full season, he's will be just 20 when he returns to low Class A. The Pirates are anxious to see how he bounces back from his injury, and he has the bat to move fast once he gets going.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #3 prospect in 2012
  The Pirates rated Bell as the sixth-best prospect in the 2011 draft, but he was considered virtually unsignable because his mother is a professor at Texas-Arlington and wanted him to attend Texas. Pittsburgh took him with the first pick in the second round and shocked the industry by signing him for $5 million, the biggest draft bonus ever outside of the first round. A switch-hitter since he was 5, Bell has quick hands, wiry strength and outstanding power potential. He'll be a huge home run threat once he adds more balance and incorporates his legs more into his swing. With his mature approach and ability to make consistent hard contact, he should hit for average as well. He's an intelligent player who should learn to work counts and post high on-base percentages. Bell is still refining his defense and baserunning. A high school center fielder, he has average speed and a solid arm which figure to land him in right field. Bell likely will start his pro career at low Class A West Virginia. The Pirates are careful not to rush players, but Bell's advanced hitting skills and raw power may cause him to force the issue. Bell profiles as a No. 3 hitter and could see the major leagues before the end of 2014.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked International League #10 prospect in 2016
  Bell anchored Indianapolis' prospect-laden lineup throughout the season, providing thump in the middle of the order. He made his major league debut during a brief stint with the Pirates in July and then came up for good in late August. Bell, a switch-hitter, has learned to better get to his power, and he set a career high this season with 14 home runs at Indianapolis. He did so without compromising his high contact rate. Bell is more productive batting lefthanded, but he does a good job of sticking with his mature approach from both sides and knows how to work a walk Bell has worked hard to improve defensively since moving to first base but still has a lot of work to do at his new position.
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  Ranked Eastern League #20 prospect in 2015
  Before the Futures Game this year, Bell fielded questions about his transition from right field to first base and whether there was enough power in his bat to produce at the position. He responded with a long home run into right-center field, which turned out to be the game's only longball. Even so, the questions linger. Bell's power shows up in batting practice but vanishes in games. Evaluators do praise his bat-to-ball skills, but note that he does it with an inside-out stroke that doesn't allow him to hit the ball out of the park. He's still a project at first base, which is to be expected given how new he is to the position. He's still learning to shorten his arm stroke from the one he utilized in right field to one more acceptable for a spot on the infield. He has worked hard with Pirates infield instructor Kevin Young to hone his skills in the field. Bell reached Triple-A Indianapolis late in the season and still brings plenty of bat speed and strength, which gives Pittsburgh reason to believe he'll smooth out the rough edges and become the player his raw skills portend.
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  Ranked International League #12 prospect in 2015
  The Pirates promoted Bell from Double-A Altoona to Indianapolis on Aug. 1 and he exceeded the minimum playing-time threshold to qualify for the IL list by one plate appearance. He hit safely in 18 of his final 22 games and helped the Indians reach the IL finals, where he forced a decisive Game Five with a 4-for-4 performance that included a walk-off hit. Health is the biggest reason Bell was able to succeed at two levels of the minors in 2015. He played without limitations after knee injuries had hampered his previous two campaigns, and observers noticed a difference. The switch-hitting Bell still has an unorthodox swing--especially from the right side--but he added a toe tap to improve his timing and has a knack for getting the barrel to the ball. His power hasn't translated into big home-run totals yet--he hit seven this season and nine in 2014--but his bat speed hints at more bombs in his future. Bell shifted from right field to first base this season and remains rough around the edges at his new position. He's a hard worker eager to improve and worked daily with Pirates infield instructor Kevin Young and defensive coordinator Gary Green.
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  Ranked Florida State League #8 prospect in 2014
  Signed for a second-round record $5 million, Bell lost a year of development to knee surgery in 2012, but he has stayed healthy since. He finished 2014 in Double-A with a breakout season, leading the FSL in batting (.335) and slugging (.502). Bell does it with strength, an unorthodox swing and natural feel for the barrel. Bradenton manager Tom Prince compared him with his own former Pirates teammate, Bobby Bonilla, for his size, switch-hitting ability and power potential. Most scouts consider Bell's hitting ability better than his power presently, but he has the potential to hit 20-25 homers annually as he matures. Slated to play first base in the Arizona Fall League, he needs to work to maintain his athleticism if he wants to stay on an outfield corner--a crowded position in Pittsburgh--long-term. He has an above-average arm that plays in right field.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #35 prospect in 2017
• Ranked Baseball America's #38 prospect in 2016
• Ranked Baseball America's #64 prospect in 2015
• Ranked Baseball America's #60 prospect in 2012

• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Bell gained fame after signing for $5 million, a record for a second-round pick, after originally telling teams not to draft him because he wanted to attend Texas. He broke through to the majors in 2016 after a steady climb. The switch-hitter transitioned from right field to first base in 2015, allowing him to focus on hitting and letting his bat flourish. Scouting Report: Bell has an advanced understanding of the strike zone, which allows him to work counts and get his pitch to hit. When he does, he makes hard contact to all fields, especially from the left side. He has the size and strength to be an above-average hitter with above-average power and is improving his approach and swing to be successful at the top level. Defensively, Bell has worked hard to improve his play at first base, but his range is limited and his hands are stiff. He is more comfortable in right field, where his strong arm mitigates a lack of range. He is not much of a threat on the bases.
  
  The Future: Bell is in line to be the Opening Day first baseman for the Pirates but could eventually wind up back in right field, though Pittsburgh projects to have no vacancies there for years. He has a chance to be a middle-of-the-order regular, especially if he can increase his power output.
• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: The Pirates stunned the industry when they landed the thought-to-be-unsignable Bell for $5 million at the 2011 deadline. He had written all 30 teams and asked them not to select him because he was committed to attending Texas, but Pittsburgh had him ranked sixth on its draft board and popped him at No. 61 overall. His 2012 pro debut ended quickly, as he had surgery April 26 after tearing the meniscus in his left knee while running the bases. He was supposed to return for instructional league but persistent swelling in the knee scuttled that plan. Bell received platelet-rich plasma injections in his knee in an effort to spur healing. Scouting Report: Bell has big-time power potential from both sides of the plate. With his bat speed, strike-zone discipline and mature approach, he also should hit for average as well. He had average speed before he got hurt, and there's some fear that he might lose a step after his knee injury. Bell projects as a right fielder with average range and solid arm strength. The Future: Bell has the makings of a No. 3 or 4 hitter in a contender's lineup. Though he essentially lost a full season, he'll still be just 20 when he returns to low Class A. The Pirates are anxious to see how he bounces back from his injury, and he has the bat to move fast once he gets going.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: The Pirates rated Bell as the sixth-best prospect in the 2011 draft, but he was considered virtually unsignable because his mother is a professor at Texas-Arlington and wanted him to attend Texas. Pittsburgh took him with the first pick in the second round and shocked the industry by signing him for $5 million, the biggest draft bonus ever outside of the first round. Scouting Report: A switch-hitter since he was 5, Bell has quick hands, wiry strength and outstanding power potential. He'll be a huge home run threat once he adds more balance and incorporates his legs more into his swing. With his mature approach and ability to make consistent hard contact, he should hit for average as well. He's an intelligent player who should learn to work counts and post high on-base percentages. Bell is still refining his defense and baserunning. A high school center fielder, he has average speed and a solid arm, which figure to land him in right field. The Future: Bell likely will start his pro career at low Class A West Virginia. The Pirates are careful not to rush players, but Bell's advanced hitting skills and raw power may cause him to force the issue. Bell profiles as a No. 3 hitter and could see the major leagues before the end of 2014.