Pittsburgh Pirates: Examining MLB Pipeline’s 2020 Top 30 List

Two Former Draft Picks

The Pittsburgh Pirates also have some new faces on the list that had strong 2019s within the organization.  Cody Bolton has quickly become one of the team’s top pitching prospects and is now ranked as the team’s 10th best overall prospect.  It is quite impressive to see such a quick jump up the rankings.

After being drafted in the sixth round of the 2017 draft, Bolton decided to sign with the Bucs instead of going to play for the Michigan Wolverines.  He was unranked as a prospect when entering the system but quickly gained top 30 status after an impressive first full season in 2018.  Last year he pitched to a 3.28 ERA across 21 starts.

The team’s 30th ranked prospect is a toolsy outfielder from the 2019 Draft class named Matt Fraizer.  The Bucs selected Fraizer in the third round out of the University of Arizona.  The 6’3” left-handed hitting outfielder is very projectable due to his frame but also his above-average athleticism.

He missed most of his collegiate season battling injuries and got off to a slow start in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.  He only hit for a .221 average in 43 games but was able to hold his strikeout rate below once per game.  Maybe the adjustment to a wooden bat and lack of playing time earlier in the year affected his transition to the professional game.

Note: Outfielder Jared Oliva is ranked ninth overall and in 2019 he finished at number 13 overall.