Pirates first-round pick is generating wild preseason buzz

The Pittsburgh Pirates have one of the top-ranked minor league systems in baseball. The team's top two prospects –– shortstop Konnor Griffin and right-hander Bubba Chandler –– are expected to be key contributors in Pittsburgh in 2026, but there are some others in the lower levels of the minor leagues who are also worth keeping tabs on.

One such player is right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez, whom the Pirates drafted with their first-round pick (No. 6 overall) this past season. His performance at the high school level was nothing short of absurd, and it spoke highly enough of his talents for him to be firmly in the discussion as the potential top pick in last year's draft.

Hernandez pitched for two seasons for Corona High School in California, a school ranked by Baseball America as the fourth-best high school baseball team in the country in 2025. In 22 games, Hernandez posted an 18-1 record, an unfathomable 0.51 ERA, and an incredible 178:22 K:BB rate in 109 1/3 innings. He was named the 2025 Gatorade High School Baseball Player of the Year, an award previously won by stars such as Gary Sheffield, Alex Rodriguez, Clayton Kershaw, Bobby Witt Jr., and Konnor Griffin.

Hernandez has yet to make his professional debut, but that didn't stop MLB Pipeline from ranking him as high as No. 27 on their top 100 prospects list. The outlet offered further praise for Hernandez, with Jim Callis picking the right-hander as his Pipeline Pitcher of the Year for 2026.

"The stuff is unbelievable. The control is advanced," Callis said. "I think he's going to pitch around 100 innings and be pretty spectacular."

Indeed, MLB Pipeline gave Hernandez above-average grades (on the 20-80 scale) in every category, including a 60 grade on his curveball and changeup and a 70 grade on his fastball. Baseball America went as far as to also give his changeup a 70. That 70-grade fastball was reportedly clocked in at 101 MPH during a live batting practice Hernandez threw at the Pirates' Dominican complex in the fall.

Pirates prospects Seth Hernandez and Edward Florentino are poised to climb up the minor league ladder in 2026.

Hernandez wasn't the only Pirate highlighted by MLB Pipeline, as Jonathan Mayo pegged outfielder Edward Florentino as his 2026 Pipeline Hitter of the Year pick.

Across the Florida Complex League and Low-A Bradenton, Florentino slashed a robust .290/.400/.548 with 16 home runs in 83 games. Despite some mobility concerns (he was already measured at six-foot-four at age 18), he also stole 35 bases and looked pretty comfortable in center field.

While all eyes will be on the Pirates and whether the team can deliver at the Major League level in 2026, the organization's ability to develop its top prospects will also be worth watching. The Pirates have become a pitching factory and may have struck gold again with Hernandez, while Florentino represents a welcome surprise for a team who (outside of Griffin) has struggled badly to develop bats.

Hopefully, both prospects can continue to climb the ranks as the Pirates hope to become a perennial playoff contender in the seasons ahead.