Four Pirates' Storylines to Follow From Arizona Fall League
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are done for the 2026 season, but some of their prospects will get another chance to prove themselves.
The Arizona Fall League starts on Oct. 3, and the Pirates have eight prospects who will suit up for the next month, gaining experience and showing off their talents to the baseball world.
Pittsburgh has its players on the Glendale Desert Dogs, one of six teams, with five MLB franchises' future talents spread out among them.
The Pirates don't have top prospects in right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez and outfielder Edward Florentino, but there are a few intriguing players to keep an eye on.
Wyatt Sanford Could Be Next Great Pirates Shortstop
The Pirates committed their future to Konnor Griffin, the former top prospect in baseball and the ninth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, but a draftmate of his could make his mark soon.
Shortstop Wyatt Sanford had a strong season for High-A Greensboro in 2026, batting .292/.423/.551 for an OPS of .974 in 72 games, with 80 hits, 16 doubles, five triples, 17 home runs, 42 RBI and 33 stolen bases on 34 attempts
Sanford is like Griffin in a lot of ways, with great speed, while also strong defensively with a solid arm.
He isn't the hitter that Griffin is yet, as the second-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft is still developing and improving at 20.
Sanford didn't just excel at hitter-friendly First National Bank Field, hitting .289/.410/.577 for an OPS of .987; he hit well on the road too, batting .275/.422/.517 for an OPS of .939.
He is the Pirates' best prospect in the AFL, with Baseball America and MLB Pipeline ranking him fifth overall.
Sanford will hope to use this time in Arizona to improve upon his contact and power, proving that he deserves a shot with Double-A Altoona for 2027.
Pirates May Have Next Catcher in Easton Carmichael
The Pirates always need catcher depth, and Easton Carmichael could solve that problem for them next season.
Carmichael was excellent with Greensboro, .305/.350/.518 for an OPS of .868 in 74 games, with 95 hits, 14 doubles, 16 home runs and 63 RBI, before his promotion to Altoona on July 24.
He didn't hit quite as well in Double-A, .244/.313/.412 for an OPS of .725 in 37 games, but it was a big year for the 2025 MLB Draft third-round selection out of Oklahoma.
Carmichael doesn't do anything spectacularly well, but is solid in many areas of his game with few weaknesses.
The Pirates have three catchers on their 40-man roster: Henry Davis, who struggles at the plate, Rafael Flores Jr., who struggles from behind the plate, and Endy Rodríguez, who is out until March-May following his left hip labrum surgery.
Carmichael could be important catcher depth for the Pirates next season, but he'll have to improve at both Double-A and Triple-A Indianapolis.
Zander Mueth Running Out of Chances to Fufill Potential
The Pirates don't have any high-profile pitchers in the AFL, but right-hander Zander Mueth is one that has previously garnered recognition.
Mueth has struggled with injuries the past two seasons, pitching just 22 starts and in 26 games, plus 55.1 innings combined.
His stats have also been poor for Single-A Bradenton, an 0-4 record in 10 starts and a 7.36 ERA in 2024 and an 0-3 record in nine starts and 13 games, and 9,18 ERA.
Mueth was one of the better pitching prospects in the system, especially after they took him 67th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft Competitive Balance Round B out of Belleville East High School in Belleville, Il., a suburb outside St. Louis, Mo.
Arizona could be exactly what Mueth needs to get his career back on track, as he turns 22 next June, and can work on his pitch mix (four-seam fastball, cutter, sinker, slider and changeup) and start moving up to Greensboro for 2027.
Jhonny Severino Can Keep Capitalizing Off of Strong Campaign
One of the bigger surprising Pirates' prospects for 2026 was infielder/outfielder Jhonny Severino for Greensboro.
Severino had his best year yet as a professional, batting .256/.308/.524 for an OPS of .832 in 113 games, with 111 hits, 23 doubles, 31 home runs, 95 RBI and 16 stolen bases.
He was one of the best hitters in the South Atlantic League, with the most home runs, second-most RBI, tied for fourth-most hits, fifth-best slugging percentage and tied for eighth-most doubles.
Severino hit 18 of his 31 home runs at home, .257/.312/.565 for an OPS of .877, but still hit well on the road. .256/.305/.484 for an OPS of .789 with 13 home runs.
The Pirates landed Severino at the 2023 trade deadline, sending first baseman Carlos Santana to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Severino turns 22 on Nov. 8 and a strong showing in Arizona should give him a chance to break through with Altoona.
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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.