4 notable Pirates prospects who will be fighting for 40-man roster spots this year

2025 will be a big year for multiple Pittsburgh Pirates prospects. Bubba Chandler could make his debut, Konnor Griffin will look to get his first taste of professional baseball, and other lesser names like Carlson Reed and Hunter Barco will look to follow up their strong 2024 seasons with another quality campaign. Among the madness, the Pirates have some other top prospects who will be fighting for a 40-man roster spot as the Rule 5 Draft looms.

Any prospect who was signed at age 18 or younger five or more years ago, or at 19 or older at least four years ago, is eligible for the 2025 Rule 5 draft. The Pirates didn’t add anyone to their 40-man roster, nor did they have anyone taken from their farm system during the last Rule 5 draft. However, 2025 could be a different story, depending on who gets a 40-man roster spot. Anyone left unprotected can be stolen by another team, and will remain on that new team's roster as long as they maintain a 26-man roster spot.

Note that Bubba Chandler and Thomas Harrington are also going to be eligible for the draft in 2025. However, since they are two of the Pirates’ best prospects and reached Triple-A last year, it’s almost guaranteed they’ll make their MLB debut at some point in 2025. Even if they don’t, they’re also guaranteed a 40-man roster spot; the Pirates will not be leaving them unprotected. The players discussed here haven’t reached that high of a level yet, but could in 2025, making maintaining them essential.

4 notable Pirates players who could earn 40-man roster spots with strong 2025 seasons

4. Wilber Dotel

The Pirates signed Wilber Dotel as an international prospect during the 2020-2021 offseason. The right-hander has steadily climbed the minor league ladder, and pitched his entire 2024 season at High-A Greensboro. While his bottom line was not that impressive, Dotel made notable strides forward last season, and 2025 will be a big chance for him to prove himself.

In 106.1 innings, Dotel owned a 5.33 ERA, 5.77 FIP, and 1.43 WHIP. He had both a subpar 22.8% strikeout rate and an 11.6% walk rate, though home runs gave Dotel the most trouble. He allowed 1.78 home runs per nine innings, which was the second highest mark among High-A pitchers who started at least 18 games in 2024. While scuffling on the surface, Dotel’s biggest improvements were in his pitch mix.

In 2023, Dotel was only sitting around 92-93 MPH with Bradenton, but last season, he was sitting closer to 95-96 MPH and is now able to hit 100 MPH. Dotel is able to slow things down with his 92-94 MPH two-seamer, and he’ll also mix in a slider and changeup. All of his pitches project as average or better, with his fastball coming in at a 60 grade, according to Baseball America. Still, control can be an issue at times. Baseball America projects him similarly to Luis Ortiz.

The stuff alone should get Dotel an inside track at a 40-man roster spot. The Pirates shouldn’t just leave a pitcher who can hit 100 MPH unprotected and available for free, basically. Regardless, 2025 will be a big year for Dotel. He should open the year at Double-A, which will be a real test of his ability. Fans should have some faith in Dotel’s ability to sharpen his command while keeping up his velocity gains, especially given how well the Pirates have developed other hard throwers over the last few years.

3. Omar Alfonzo

Omar Alfonzo has been in the Pirates system for a while now, as they signed him back in August 2019. However, he didn’t make his pro debut until his age-17 season in 2021. Last season, Alfonzo had his breakout season, as he played in 110 games with 451 plate appearances between Bradenton and Greensboro and hit very well, while showing off a ton of power.

The backstop/first base prospect slashed .252/.357/.403 with 13 home runs. While he struck out in about a quarter of his plate appearances with a 25.9% K%, he also walked at a 13.5% rate. Alfonzo had a .151 isolated slugging percentage, but hit eight homers in 354 PAs at Bradenton before hitting five more in just 97 trips to the dish after getting promoted to Greensboro. Overall, Alfonzo ended the season with a .361 wOBA and 120 wRC+.

Even though Alfonzo didn’t hit for as much power at A-Ball compared to when he got promoted to High-A, there’s never been a question about his raw strength. Baseball Savant and Statcast tracks batted ball data for A-Ball and Triple-A. Alfonzo’s 92.8 MPH exit velocity was the second best among batters with at least 250 plate appearances, tied with fellow catching prospect Drake Baldwin of the Atlanta Braves, and surpassed by only Trey Cabbage. The only A-Ball prospect who came anywhere close to Alfonzo was Ryan Ignoffo, who still sat at 90.4 MPH, over two whole MPH slower than Alfonzo.

