Position players are judged by five tools: hit, power, fielding, arm, and speed. Players who are average or better in all five categories are considered five-tool players. These are typically the best players in the game; think of a Bobby Witt, Gunnar Henderson, or Francisco Lindor type. This is especially important when talking about prospects; the emergence of toolsy prospects can inspire hope among left-behind fan bases like that of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Pirates have plenty of pitching talent, but their position player talent seems to get left behind when talking about what the Bucs have in the minor leagues. Throughout the Pirates' system, which hitters best represent each of the five tools? We took our best shot.
Which Pirates hitting prospects best represent the five tools?
Hit: Mitch Jebb
The hit tool is defined as a player’s ability to hit for average, make contact, and avoid striking out. No player fits the bill better than infield/outfield prospect Mitch Jebb. The Pirates took Jebb in the second round of the 2023 draft. Coming out of Michigan State, Jebb hit .327 throughout college with a strikeout rate of just 9.9% in 685 plate appearances.
Coming out of the gates this year, you would've thought that something had gone wrong between collegiate ball and the pros. Jebb had just a .199 batting average and struck out over a quarter of the time with a 25.9% K% throughout his first 239 plate appearances of the season. While it took some time, the sort of hitter many expected Jebb to be from the jump started to show up in the second half of the season.
His final 258 plate appearances of the year saw him hit for a .307 average, and slash his strikeout rate down to a microscopic 12.8%. Getting more hits and striking out far less often aren’t the only improvements Jebb made. He also drove his BB% from just 8.4% to 14% spanning his first poor stretch through his second half stretch.
Jebb’s first half left some concern. Given he has little power, he has to hit for a high average and avoid the K to be a productive batter. Luckily, his second half represented what many thought Jebb would do this year. Add in the fact he can draw walks at a quality rate, as well as steal some bases, and Jebb could be the Pirates’ leadoff hitter in a year or two.