Pittsburgh Pirates: Three More Potential Second-Round Picks
By Noah Wright

Max Muncy
Not to be confused with the Los Angeles Dodgers infielder of the same name, this Max Muncy is an 18-year-old from Thousand Oaks California entering the draft. Muncy is primarily a shortstop and stands at 6’1″, 180 pounds.
Muncy is considered a well-rounded player. He has a 50-grade for his hit, field, run, and arm tools. However, he’s considered to have some pop in his bat with a 55-grade power tool by Pipeline. MLB Pipeline gave his offensive ceiling a comparison to former four-time MLB All-Star Ian Kinsler. They also drew comparisons to Atlanta Braves’ shortstop Dansby Swanson with more power potential.
Though Muncy is a good hitter his approach can lead to some strikeouts. Swings and misses are his biggest problem, but not one that can’t be fixed in the future. He’s still 18 and won’t turn 19 until the end of August, and it’s not uncommon for such a young player to have some issues with swings and misses.
Next. RISP Woes Cost Pirates Series Victory. dark
Overall, he has the tools to stick at shortstop. He’s considered an average runner with an average glove and a strong enough arm to remain at the middle infield position. However, he may end up at second base, third base, or an outfield position. Overall, shortstops are the most athletic player on the field so if the Pirates did draft him and he didn’t end up at shortstop long term, they’d be able to find a spot for him somewhere on the diamond. It would also give the Pirates another power hitter to the system, something that would definitely help.