The Pirates already passed Alfonzo through the Rule 5 draft last year, but that was after less than 100 plate appearances above A-Ball, and 2025 will only be his age-21 season. Catchers are also rarely selected in the Rule 5 draft. Only three have been taken in the Major League phase of the draft since 2010. The Pirates also have four catchers already on their 40-man roster.

But Alfonzo could make it to Double-A this year. If he continues to show off the power he did last year while making improvements in his defense and hit tool, the Pirates would almost have to include him on their 40-man roster. He’d likely get scooped up, even if catchers aren’t taken often. 

2. Jack Brannigan

Jack Brannigan was the Pirates’ third-round pick in 2022 out of Notre Dame. So far, he’s looked like a great selection. After a strong 2023 season where Brannigan had a 146 wRC+ in 374 plate appearances between Bradenton and Greensboro, falling just one home run shy of a 20/20 season, he followed that up with a strong encore last year.

Brannigan batted .238/.344/.490 with a .378 wOBA and 135 wRC+ for Greensboro last campaign. Power was once again one of his strong suits, as he went yard 18 times in 341 plate appearances with a .252 isolated slugging percentage, which was the third-highest mark among High-A batters with at least 300 plate appearances. While Brannigan struck out in 26.1% of his plate appearances, it was an improvement from 29.9% in 2023. He also still drew his fair share of walks, with an 11.4% BB%, and swiped a dozen bags in 15 attempts.

The Pirates originally drafted Brannigan as a two-way player who could throw upper-90s on the mound. That arm has translated very well into the field, as he has the strongest arm among the Pirates’ position player prospects. Brannigan mostly played the hot corner in college when he took the field, but has transitioned nicely into a middle infielder, and he saw most of his playing time at shortstop last year. The only tool Brannigan doesn’t project as average or better in is his hit tool.

Brannigan is a plus defensive infielder at second base, third base, and shortstop, and has shown the potential to be both a power and speed threat. His versatility alone would make him an interesting prospect in the Rule 5 draft. If he shows any semblance of offensive upside at Double-A in 2025, the Pirates will almost have to find room for him somewhere on the 40-man roster.

1. Anthony Solometo

Anthony Solometo was one of the Pirates’ many over-slot high school draft picks in 2021. He was the Pirates’ pick before Bubba Chandler, and he showed a ton of promise in 2023. The southpaw had a 3.26 ERA, 3.47 FIP, and 1.19 WHIP in 110.1 innings between Greensboro and Altoona. He was one of the youngest pitchers to make double-digit starts at Double-A, as he was only in his age-20 season, and he did it while producing about league-average numbers.

Unfortunately, Solometo’s 2024 was a lot less promising, to say the least. He only pitched 70.1 innings, working to a 5.37 ERA, 5.40 FIP, and 1.52 WHIP. He saw his walk rate go from just 8.8% the previous season to 12.4%, while his K% took a nosedive from 26.2% to just 16.9%. Solometo induced ground balls at a strong 51.2% rate and had a 1.02 HR/9 rate, but those are about the only good things you can say of his 2024 campaign.

On top of his poor performance, Solometo’s stuff took a step back as well. In 2023, he was sitting 92-94 MPH, but was only topping out around 90-91 MPH last season. Solometo did regain some of his velocity late into the year, and is back up closer to 92-93 MPH with his two-seamer in spring training this year. He’ll also mix in a slider and changeup that project as above-average and average, respectively. His low arm slot has always been deceptive as well. The Pirates might also be able to squeeze more out of Solometo if he were to move to a bullpen role.

Solometo’s case is very interesting. He struggled badly in 2024, but isn’t far removed from a strong 2023 season. He might not have the overpowering stuff like Dotel, but he was ranked as a top 100 prospect by MLB Pipeline at the start of last season. It is admittedly hard to see him making the 40-man roster with another poor season, but he’d still likely be one of the better left-handed pitching prospects in the Rule 5 draft class. This would lead you to believe the Pirates might be looking to deal him at the deadline to avoid a difficult offseason protection conversation. The better he pitches, the more interesting this dynamic gets.