Five Pirates Prospects Make New MLB Pipeline Top 100 List
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates head into the 2026 season with big expectations, especially from some of their young, but top talent in the franchise.
The Pirates have a great farm system and many top prospects along with it, which MLB Pipeline recognized in their first top 100 list of the 2026 season.
MLB Pipeline named five Pirates prospects to their top 100 list, including shortstop/outifelder Konnor Griffin, right-handed pitchers in Bubba Chandler and Seth Hernandez, outfielder Edward Florentino and left-handed pitcher Hunter Barco.
All five players represent the future of the Pirates, with a few players getting a chance to help them make the playoffs in 2026.
No. 1 SS/OF Konnor Griffin
Griffin became the top prospect in baseball in July-August of last season and still remains at the top of MLB Pipeline's new list.
The Pirates knew they got a solid player in their ninth overall selection in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Jackson Preparatory School in Jackson, Miss., but no one could've foreseen how impressive Griffin would perform last season.
Griffin quickly moved up in the Pirates minor league system. He started out with Single-A Bradenton after a strong showing in Spring Training, moved to High-A Greensboro on June 10, then finished off with Double-A Altoona on Aug. 18, playing 122 games in the process.
Batting Avg. | On-Base % | Slugging % | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|
.333 | .415 | .527 | .942 |
Hits | Doubles | Home Runs | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|
161 | 23 | 21 | 94 |
The 19-year old led all of minor league baseball with 117 runs scored, and he became the first teenage draftee to have a 20-40 season, finishing with 21 home runs and 65 stolen bases. He was also the first minor league player to have a 20-60 season since 1982.
Griffin ranked amongst the best players in the minor leagues, including second in runs scored, fourth in batting average, fifth in hits, tied for seventh in RBIs and tied for eighth in stolen bases.
He was the first teenager since Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to hit .333 or better in a minor league season and also one of just five teenagers that were a part of the 20-40 club. Griffin also stole the most bases of the players in that group.
Griffin also played in the Futures Game during All-Star week, which is an annual event honoring the best prospects in baseball. Altoona teammate Esmerlyn Valdez joined him there as well, as the duo represented the Pirates for the National League.
The accolades piled on for Griffin, with Baseball America naming him their Minor League Player of the Year Award and MLB Pipeline naming him their Hitting Prospect of the Year and Debut of the Year.
The Pirates also honored Griffin with the Honus Wagner Player of the Year, given to the best player in their minor leagues, and the Bill Mazeroski Defender of the Year, given to the best defensive player in the minor leagues.
Griffin ended his season by earning an MiLB Gold Glove Award, which bodes well for the Pirates, who reportedly see him as their starting shortstop for 2026 Opening Day.
No. 11 Bubba Chandler
Chandler was one of the top pitching prospects last season, but spent most of 2025 with Triple-A Indianapolis, where he had a great start, but struggled a bit later on.
The Pirates eventually called him up and he had a strong start to his major league career, throwing four scoreless innings of relief in a save in the 9-0 win for the Pirates over the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 22 in his debut.
He became the first player in MLB history to throw a scoreless four-inning save in his debut, and the first Pirates pitcher to throw a four-inning save in his debut.
Chandler would have some other solid performances out of the bullpen. He threw four more scoreless innings in a 2-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Aug. 27, earning his first MLB win, becoming the first Pirates pitcher that earned a save and a win in their first two MLB outings.
He struggled massively in his first MLB start, giving up nine earned runs over 2.2 innings in the 10-2 defeat to the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park on Sept. 7.
Chandler bounced back the rest of the campaign, with just six hits, no walks and two earned runs allowed over his final three starts and 16.2 innings with 19 strikeouts.
He also threw five perfect innings vs. the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Sept. 13, before giving up two hits and a run, earning a no-decision in the eventual 5-1 win for the Pirates.
Chandler finished his first stint with the Pirates with a 4-1 record over seven appearances and four stats, a 4.02 ERA over 31.1 innings pitched, 31 strikeouts to four walks, a .214 opposing batting average and a 0.93 WHIP.
He won't spend long on the prospect list next season, as he should graduate soon if he is part of the starting rotation for the Pirates in 2026.
Chandler has a fantastic pitch-mix, with a fastball that gets near 100 mph and dominant offspeed pitches in his changeup and slider that baffled major league hitters in 2025.
If he improves his command for 2026, he could find himself as a candidate for National League rookie of the year.
No. 38 RHP Seth Hernandez
The Pirates took Hernandez with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft out of Corona High School in Corona, Calif., about 45 miles east of Los Angeles.
Hernandez hasn't even thrown a competitive pitch for the Pirates, but scouts and national media see him as one of the better pitchers for the future of baseball.
