Pirates Giving Outfielder Prospect Great Opportunity
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PITTSBURGH — One Pittsburgh Pirates prospect is finally breaking out in 2026 and the organization is making sure they capitalize on that.
Lonnie White Jr. earned a promotion to Double-A Altoona on April 30, after putting on an incredible showing with High-A Greensboro to start the season.
He slashed .298/.413/.595 for an OPS of 1.008 over 23 games, with 25 hits in 84 at-bats, two doubles, a triple, seven home runs, 19 RBI, 17 walks to 22 strikeouts and nine stolen bases on 11 attempts.
White was one of the best hitters in the South Atlantic League with Greensboro and will now get a chance to show that with Altoona in the Eastern League.
Stat | Ranking |
|---|---|
Runs | First |
Home Runs | Fourth |
RBI/Walks | Tied-Sixth |
Hits/Stolen Bases | Tied-Ninth |
Slugging % | 10th |
OPS | 11th |
Batting Average/On-Base % | Tied-17th |
Why This Season is So Important for Lonnie White
The Pirates were incredibly high on White back when they took him 64th overall and in Competitive Balance Round B in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Malvern Prep in Malvern, Pa. on the eastern side of the state.
Pittsburgh convinced White to forgo his commitment to Penn State football and baseball and become a professional baseball player with a $1.5 million signing bonus, more than 50% of the pick's value at $1.05 million.
White joined third round selection that year in right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler, who was committed to play football and baseball for Clemson, but chose the Pirates. Chandler received a $3 million for the 72nd overall pick, almost four times that of his slot value of $870,700.
He had great promise coming in as a professional, but injuries had all but decimated his past four-to-five seasons in the minor leagues.
White featured in just 11 contests over his first two seasons, 2021-22 due to elbow and hamstring injuries and wouldn't even make his 2023 season debut until June following thumb surgery.
He has played in more games since then, but just 61 games in 2023, 89 games in 2024 and 82 games in 2025.
White has been healthy this season with no minor injuries, giving him a chance to fully show off his talents and prove the Pirates why they made the decision to sign him back in 2021.
What White Brings as Player Going Forward
White has put together an all-around season at the plate, but there are a few things that make him stand out.
His speed is perhaps his best attribute, thanks to his days playing wide receiver at Malvern Prep, with 65 stolen bases for his career and a career-high 23 in 2025.
White is also a great fielder with a strong arm and the ability to play all three outfield positions, with most of his time being spent in center field.
One of the more encouraging parts of White's 2026 season is his power starting to come through, with his seven home runs so far at half of his career-high of 14 in 2024.
If he can keep up his offensive production at Double-A, White will have a strong season and set himself up for a big campaign in 2027.
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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.