Pittsburgh Pirates Draft: Elijah Green vs Druw Jones

Verdict

This one is extremely tough. In this year’s draft, you have two five-tool center fielders as the top five players. There’s almost no wrong answer here for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but there are some factors that help the decision.

There’s less risk when it comes to Jones. He wasn’t a 30%+ strikeout batter in 2021. But if Green’s reduced K’s are the real deal, I think you almost have to go with him. Green is a guy who will hit .270 with a few 40/40 seasons and phenomenal defense in center. Jones is a .280 hitter who will have a few 30/30 seasons and top-of-the-line defense in center.

Green has a higher ceiling. He comes with more questions than Jones, but he’s remedying them this year with his improved strikeout rates. But there’s still more risk with Green than Jones. Jones is rated higher than Green by almost all accounts for a reason. The decrease in strikeouts makes it a whole lot closer, but I still think Jones has the slightest of edges here. But if he can keep improving his strikeout rate, I do believe Green could be a better pick than Jones.