Four Pirates Among MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects
The Pittsburgh Pirates have a nucleus of promising young players at the major league level whom they hope will open a window of contention, and there's plenty of help waiting in the wings as well.
Three Pirates were named among Baseball America's top 100 prospects earlier this week, though that number jumped to four in MLB Pipeline's own list that released on Friday.
Pipeline's highest-ranked Pittsburgh farmhand was Bubba Chandler, who came in at No. 15.
Placing No. 93 ahead of the 2024 season, the 22-year-old right-handed pitcher raised his stock by first recording a 3.70 ERA in 19 appearances (16 starts) with Double-A Altoona, earning him a trip to the All-Star Futures Game as well as a promotion to Triple-A Indianapolis in August.
There, the 2021 third-round pick closed out the campaign with a 1.83 ERA across seven starts totaling 39 1/3 innings.
Next up for the Pirates was 2024 first-rounder Konnor Griffin at No. 43.
The first high schooler off the board at No. 9 as the reigning National Gatorade Player of the Year, he agreed to a $6.53 million signing bonus but still has yet to make his professional debut. Regardless, Griffin possesses all the tools necessary to blossom into a star somewhere down the line while likely residing at shortstop or in the outfield defensively.
The ensuing inclusion for Pittsburgh was right-handed pitcher Thomas Harrington at No. 80.
Selected No. 36 overall in 2022 during the Competitive Balance A round, he finished last season with a 2.61 ERA in a combined 22 outings (21 starts) between Single-A Bradenton, Altoona and Indianapolis.
The No. 4 pick in 2022 and a fellow Futures Game participant alongside Chandler, infielder Termarr Johnson was the final Pirates prospect to be ranked at No. 83.
After posting an .860 OPS in 2023, he took a step back last year with a slash line of .237/.367/.386 over 544 plate appearances split across High-A Greensboro and Altoona.
Johnson redeemed himself during Arizona Fall League play, however, by batting .250/.444/.475 in 11 contests.
