Pirates Infielder Named Most 'MLB-Ready Prospect'

One of the Pittsburgh Pirates' top prospects could make an immediate impact in 2025.
Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Nick Yorke (38) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Yankees during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium.
Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Nick Yorke (38) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Yankees during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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In a farm system that is stacked with pitching prospects, one of the Pittsburgh Pirates' top position players could be poised to make the biggest impact in 2025.

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter named the most MLB-ready prospect for every team and tabbed the well-rounded utility player Nick Yorke for Pittsburgh. The Pirates landed Yorke in a trade with the Boston Red Sox for right-handed pitcher Quinn Priester.

"The Pirates acquired Yorke from the Red Sox in a swap of former top prospects that sent Quinn Priester the other way," Reuter writes. "He hit .303/.385/.449 with 33 doubles, 12 home runs, 72 RBI and 21 steals in 123 games in the upper minors, and he will compete with Nick Gonzales for the starting second base job this spring while also potentially offering a high floor as a versatile utility piece off the bench."

Yorke, the Pirates' No. 6 ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, made a brief cameo in the big leagues at the end of the 2024 season. He played in 11 games and batted .216/.286/.378 with two home runs and five RBIs and stole two bases. Defensively, Yorke played second base, third base, left field and right field.

In 472 at-bats in the minor leagues, Yorke batted .303.383/.449 with 12 home runs and 72 RBIs.

Yorke, 22, could be a versatile chess piece in 2025 who finds himself in the everyday lineup if he can carry his success over from the minor leagues at the plate. Pirates manager Derek Shelton believes Yorke is capable of that and one of the better hitting prospects Pittsburgh has had in his tenure.

"He can really hit," Shelton said at the Winter Meetings. " I think that's the thing. He controls the zone. He has the ability to drive the ball to right-center field. As a young hitter, he controls the middle of the diamond. He is a bonafide gap-to-gap guy. You'd like to talk about the ability to stay in the middle [of the] field, he has it. I don't know if we've had a young hitter over the last couple of years who controls the at-bats as well as he does at such a young age. It was a good trade for us. We were able to get an impactful guy."

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