3 electric pitchers the Pirates can target in first round of 2025 MLB Draft

If there’s one thing you can say about the Pittsburgh Pirates, it’s that they know how to find and develop pitchers. It’s one of the few things this current front office can proudly boast. If anything, they should continue to play to that strength.

While they do need offense, you always pick the best player available, and five of MLB Pipeline’s top ten draft prospects are pitchers. It’s a very real possibility that the best player available when the Pirates select at No. 6 is a hurler. 

3 Pittsburgh Pirates MLB Draft targets who are electric pitching prospects

Jamie Arnold

This year’s draft class has a handful of talented left-handed pitchers. Jamie Arnold is one of the best. The left-hander is currently attending Florida State University, and there’s a chance he falls to the Pirates’ No. 6 pick. He is arguably the best college pitcher that could be on the board when the Bucs are on the clock.

Arnold owns a 3.04 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 4.04 K:BB ratio throughout 71 innings this season. He has struck out nearly a third of opponents with a 32.9% K%, while holding them to a walk rate of 8.1%. Arnold was even better in 2024 in terms of walk and strikeout percentage, with only a 5.8% BB% and 35.4% K%.

The left-hander throws from a low arm slot, but can do so with some velocity. He sits at 94-95 MPH, topping out around 97 MPH. Arnold’s fastball has a ton of run as well, with Baseball America stating that he can get up to 21 inches of movement. It’s a plus pitch, given his arm slot, movement, and velocity, but is not his only plus offering. His low-to-mid-80s breaking pitch has sweeper shape and induced a 41% miss rate last year. Arnold doesn’t utilize his changeup as frequently, but he’s shown a feel for it.

Arnold has two plus pitches, an average third pitch, can throw with a ton of movement, and does so from an almost sidearm-like arm angle. He can do all of that with good control as well. Arnold is ranked as a top-five prospect in the draft, but there’s definitely a chance the Pirates have the opportunity to select him.

Liam Doyle

Arnold isn’t the only high-ranking college lefty that is worth keeping an eye on. Liam Doyle is up there with some of the best pitchers in this year’s draft class. The University of Tennessee southpaw has a wider variety of pitches than Arnold and can throw harder, but there are some questions about his mechanics in the long term.

Doyle has pitched 89.2 innings, dominating SEC hitting. He owns a 2.91 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 5.1 K:BB ratio. Doyle’s strikeout rate sits at 42.6%. It may only be college hitting, but that is comparable to Paul Skenes’ 45.2% K% during his final year at Louisiana State. Though Doyle doesn’t have the same sort of command as Skenes, with an 8.4% walk rate, that mark is still better than the SEC average.

Both MLB Pipeline and BA grade out Doyle’s fastball as a 70-grade pitch. He can run his four-seamer into the upper-90s, topping out at 99 MPH. He also has a myriad of other offerings. Doyle can also toss a low-to-mid-80s slider, an upper-80s cutter, and an upper-80s splitter. He also grades out with decent control.

But Doyle puts a ton of effort into his delivery. He is almost always throwing at max effort. But despite his high-effort motion on the mound, Doyle’s velocity does not become diminished as the game goes on. He can maintain his stuff deep into starts. He still may need to clean up his mechanics as he gets into pro ball, but that should only help his command. 

Seth Hernandez

The Pirates haven’t drafted a high school pitcher since they took Quinn Priester 18th overall in the 2019 draft. Since then, they’ve selected two college position players, one high school position player, and one college hurler. But one of the best players in this year’s draft is a high school pitcher in right-hander Seth Hernandez, and the Pirates may want to pounce.

Hernandez has some elite stuff on the mound. His mid-to-upper-90s fastball is one of three pitches that has plus potential in Hernandez’s arsenal. His best offering is his changeup, and Baseball America even goes as far as to call the pitch one of the best in the country. Then there’s his 12-6 curve, the third offering with 60-grade potential that tops out at 3000 RPM of spin. His slider is his worst offering, and even that pitch could be above average when everything is said and done.

Hernandez has an athletic 6’4” frame and is also a two-way high schooler, but his future is on the mound. He hasn't had any problems locating his outstanding stuff. He has a repeatable delivery, which helps keep his command in check. There’s a reason he is ranked as the top pitcher in this year’s draft class.

The question is if he’ll make it to the Pirates at No. 6. For what it’s worth, the mock drafts seem to think so. Jim Callis’ recent mock draft has him lasting as long as the ninth overall selection to the Cincinnati Reds. ESPN also has him going to the Reds at ninth. BA is more bullish on his ability to go early, as they pinned him to go third overall to the Seattle Mariners. However, if he lasts until the Pirates are up to pick, it would be something they should greatly consider.