3 way-too-early targets who could be in Pirates' MLB Draft range at pick No.5

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been awarded the fifth overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft following the draft lottery that took place on Dec. 9. Although the draft is months away, the scouts for the Buccos will be hard at work trying to find who they will take with their first-round pick. There are a couple of early options that the team could target and evaluate further.

3 possible Pittsburgh Pirates MLB Draft targets with the fifth overall pick

Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep, Miami

In MLB.com's first mock draft following the lottery Jim Callis projects that the Pirates will draft shortstop Jacob Lombard out of Gulliver Prep High School in Miami, Florida. Lombard is the fourth highest-ranked draft prospect and the second highest-ranked prep prospect behind Grady Emerson, who Callis projects will be selected by the Tampa Bay Rays at No. 2.

Lombard is an excellent prep prospect, and could fit into the Pirates' draft plans, as they have selected the top high school talent available with their first-round picks in the last two drafts. The team selected pitcher Seth Hernandez in 2025 and Konnor Griffin in 2024.

Excellent size and athleticism at a premium position makes Lombard an intriguing target. He's got pop off the bat and is a decent runner. Defensively, he has good foot speed and reaction time, plus great range with a 6'3" frame.

If the Pirates decide long-term that they'd rather have surging superstar Konnor Griffin in the outfield, then this pick makes perfect sense as they continue to search for their shortstop of the future. Lombard comes from a baseball family too, with his dad George Lombard enjoying an eight-year MLB career before transitioning to coaching, and his older brother George Lombard Jr. currently looking like the top prospect in the New York Yankees' system.

Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama

If the Pirates decide to stray away from the top high school talent and focus instead on the top college talent availabe, then they should look no further than Justin Lebron from the University of Alabama. Lebron was projected to go to the Pirates in many early mock drafts before the lottery, when several publications projected Pittsburgh to secure the third overall pick.

Having the fifth overall pick is not necessarily a hurdle here, but there is a chance that Lebron will be picked before he makes it to the Pirates' selection. However, if he is still on the board, he could be yet another can't-miss prospect from the college ranks. The 21-year-old shortstop has a very good chance to be the highest-picked member of the Crimson Tide in history, as he is currently ranked as MLB's third highest-ranked draft prospect.

As a freshman at Alabama, Lebron earned All-SEC honors and Freshman All-SEC honors. He was also a member of the All-SEC Defensive Team. As a sophomore, he continued to impress with a slash line of .316/.421/.636 and leading the Crimson Tide in doubles, home runs, RBI, runs scored, stolen bases and total bases.

Lebron has a lot of raw power at the plate, but has real five-tool potential beyond that. His excellent speed and defense will make him an asset anywhere on the diamond, but certainly at his natural shortstop position, as well as his secondary position in center field. If he can sure up his approach at the plate, and chase fewer breaking balls out of the zone, then he will make good on his status of being the second best college prospect in the 2026 draft.

A.J. Gracia, OF, Virginia

ESPN MLB Insider Kiley McDaniel also projects that the Pirates will select one of the top college players available, bolstering their outfield core with A.J. Gracia from the University of Virginia.

A standout player in his freshman season at Duke, Gracia is one of the better college bats in this class. The New Jersey native earned freshman All-American honors by finishing with a 1.000 OPS in 2024. He followed much of his coaching staff to the University of Virginia at the conclusion of his sophomore season. He unfortunately missed fall ball because of an undisclosed illness, but has a huge opportunity to impress in the spring prior to the draft.

As a defender, scouts expect Garcia to be fast enough to continue playing center field at the next level. If a change were to occur, he'd be a much better left fielder, given his arm strength will probably not be enough to make him a prototypical right fielder. His ability at the plate is what's going to be his calling card, though, as he is above-average in nearly every aspect inside the batter's box. He'll continue to add size to his 6'3", 195-pound frame, as the 21-year-old prospect looks to impress in the upcoming season.

Given the fact that the Pirates have several prospects that are developing into stars like Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler, there's reason to believe that the Pirates will adopt more of a 'win now' approach with their top pick in the draft. Selecting a top college player in the No. 5 spot could help the team a lot sooner than importing another top high school player would. After all, not every player is going to be Konnor Griffin. Given that fact, Garcia could very easily help bolster Pittsburgh's outfield in a few seasons.

These are very, very early projections for the direction that the Pirates could take in the upcoming 2026 MLB Draft. If they are able to accomplish the kind of splash moves in the offseason that everyone is writing about, then it is very possible that they stick to the top college talent available in order to send them closer to contention sooner. With that being said, the Pirates will not be able to receive lottery considerations again in 2027 after back-to-back years with top five picks, so maybe they will look to win now either way.