3 Pirates draft picks from 2024 who already look like huge steals

We’re just about a month into baseball season. The minor leagues got started slightly later than the Major Leagues, but overall, we’ve gotten a good look at some of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ draft picks from last season.

Most have now gotten to make their professional debuts and are now getting regular playing time. The Pirates’ 2024 draft class was considered one of the best among all 30 teams last year. They made some savy picks, and so far, some of their selections have looked like steals to open 2025.

3 Pittsburgh Pirates draft picks from 2024 who already look like huge steals

Konnor Griffin

It's hard to fathom the Pirates’ over-slot first round pick being a steal, but Konnor Griffin has been that good. The shortstop/center fielder signed for just over $6.5 million. He was considered to have one of, if not the highest ceilings in his draft class. Griffin didn’t appear in any games after the Bucs selected him ninth overall, but despite being the 20th youngest player in the draft class, the Pirates have already sent him to Bradenton.

Griffin didn’t get off to a hot start, only collecting three hits with nine strikeouts through his first 18 plate appearances. He only drew a single walk as well. Of the few positives from his first four games, Griffin went three-for-three in stolen base attempts. But since then, he’s found his stride and is on fire.

Griffin is slashing .288/.360/.606 with a .441 wOBA and 161 wRC+ over his most recent 76 trips to the dish. Over half of his hits have gone for extra bases, with four doubles, five home runs, and a triple. Griffin has continued to be a threat to steal, as he’s taken eight more bases in 11 attempts. Griffin has also cut down on the strikeouts, with only 19 while sporting a respectable 26.4% whiff rate. On the downside, he has only drawn five walks.

Griffin has seen time at his two primary positions, those being shortstop and center field. He projects as a potential Gold Glove defender at both, which is one of the biggest reasons why he has such a high ceiling. Griffin has a cannon for an arm, as he was also a pitcher in high school who could hit mid-90s off the mound.

Griffin has 30/30 potential with plus to plus-plus defense at the two most premium non-catcher/pitcher positions on the diamond. His hit tool is the most questionable part of his game, but even that projects as average. The start of Griffin’s pro career has gone very well thus far, especially considering he just turned 19 and is already at A-Ball.

Matt Ager

At the time of the draft, Matt Ager was seen as a steal. The right-hander was picked 174th overall in the sixth round of the draft, but MLB Pipeline ranked him in the top 150 at No.135. Baseball America was even more bullish on Ager’s potential, ranking him just outside their top 100 at No. 104. At the time of the draft, Ager was coming off his junior season with UC Santa Barbara, where he had a 4.02 ERA, 20.8% K%, and 9.9% walk rate in 66.2 innings pitched.

So far, Ager hasn’t pitched much in his 2025 debut season. He’s only tossed nine innings across three starts. However, he’s already struck out 10 opponents with only one earned run allowed. Ager has induced a whiff rate of 24.3% and is holding opponents to an 86.5 MPH exit velocity. Walks have been an issue for the young right-hander, as he’s handed out eight free passes.

Ager has displayed a five-pitch mix. His most used offering is a four-seamer that sits 89-90 MPH. He throws his two-seam sinker slightly harder, but with more arm-side action. His primary breaking ball is a low-80s slider, which has induced a whiff 50% of the time. Ager will also mix in a mid-70s curveball. Finally, he also tosses an 83-84 MPH change-up as his go-to offspeed offering.

Ager has shown more velocity in the past. Given his sinker has good arm-side movement, it would really help if he could start sitting closer to 91-93 MPH as a starter. It’s still early, and Ager only turns 22 until later this month. Ager stands at 6’6”, 235 pounds, so he also has the frame to add more velocity. He has a relatively high ceiling when compared to most players taken in the sixth round of the draft. 

Connor Wietgrefe

The Pirates took Connor Wietgrefe as their seventh-round pick. The left-hander was an under slot take by the Pirates, as he inked a deal worth just under $250K. Wietgrefe pitched 78 innings in his final season at the University of Minnesota, where he worked to a 2.77 ERA, 21.5% K%, 7.6% walk rate, and allowed just one home run. 

Wietgrefe made his debut late into the 2024 season for Bradenton. It was a quick cameo, as he only tossed 10 innings in total. Still, he looked very good, only allowing one earned run, two walks, and getting 13 batters to strikeout. The Pirates sent Wietgrefe to A-Ball to start 2025, but he was promoted again to High-A Greensboro after just one start.

So far, the left-hander has made four starts, pitching 14.1 total innings. Walks have continued to be an non-existent issue for Wietgrefe, as he’s only handed out two. He’s also only allowed one home run and has a GB% hovering just under 50%. In total, he’s only allowed four home runs on the season so far.

Wietgrefe throws four different pitches: a low-90s four-seamer and sinker, a low-80s slider, and a mid-80s changeup. He tops out around 94-95 MPH, and has displayed solid command over his pitch mix. Even though it’s still early, Wietgrefe looks like a good under-slot pick up by the Pirates. He could end up as a decent left-handed reliever in the future. Moving him to this role would help him gain a few ticks of velocity, and given he hasn’t had trouble with walks, the lefty could be another mid-round steal for the Bucs.