2 potential breakout prospects we can't wait to watch at Pirates spring training

The Pittsburgh Pirates enter spring training with the top-ranked farm system in all of baseball and will be looking for standout performances from a number of key prospects when they begin Grapefruit League play.

The organization's top prospect, Konnor Griffin, already seems likely to make his Major League debut at some point this season but there are some lesser-known players that could still move the needle for Pittsburgh.

One is knocking on the door of the big leagues while the other is likely a way's away, but here are two names to keep an eye on as the Pirates enter spring training in 2026.

2 potential breakout prospects we can't wait to watch at Pirates spring training

LHP Hunter Barco

When considering the Pirates' most exciting minor-league arms, Bubba Chandler and 2025 first-round pick Seth Hernandez are among the first to come to mind. However, Hunter Barco may also have the right tools to shake up the back of the rotation.

The southpaw started the year in Double-A where he pitched 25.2 scoreless innings and earned a promotion to Triple-A, where he spent most of the year. The step up in competition came with a bit of a learning curve but he held his own, pitching to a 3.79 ERA and a 25.4% strikeout rate.

Barco also held opposing batters to a 33.3% hard-hit rate. He pitched three innings for the big league club in September, appearing in relief and giving up zero runs after facing 12 batters.

The biggest issue for Barco seems to be command. He walked 13.0% of batters in Triple-A and he sometimes struggles to locate his slider and splitter. He has a strong basis upon which to build an arsenal but taking the ball every five days in the major leagues will require a more balanced set of offerings. Until then, he may continue to be deployed out of the bullpen.

C Derek Berg

Derek Berg, a non-roster invitee to Pirates spring training, was a tenth-round draft pick in 2024 out of Army West Point. After getting off to a frigid start, he took a big step forward in his first full season of professional baseball last year, posting a 112 wRC+ across 343 minor-league plate appearances. He spent most of this time in Single-A but made it up to Double-A where he posted a 156 wRC+ over nine games.

Berg's detailed statistics were slightly lopsided last year. Cumulatively, he had a 14.3% walk rate, 33.8% strikeout rate, and a .358 BABIP, all of which are anomalous in different directions. However, one weakness that was consistent was his lack of power. His ISO in Single-A was just .151 and he failed to exceed that mark in High-A or Double-A despite managing better wRC+ figures at the higher levels.

Defensively, Berg was great at limiting traffic on the basepaths, catching 31 runners stealing while allowing 40 stolen bags. This caught stealing percentage of 43.7% would be on-par with the likes of Austin Hedges and Luis Torrens, two of the best backstops at limiting steals.

Catcher is one of the Pirates' weakest links. Pittsburgh's backstops generated a total of just 1.0 fWAR last year, 25th in MLB. Without a clear answer in sight, Berg could have an inside track to The Show if he continues to impress.