Five Pirates Position Player Prospects Pushing For Promotion
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have an exciting farm system, with a number of top players and great bats for the future that are proving their worth now.
The Pirates have made some important promotions this year, with both 2025 MLB Draft picks in right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez (Sixth Overall) and third baseman Murf Gray (73rd overall) going to High-A Greensboro from Single-A Bradenton, plus outfielder Lonnie White Jr. moving to Double-A Altoona from Greensboro.
Pittsburgh will have a few more prospects push for chances at a higher level this season, especially those that have hit really well so far in 2026.
Five prospects are currently standing out right now and will almost certainly be at a different affiliate in the near future.
No. 1 Wyatt Sanford (SS, High-A Greensboro)
Wyatt Sanford has been healthy and playing consistently with Greensboro this season, which has seen him really take advantage of his opportunities at the plate.
He has slashed .286/.417/.504 for an OPS of .921 in 35 games, with 36 runs scored, 38 hits in 138 at-bats, nine doubles, one triple, six home runs, 19 RBI, 23 walks to 60 strikeouts and 15 stolen bases on 16 attempts.
Sanford is one of the better hitters in the South Atlantic League, with the third most runs scored, tied for the fourth-most stolen bases, tied for the ninth-most doubles, the 12th-best on-base percentage, tied for the 12th-most hits, tied for the 14th-most walks, 16th-best OPS and the 23rd-best slugging percentage.
His six home runs aren't impressive compared to the best hitters in the South Atlantic League, but he's not much of a power hitter, so having that many at this point of the season is impressive.
Sanford is in his second professional season, after the Pirates took him 47th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Independence High School in Frisco, Texas.
His play saw him rise up all the way to the third best prospect in the Pirates farm system in a recent re-ranking from Baseball America, while MLB Pipeline has Sanford at sixth.
It's a good start for the shortstop, who should give himself a chance to make it up to Double-A Altoona soon enough.
Jared Jones (1B, Greensboro)
Yes, the Pirates have another Jared Jones in their organization and this one is a hitter, not a starting pitcher.
Jones has performed well this season for Greensboro, slashing .333/.423/.479 for an OPS of .902 in 33 games, with 22 runs scored, 39 hits in 117 at-bats, five doubles, four home runs and 18 walks to 43 strikeouts.
He is also one of the best hitters in the South Atlantic League, with the third-best batting average seventh-best on-base percentage and 22nd-best OPS, plus the 11th-most hits.
The Pirates took Jones in the ninth round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of LSU and he was actually a teammate of right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes, where they won the College World Series in 2023.
Jones, who goes by "Bear", to distinguish between the two players of the same name, will want to show some more power, but he's been great from the plate so far and moving up to Altoona shouldn't be too long for him.
Axiel Plaz (C/1B/DH, Greensboro)
Perhaps the best hitter for the Pirates in Greensboro is Axiel Plaz, who is finally fully healthy and having an outstanding season.
Plaz has slashed .352/.412/.607 for an OPS of 1.019 in 31 games, 19 runs scored, 43 hits in 122 at-bats, 10 doubles, seven home runs, 29 RBI and nine walks to 28 strikeouts.
He has the best batting average in the South Atlantic League and is showing some great power earlt on.
Stat | Ranking |
|---|---|
Batting Average | First |
Doubles | Tied-Fourth |
Hits | Tied-Fifth |
OPS | Seventh |
Slugging Percentage | Eighth |
RBI | Tied-Eighth |
Home Runs/On-Base % | Tied-14th |
Plaz has only played as much as 84 games in one season, but will still turn 21 years old in August, showing his youth, but also growth during his early years after signing from Venezuela for $350,000 in January 2022.
Altoona should also serve as a place he goes next, where he'll try and maintain his strong hitting.
Easton Carmichael (C, Greensboro)
Plaz shares catching duties in Greensboro with Easton Carmichael, who is also excelling at the plate in 2026.
Carmichael is slashing .318/.371/.545 for an OPS of .916, with 42 hits in 132 at-bats, 21 runs scored, five doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 27 RBI, 11 walks to 20 strikeouts and seven stolen bases on eight attempts.
He ranks tied for the sixth-best batting average in the South Atlantic League, plus the 17th-best slugging percentage/OPS, tied for the eighth-most hits, the 13th-most RBI and tied for the 14th-most home runs.
Carmichael is actually slashing better on the road (.329/.370/.579, OPS .949) than at home (.304/.371 .500, OPS .871), a good sign he will excel outside of the friendly confines of First National Bank Field in Greensboro.
The Pirates took Carmichael in the third round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Oklahoma and he will soon get the pleasure to play in Altoona, alongside Plaz.
Edgleen Perez (C, Bradenton)
Yes, another catcher is doing well in the Pirates farm system, but this time, it's not from Greensboro!
Edgleen Perez joined the Pirates organization in the David Bednar trade with the New York Yankees at the deadline last season and is flourishing in his first full campaign at Single-A Bradenton.
Perez is slashing .321/.395/.375 for an OPS of .770 in 30 games, with 36 hits in 112 at-bats, three doubles, a home run, 20 RBI and 14 walks to 21 strikeouts.
He has the fourth-best batting average in the Florida State League, 14th-best on-base percentage and 24th-best OPS, with the ninth-most hits.
Perez will turn 20 years old next week, but if he keeps hitting like this, and with the likel promotions of Plaz and Carmichael, he should become the next starting catcher in Greensboro.
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.