He stands 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, commanding an imposing presence on the mound. He also throws four pitches, a fastball, a curveball and a changeup, his three best pitches, while also throwing a slider.
His fastball reaches close to 100 mph, while he also has great break on his curveball and good control on his changeup.
He finished with a 9-0 record, a 0.62 ERA over 56 innings pitched and 73 strikeouts as a junior in 2024, while also batting .350, with eight home runs and a 1.080 OPS.
Hernandez dominated in his senior season in 2025, striking out 105 batters over 53.2 innings pitched, averaging almost two strikeouts per inning, while also posting a 0.39 ERA. He earned 2025 Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year honors at the high school level for his performance.
While not officially pitching for the Pirates in 2025, he did pitch down at Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla., where he should start next season with the Florida Complex League (FCL) Pirates.
He also pitched in the Dominican Republic for the Pirates academy in the country, located in the municipality of El Toro.
No. 50 OF Edward Florentino
Florentino has been one of the biggest risers on the rankings of any prospect in baseball, going from unranked to start last season to 81st on the final 2025 rankings to now a 31-place jump to 50.
The Pirates signed him in the 2024 International Signing Period for just $395,000, and he looks like one of the best future outfielders in all of baseball.
Florentino showed in his first full season in the United States at just 18 years old that he has what is needed to excel at the major league level.
His 2025 season was a success, as he put up great numbers between the Florida Complex Level at Rookie Ball and Bradenton at just 18 years old and his first professional season in the United States.
Batting Average | On-Base % | Slugging % | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|
.290 | .400 | .548 | .948 |
Hits | Doubles | HR | RBI | BB/K | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
84 | 23 | 16 | 59 | 49/78 | 35 |
He slashed .347/.442/.642 for an OPS of 1.084 in 29 games in the FCL, with 33 hits in 95 at-bats, six doubles, two triples, six home runs, 23 RBI, 16 walks to 22 strikeouts and six stolen bases on seven attempts.
Florentino continued that great play with Bradenton, slashing .262/.380/.503 for an OPS of .883, with 51 hits in 195 at-bats, 17 doubles, 10 home runs, 36 RBIs, 29 stolen bases on 34 attempts and 33 walks to 56 strikeouts.
He earned Florida State League Player of the Month honors for July as he slashed .301/.433/.663 for an OPS of 1.096 in 23 games, with 25 hits in 83 at-bats, six doubles, eight home runs, 23 RBI, 17 walks to 24 strikeouts and 16 stolen bases on 17 attempts.
His eight home runs and 23 RBI ranked as the most in both the Florida State League and in Single-A. He was also the only player in the FSL and one of three in Single-A with both at least 15 walks and 10 extra bases hits.
Florentino should get a shot early on with High-A Greensboro and if he does well, end up with Double-A Altoona by the end of 2026.
No. 96 Hunter Barco
Barco saw an 18-place drop in the rankings from the end of 2025, but is still the best left-handed pitcher in the Pirates farm system.
He stands 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds and looks the part for what many envision as a strong left-handed starting pitcher at the major league level.
His sinker is his main pitch, but he also incorporates a slider that sits in the low 80-mph range and works well both inside and outside the zone. He uses his splitter similarly, which also generates movement and is another strikeout pitch.
He managed to make it up to the major league level towards the end of this past season and made his MLB debut vs. the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Sept. 23.
Barco threw a scoreless sixth inning and helped the Pirates get a 4-2 victory, earning his first MLB win.
He became the first left-handed pitcher in Pirates history to win his first game since Paul Maholm did so on Aug. 30, 2005.
Barco threw two scoreless innings in relief in the regular season finale, a 4-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Sept. 28.
The 25-year old had a long road from the time the Pirates took him 44th overall in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Florida, as he had Tommy John surgery before his selection.
He pitched towards the end of 2023, before spending most of 2024 with Greensboro, where he had a 4-1 record in 16 appearances and 14 starts, a 3.34 ERA over 62.0 innings pitched, 77 strikeouts to 22 walks, a .207 opposing batting average and a 1.10 WHIP.
A leg injury kept him to just two starts at Altoona, but he came back in 2025 and set a franchise record with the longest scoreless inning streak to start a season at 25.2 innings pitched at Double-A. He also earned Eastern League Pitcher of the Month Award in April.
Barco moved up to Indianapolis, where he didn't pitch quite as well, but still finished with a 3-1 record over 21 outings and seven starts, a 3.79 ERA over 73.2 innings pitched, 82 strikeouts to 42 walks, a .215 opposing batting average and a 1.37 WHIP.
The Pirates have a valuable left-hander that will likely get a shot at the bullpen to start out in 2026, but could develop into an important starter at some point as well.
Barco's injury history will keep the Pirates cautious, but he surely has the stuff and makeup of a major league pitcher.
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.