3 Pittsburgh Pirates top prospects who have gotten off to concerning slow starts

A month into the season, Pirates prospects such as Bubba Chandler and Konnor Griffin have made waves in the minors, but some notable prospects have gotten off to very slow starts to dull the farm's overall momentum a bit. While it's significantly too early to push the panic button on these prospects, there is a reason to be concerned early in the season.

For hitters, it can be a weather issue. For pitchers, it can be rust from the offseason. Regardless, these prospects need to start playing better for the Pirates' farm system to really take off.

3 Pirates prospects who need to start playing better

Nick Yorke

The Pirates acquired Nick Yorke from the Boston Red Sox last season in a trade with Quinn Priester. Yorke was a former first-round pick from the Red Sox and looks to be a promising prospect for Pittsburgh.

Last season, Yorke tore up Triple-A ball, slashing .303/.385/.449 with 12 home runs, establishing himself as a top prospect for the Bucs. Yorke played 11 games in the majors for the Pirates last season, hitting two home runs and striking out 11 times in 37 ABs.

Since starting the season as the Pirates' fifth-ranked prospect on MLB.com, Yorke has not gotten off to a good start with the Indianapolis Indians. He is slashing just .220/.328/.360 for Indy, all of which nearly represent career-lows for Yorke. He also finds himself striking out at a 40% clip, a horrendous career-worst for him.

Yorke was so dominant in Triple-A last season that it is hard to imagine these struggles will continue, but for a prospect expected to be called up early in the season, he is off to a really bad start in the minors.

Braxton Ashcraft

The Pirates' 2018 second-round draft pick had a phenomenal 2024 campaign. He played for the Pirates' Double-A affiliate, the Altoona Curve, as well as their Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis, posting career-bests in innings pitched at 73.0, WHIP at 1.07, and strikeouts with 77.

To start the year in 2025, MLB.com listed Ashcraft as the Pirates' sixth-ranked prospect. Despite the high praise of his 2024 season, Ashcraft has struggled to start the year.

In five starts and 21.1 innings, Ashcraft has an ERA of 5.06, a WHIP of 1.88, and a career-worst 16.97 pitches per inning. Perhaps the most concerning stat for Ashcraft is his 11 walks this season. He recorded just 11 walks in 52.2 innings in 2023 and 12 in 73.0 innings in 2024.

Before his 2023 and 2024 seasons, Ashcraft struggled in the minor leagues, leaving fans to wonder: Is the old Braxton Ashcraft back, or is it just a rough start?

Jhonny Severino

Severino was acquired by the Pirates in 2023 in a trade with the Brewers for Carlos Santana. Severino is just 20 years old and has been very solid in his short minor-league career.

Severino had a great year in 2024, where he slashed .271/.341/.528. The slugger made his impact with the long ball, hitting 16 home runs last season. He started 2025 as the 12th-ranked prospect in the Pirates' farm system, according to MLB.com.

He is still playing Single-A ball for the Pirates in Bradenton, but this season has not picked up where last season left off. Through 15 games, Severino is hitting right at the Mendoza line with an on-base percentage of just .235. He does have seven extra-base hits on the season, including two home runs, but his 29% strikeout rate is killing his production.

I am probably the least worried about Severino due to the fact that he is still just 20 years old. We often see big-time sluggers get off to rough starts in the minors and hit for very low batting averages, but we need to see those slugging numbers get closer to his 2024 campaign as soon as possible.