Pirates Release 2024 MLB Draft Duo
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have some top prospects from the 2024 MLB Draft still with the franchise, but they recently let go of two of their signings from the class.
The Pirates released both third baseman Ethan Lege and outfielder Ian Farrow back on Feb. 20, according to the transactions log.
Pittsburgh took Farrow in the 14th round out of Florida Gulf Coast and selected Lege in the 15th round out of Mississippi.
Farrow played in 60 games in 2025, including nine contests at Rookie-Level Ball with the Florida Coast League Pirates and then 51 games with Single-A Bradenton.
He struggled from the plate during both stints, slashing .216/.306/.389 for an OPS of .695, with 41 hits in 190 at-bats, 10 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 36 RBI and 24 walks to 73 strikeouts.
Lege played in 15 games for Bradenton in 2024 and then 63 contests at the same level in 2025.
He also had his problems hitting these past two seasons, slashing .217/.317/.267 for an OPS of .584 in 78 games, with 56 hits in 258 at-bats, seven doubles, two home runs, 23 RBI and 29 walks to 64 strikeouts.
Both Farrow and Lege will now have to look for opportunities elsewhere, as the Pirates have moved on from them.
Other 2024 MLB Draft Players Pirates Have Moved on From
The Pirates still have most of their better players from the 2024 MLB Draft, but have sent others away since then.
Pittsburgh took left-handed pitcher Josh Hartle in the third round out of Wake Forest and traded him to the Cleveland Guardians on Dec. 10, 2024 for Spencer Horwitz. Right-handed pitchers in Luis Ortiz and Michael Kennedy also departed Pittsburgh for Cleveland in this deal.
The Pirates traded right-handed pitcher, who they took in the 13th round out of Saint Joseph's, to the Boston Red Sox on Jan. 17, 2025 for right-handed relief pitcher Chase Shugart.
16th round pick in right-handed pitcher Brian Curley never signed and ended up playing for Georgia in another collegiate season.
The Pirates released 17th round pick Andrew Patrick out of Wright State, after he slashed .152/.286/.189 for an OPS of .475
Pittsburgh traded 19th round pick in right-handed pitcher Joe Vogatsky from James Madison to the Boston Red Sox for infielder Enmanuel Valdez on Dec. 15, 2024.
The 20th round pick in right-handed pitcher Taylor Penn never signed with the Pirates and pitched in 2025 for Western Kentucky before transferring to Arizona State this season.
Who Remains from the Pirates 2024 MLB Draft Class
The Pirates first round selection was shortstop/center fielder Konnor Griffin at ninth overall out of Jackson Preparatory School in Jackson, Miss.
Griffin is now the top consensus prospect in baseball and could become the Pirates' Opening Day shortstop.
The Pirates took Sterling with the 37th overall pick in Competitive Balance Round A out of Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif. and he posted a 6.09 ERA over nine starts in 12 appearances over 34.0 innings pitched.
Sterling still ranks high on prospect lists, including 13th by MLB Pipeline, 17th by The Athletic and 23rd by Baseball America in the Pirates farm system.
Shortstop Wyatt Sanford was the Pirates' second-round pick out of Independence High School in Frisco, Texas. He slashed .243/.384/.376 for an OPS of .760 in 64 games with 34 stolen bases across the FCL Pirates and Bradenton.
Sanford too ranks highly on Pirates prospect lists, with ESPN ranking him fifth, MLB Pipeline ranking him 11th and Baseball America ranking him 12th.
Ninth round selection in shortstop Duce Gorson from UCLA is a name to watch out for, after a solid showing at Double-A Altoona in 2025.
Remaining Pirates Players in 2024 MLB Draft
Name | Position | Round Taken | End of 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
Konnor Griffin | SS | 1st | Double-A Altoona |
Levi Sterling | RHP | CB-RD A | Single-A Bradenton |
Wyatt Sanford | SS | 2nd | Single-A Bradenton |
Eddie Rynders | SS | 4th | Single-A Bradenton |
Will Taylor | OF | 5th | High-A Greensboro |
Matt Ager | RHP | 6th | Single-A Bradenton |
Connor Wietgrefe | LHP | 7th | Double-A Altoona |
Gavin Adams | RHP | 8th | Single-A Bradenton |
Duce Gorson | 2B | 9th | Double-A Altoona |
Derek Berg | C | 10th | Double-A Altoona |
Jacob Bimbi | LHP | 11th | Single-A Bradenton |
Camden Janik | C | 12th | Single-A Bradenton |
Jake Shirk | RHP | 18th | High-A Greensboro |
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.