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Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Rum Bunter’s Top 5 Position Player Prospects

By Noah Wright

PITTSBURGH, PA - JULY 18: Catcher Henry Davis (R), who was selected first overall in the 2021 MLB draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, poses with General Manager Ben Cherington after signing a contract with the Pirates during a press conference at PNC Park on July 18, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - JULY 18: Catcher Henry Davis (R), who was selected first overall in the 2021 MLB draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, poses with General Manager Ben Cherington after signing a contract with the Pirates during a press conference at PNC Park on July 18, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /
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BRADENTON, FLORIDA – MARCH 22: A detail of the 2021 MLB Grapefruit league logo during a spring training game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Baltimore Orioles on March 22, 2021 at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /

Number 4 – Shortstop Liover Peguero

The headliner in the Starling Marte trade, Liover Peguero looks like the future everyday shortstop of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Despite being in his age-20 season, he’s already at High-A ball, and not doing too shabby either. He barely played above Rookie-Ball in 2019, seeing just 93 plate appearances at Low-A. However, despite that, he’s jumped just one step below Double-A.

Peguero is hitting for a solid .261/.320/.443 with 11 home runs and 14 doubles. He’s put up a .332 wOBA, and 104 wRC+ through 313 plate appearances this season. Peguero has shown some solid power. Along with his 11 long balls, he has a .182 ISO. Peguero also did well with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2019, batting .326/.382/.485 in 249 plate appearances between Rookie-Ball and Low-A.

Peguero’s biggest struggle has been hitting line drives this year. He only has a 19.6% line drive rate while posting a high 49.5% ground ball rate. Peguero has the raw power to be a plus hitter. He just needs to get the ball in the air more frequently.

Peguero is a hit-over-power kind of batter. FanGraphs projects his hit tool to be a 60-grade, though that doesn’t mean he has no power. They currently have his raw power at a projected 50-grade. In 2019, he had a 90 MPH exit velocity and a 42% hard-hit rate. His 6’1, 200-pound frame also suggests he has more power than his 45-future game power grade says. Peguero is a good runner as well. Right now he’s a 60-grade runner. His fielding is projected as a 55-tool, as well as his arm. He’s made his fair share of errors, but that’s far from a good way to determine a good fielder.

Again, while Peguero’s numbers at Greensboro aren’t eye-popping fantastic, you have to remember he’s one of the youngest players to have played at that level. Only 6 other guys who are younger than Peguero have even played 1 game in Greensboros’ division and even fewer have played a fraction of the amount of time Peguero has. Peguero is currently seen as the Pirates’ shortstop of the future. He may need a bit of time because he’s only 20, but his floor is extremely high.

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