Pirates’ 2026 draft looks even more impressive after new MLB Pipeline rankings

Sooner or later, the Pirates’ prospect pool has to dry up, right?

The MLB Pipeline team doesn’t seem to think so.

According to the latest Top 100 list, Pittsburgh has four of the best prospects in baseball even after graduating Bubba Chandler and Konnor Griffin from last year’s list. The scouts just keep winning at the draft.

The headliner of the quartet is Seth Hernandez, whom MLB Pipeline ranks as the best right-handed pitching prospect (No. 7 overall). Anyone following the Pirates’ minor league system should recognize this name. He’s being hailed as the next coming of Paul Skenes, but an oblique injury could set back his development and delay his arrival in the big leagues. Even under the best conditions, we shouldn’t be expecting to see him in Pittsburgh for a couple of years.

Edward Florentino, a 19-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic, is the sole Top 100 prospect that the Pirates didn’t draft. Rather, the Bucs inked him as an international free agent just weeks after his 17th birthday. Florentino landed at No. 35 despite struggling at High-A Greensboro this season. He’s leaned more into a “three true outcomes” approach and, consequently, his batting average is flirting with the Mendoza line. Still, he’s got an exciting power-speed combo and could fill out even more. Like Hernandez, he will need some seasoning before taking on the bigs.

Pirates continue to hit the jackpot on draft day with four prospects on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100

Perhaps of most note is the inclusion of Derek Curiel on the list at No. 91. The Pirates’ first-round draft pick this year hasn’t even played a pro game yet, but his solid bat-to-ball skills, demonstrated in his time at LSU, are enough to merit his inclusion. He could run into competition from Florentino if the pair sticks at center field. The decision by MLB Pipeline to toss a guy on the list who hasn’t made his pro debut should be taken as a mark of respect for Pittsburgh’s scouting and player development teams.

Finally, Murf Gray, the senior member of the group and the likely answer to Pittsburgh’s third-base woes, snuck in at No. 95. In his first season of pro ball, Gray has rocketed through three levels of the minors. He hasn’t quite adjusted to Double-A, but his combined line of .301/.403/.566, even with the difficulties in Altoona, inspires confidence.

Just as notable as who is on the list is who has fallen off. Termarr Johnson had appeared on every iteration of the MLB Pipeline Top 100 since 2023, but the second baseman has been floundering at Triple-A. He was hitting .199 before going down with a season-ending ACL tear. Even if Johnson becomes a bust, the other four provide ample hope for the future of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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