3 Pirates prospect favorites who are finding their groove after tough starts

Axiel Plaz

Axiel Plaz finally made his way up to Bradenton in 2024, but the results were mixed. He had no trouble hitting for power or drawing walks. Plaz went yard 15 times in only 281 plate appearances with a .231 isolated slugging percentage while taking a free pass 11.4% of the time. But hitting for any contact seemed to elude Plaz. He struck out 29.2% of the time with a 32% whiff rate and a .203 batting average.

Plaz only has 91 plate appearances under his belt to start 2025, but the young backstop is hitting a lot differently than last season. He is slashing .301/.389/.434 with a .400 wOBA and 137 wRC+. Plaz has just a pair of home runs on the year with a .133 isolated slugging percentage. He’s seen his walk rate drop to 7.4% in the small sample size, but he’s hitting much more like a young contact hitter than a young power bat.

While Plaz’s BB% has gotten lower, so has his strikeout rate ... by a lot. His K% is currently sitting at 14.7%, which is the fifth lowest of any minor-league catcher right now with at least 80 plate appearances. His whiff rate has also taken a step in the right direction, sitting at 27.2%. Plaz also isn’t getting terribly lucky, either, with a .379 xwOBA. 

Unfortunately, Plaz just ended an eight-game hitting streak on May 3, but he still reached base via walk, so he’s kept an on-base streak alive through nine games. Throughout these nine games, Plaz has 38 plate appearances, nine total hits, five walks, and only six strikeouts. Four of his hits have gone for extra bases, with two home runs and two doubles.

There is definitely potential for more power for Plaz. He has a 92.4 MPH exit velocity and 8.5% barrel rate, both of which are significantly better than the A-Ball average of 87.4 MPH and 5.7%, respectively. Both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America project his power as his best tool. Plaz making these improvements at just 19 years old is very promising for his future. If he can maintain this level of raw power while continuing to make strides forward when it comes to his hit tool and contact, he’ll be one of the Pirates’ best prospects within the next few years and one of the best backstop prospects in all of baseball.