Pittsburgh Pirates: FanGraphs Ranks New Prospects In System

The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired 11 players in three trades this offseason.  FanGraphs released their top prospect list for the club on Wednesday, here is how those players ranked.

FanGraphs, a major analytical based baseball website, released their top 51 Pittsburgh Pirates prospect list on Wednesday.  Eric Longenhagen, the site’s lead prospect analyst, discussed how the team’s farm system is growing and should add more talent atop the 2021 and 2022 MLB Draft’s.  I gave an insider look the day of, while Noah looked at the highlights and Cody the underrated prospects in the system.

The Pirates are in a steep rebuild, so today I’ll look at where the new prospects that the club acquired rank within the system.  The organization is trying to add as much impact talent as they can to put the Pirates in the best possible point in their next contention cycle.  After last making the playoffs in 2015, the Pirates have only one winning season at 82 wins and were the worst team in baseball last year.

The club first picked up two prospects in the rule five draft, selecting right-handed pitcher Jose Soriano with the first pick, trading for Luis Oviedo (who the Mets drafted), and selecting Shea Spitzbarth with their first rule five pick in the minor league side.  Soriano comes from the Angels and has touched near 100 mph.  He looks to be a backend of the bullpen candidate and ranks 22nd.  Oviedo is an Indians selection who has had inconsistent stuff but he follows Soriano and ranks 23rd.  Spitzbarth is in the other of notes section as a fringe 26-man roster guy.

In terms of the trades the club made, the Pirates acquired 11 prospects and only one ranks in the top 10 (Miguel Yajure at number seven and a top 100 prospect).  Hudson Head is the next closes (ranked 11th) and Maikol Escotto ranks 13th.  Those two could really rise up with a strong 2021 minor league season.  Roansy Contreras (15) and Canaan Smith-Njigba (16) round out the four players acquired for Taillon.  Endy Rodriguez ranks 20th and David Bednar 32nd, with starting pitching prospect Omar Cruz in the others of note section and right-handed pitcher Drake Fellows not listed.  Eddy Yean (25) and Wil Crowe (30) are the two players acquired from the Washington Nationals for Josh Bell.

Overall, this winter the Pirates have brought in one top 10 prospect, five additional top 20, and three more top 30 prospects to the farm system.  The Pirates farm is trending up and they should be able to add more in the draft along with having the option to trade Chad Kuhl, Steven Brault, Adam Frazier, or any relief pitcher.  General Manager Ben Cherington has done a good job adding talent.  To read reports on the players, click the FanGraphs article above.