Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Underrated Long-Term Starting Pitching Options

The Pittsburgh Pirates have plenty of notable pitching prospects, but who are some underrated potental long term starting pitching options?

One of the biggest strengths of the Pittsburgh Pirates farm system is their young pitchers. By the end of the 2023 season their MLB rotation could consist of some mix of Quinn Priester, Roansy Contreras, Carmen Mlodzinski, Jared Jones, and Miguel Yajure. The team has some talented pitchers who are among the organization’s best prospects. But there are plenty of under-the-radar options for the long term.

The first and most apparent is right-hander Adrian Florencio. Florencio had a 2.46 ERA, 3.25 FIP, and 1.05 WHIP with Low-A Bradenton last year. Florencio’s biggest strength was preventing home runs with a 0.47 HR/9, but he also had a healthy 29.8% strikeout rate and 7.6% walk rate. Florencio isn’t the hardest thrower but was hitting 94-95 MPH in his first game at Spring Training, a slight uptick from last season. Florencio is already going into his age-23 season, so the Pittsburgh Pirates will likely see him potentially take over a regular role by 2023.

There is also righty J.C. Flowers. Flowers had a solid season in 2021, he pitched 78.2 innings with the Bradenton Marauders and Greensboro Grasshoppers. Flowers had a 3.78 ERA, 3.62 FIP, and 1.27 WHIP between the two levels. Flowers struck out 27.8% of batters faced and 7.6% walk rate, plus a 0.80 HR/9. His peripherals were solid, but he also had a great batted ball profile. Flowers put up a 49.8% ground ball rate, sub-30% fly ball rate, and line-drive rate of just 21.5%.

Flowers usually sits around 92-96 MPH with an above-average spin. With solid velocity and spin, his fastball is a well-above-average pitch. However, his slider is devastating and arguably one of the best sliders in the minor leagues. If his changeup plays to an average level, he could be a long-term starting pitching arm.

You can’t forget about Luis Ortiz. Ortiz was teammates with Florencio at Bradenton. He pitched 87.1 innings putting up a 3.09 ERA, FIP, and 1.26 WHIP. Despite losing out to Florencio for pitcher of the year, Ortiz had a better strikeout rate at 30.11%, walk rate at 7.4%, HR/9 at 0.52, FIP, and xFIP at 3.23. Plus, he had an excellent 49.1% ground ball rate. Ortiz would have had an even better season had it not been for a tad unlucky .342 batting average on balls in play.

Ortiz averages out in the mid-to-upper 90s with his four-seamer and a 60-grade slider. The question is if he can remain as a starting pitcher long-term. He’s mainly a fastball/slider guy with a change-up that he can throw for strikes but is relatively firm and with flat movement. But the Pirates will try and keep Ortiz as a starter as long as they possibly can. He isn’t a Tahnaj Thomas with a big fastball and breaking ball but no command. He can fill up the zone with his powerful stuff, and if he can improve his changeup, he’s a guy you want starting.

One last name worth mentioning is Ricky DeVito. DeVito was acquired at the trade deadline along with Bryse Wilson for Richard Rodríguez. Although DeVito was an 8th round pick, he’s a quality prospect that could eventually take over a starting pitching role. DeVito only pitched 20.1 innings last year with Atlanta’s High-A affiliate but only allowed six earned runs on two homers, seven walks, all while striking out 27 batters.

DeVito’s fastball sits around 92-95 and hits 97. It’s a solid offering, but his splitter is the pitch that makes him an interesting arm. It’s an elite-level pitch that gets swings and misses from both sides of the plate. He also throws a well above-average curveball and occasionally uses a changeup. His command is a bit iffy, but a good fastball, splitter, and curveball mix could make him a solid starter. Worst case scenario is he becomes a three-pitch reliever. A move to the bullpen would likely have his fastball working closer to 93-96, but that splitter makes him a guy you want in the rotation.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have plenty of options for the rotation, long-term. Between Florencio, Flowers, Ortiz, and DeVito, one will likely become a quality arm the team can rely on. Each brings quality stuff to the mound and lots of potential.