Three Top Pirates Prospects Playing in Arizona Fall League

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a talented trio looking to excel down in Arizona.

Sooner catcher Easton Carmichael throws as the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) baseball team plays Rider at L. Dale Mitchell Park on Feb. 24, 2023 in Norman, Okla. [Steve Sisney/For The Oklahoman] Ou Practice | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have some of the best future talent in baseball, and those players will get to show off on a big stage.

The Pirates have eight prospects who will play in the Arizona Fall League, for the Glendale River Dogs, which will also include prospects from the Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins.

Pittsburgh's eight prospects include three position players: shortstop Wyatt Sanford, catcher Easton Carmichael and third baseman/outfielder Jhonny Severino, plus five pitchers, four right-handers in Brandon Cain, Cameron Keshock, Zander Mueth and Michael Walsh, and one left-hander in Cristhian Tortosa.

The AFL starts on Oct. 3 and runs through to Nov. 14, including the Fall Stars Game on Nov. 8, which the Pirates hope will have a few players participating.

Pirates Trio Looking For Strong AFL Showing

The best Pirates players in the AFL are their position players, all of whom are ranked in the top 30.

Carmichael excelled in his first full professional season between High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona, batting .287/.339/.486 for an OPS of .825 in 111 games, with 127 hits, 22 doubles, three triples, 20 home runs and 92 RBI.

May 20, 2025; Hoover, AL, USA; Oklahoma catcher Easton Carmichael (2) grimaces after taking a foul ball off his ankle during the game with Kentucky in the first round of the SEC Baseball Tournament at the Hoover Met. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

He hit better at Greensboro, .305/.350/.518 for an OPS of .868 in 74 games, compared to Altoona, .244/.313/.412 for an OPS of .725, but he's put himself on the right track to the major leagues.

The Pirates took Carmichael in the third round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Oklahoma, and he ranks among the top 10 best prospects in their farm system, eighth by MLB Pipeline and ninth by Baseball America.

Sanford had a great season in 2026, batting .292/.423/.551 for an OPS of .974 in 72 games with Greensboro, with 80 hits, 16 doubles, 17 home runs, 42 RBI and 33 stolen bases.

He didn't qualify for the South Atlantic League slash line, but he would've ranked first in on-base percentage, second in OPS, third in slugging percentage and fourth in batting average.

Sanford played a big role in helping Greensboro make the South Atlantic League Championship series, hitting two solo home runs in the 7-5 win over Winston-Salem (Chicago White Sox) in Game 3 on Sept. 11.

MLB Pipeline and Baseball America both rank Sanford as the Pirates' fifth-best prospect, and he was their second-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Independence High School in Frisco, Texas.

Severino had a breakout season for Greensboro, batting .256/.308/.524 for an OPS of .832, with 111 hits, 23 doubles, 31 home runs, 95 RBI and 16 stolen bases.

His 31 home runs led the South Atlantic League and were 15 more than he had hit in a season prior.

Severino also ranked second in RBI, tied-fourth in hits, fifth in slugging percentage, tied-eighth in doubles and 11th in OPS.

The Pirates acquired Severino ahead of the 2023 trade deadline from the Milwaukee Brewers, in exchange for first baseman Carlos Santana.

MLB Pipeline ranks Severino 28th, but he can rise up the prospect lists if he performs in 2027.

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