3 Pirates prospects who should have made their MLB debuts in 2024

Recently acquired prospects Billy Cook and Nick Yorke made their MLB debuts as September call-ups for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Others that returned to the team last month included Joshua Palacios and Liover Peguero. With the Pirates well out of the playoff race by then, it made sense to give these young, unproven players a chance to make a name for themselves in this limited showing.

The Rule 5 Draft plays a factor in these decisions, as several intriguing minor leaguers become available each offseason. Arguably, there have been some more deserving of a crack at the majors this year that didn’t get the call to the show. Here are three from the Pirates organization who should have.

3 Pirates prospects who should have made their MLB debuts in 2024

RHP Braxton Ashcraft

If not limited by injuries, Braxton Ashcraft would have been a strong contender to earn a rotation spot late this season. In a year that saw games started by the likes of Josh Fleming, Domingo Germán and Jake Woodford, the 2018 second-round pick showed promise in his age 24 season between Altoona and Indianapolis, but spent a lot of time on the injured list.

Per MLB.com, Ashcraft is the Pirates' No. 4-ranked prospect, and is listed at No. 85 in MLB's Top 100. While making the roster out of camp seems unlikely, there’s a chance he makes his debut out of the bullpen sometime next spring, and he will compete with others like Mike Burrows and Johan Oviedo for innings at the Major League level.

OF Matt Gorski

The Pirates don’t have many power bats in their system, and Gorski represents the best of their options in this regard. The 26-year-old hit 23 home runs this season in Indianapolis, with a slash line of .257/.319/.522.

Compared to someone like Palacios, who played in 23 MLB games this season to mixed results, Gorski would have been a more interesting September call-up. He strikes out a lot, but could project as a decent corner outfielder for the Bucs if given the opportunity. An earlier parting with Michael A. Taylor would have made an opening for someone like him. While many aren’t high on Gorski, it’d be sad to see him go if he were claimed in the upcoming Rule 5 Draft, for which he is eligible.

IF Malcom Nuñez

First base is the biggest question mark on the Pirates' roster going into 2025. There are a handful of internal options, but none that stand out as a sure thing.

Coming over from St. Louis in the Jose Quintana deal, Malcom Nuñez spent the entire 2024 season in Triple-A Indianapolis. In 128 games, he played mostly at third but also saw time at first. When he was with the Cardinals' Double-A affiliate in 2022, he hit 17 home runs in 85 games, and I believe his potential for power is still there.

Similar to what went down with Taylor, the Rowdy Tellez situation should have been handled better to offer playing time for prospects like Nuñez that are a part of the club’s future plans. If Ke'Bryan Hayes can’t stay healthy again next year, Jared Triolo and Isiah Kiner-Falefa are your options to take over at the hot corner. We still don’t know what’s going to happen with either Henry Davis or Endy Rodríguez, and there have been rumors that Bryan Reynolds might move over to first full-time. Why not give Malcom Nuñez a look?

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