3 lesser-known Pittsburgh Pirates prospects off to hot starts in 2025

While few players on Pittsburgh’s MLB roster can boast hot starts to the 2025 season, the club’s prospects have begun the year hot. The players at the top of the team’s farm system - Bubba Chandler, Konnor Griffin and Termarr Johnson - have their every move tracked closely by Pirate fans.

What about the lower half of MLB.com’s Pirates Top 30? Three players in the bottom half of the organization’s prospect rankings have opened 2025 blazing hot. Remember these names when looking towards the future of Pirates baseball.

3 Pittsburgh Pirates prospects who deserve more love for their hot starts to 2025

Keiner Delgado

A 21-year-old middle infielder, Delgado currently sits with High-A Greensboro. The Venezuelan native was originally signed by the New York Yankees in May 2021. He found his way to the Pirates organization as part of the return in the J.T. Brubaker trade.

Delgado recorded solid numbers across the board, including a 1.010 OPS in the Dominican Summer League, in 2022. However, he has struggled overall since. He saw his slash line dip to .234/.319/.357 while doubling 11 times in 2024. He recorded career highs in games played (90), home runs (9) and RBI (33) along with strikeouts (83) a year ago. Delgado also swiped 27 bags last season, but that number was down from 36 in ’23 and 34 in ’22.

The 2025 season has proven much kinder to Delgado over the first two weeks of play. He has opened the campaign on fire slashing .339/.403/.464 with seven doubles, 10 RBI and four stolen bases in just 14 games. This spike in production comes while playing at the highest professional level of his career. A mid-season promotion could happen if Delgado continues to mash.

Axiel Plaz

Signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela in January 2022, Plaz enters his fourth season in the Pittsburgh organization. His professional journey began at 16 years old in the Dominican Summer League that same year. The catcher/first baseman slashed a strong .382/.500/.706 with three homers, 11 doubles and 21 RBI in 32 games (68 at bats) in 2022.

However, that success did not translate to the next two seasons of play in the Florida Complex League and Low-A Bradenton. His average and on-base percentage plummeted, but his natural power began to show. Plaz doubled 12 times, smashed 15 home runs and drove in 48 runs across 84 games a year ago.

The first 13 games of Plaz’s 2025 season have seen a new approach towards increasing both his average and on-base percentage. The now 19-year-old has begun the season slashing .308/.368/.733 with three doubles and 11 RBI with Bradenton. Plaz must continue to show consistency to earn his promotion to High-A Greensboro. Given his young age, do not expect the organization to rush Plaz.

Matt Ager

Ager has by far the smallest professional sample size of these three prospects. The 21-year-old was selected in the sixth round (174th overall) in last summer's MLB Draft. The UC Santa Barbra product stands at 6-foot-6, 225 pounds and offers a four-pitch mix.

Ager made his professional debut with Low-A Bradenton last week where he tossed three scoreless, hitless innings, walking two and striking out three. The Bucs reportedly like the right-hander due to his large frame and ability to fill the zone. He remains in line to start Thursday for the Marauders at Lakeland. Continued immediate success could come with a quick promotion for Ager.