Pirates foolishly ignore biggest need with controversial No. 6 pick in 2025 MLB Draft

With the sixth overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez out of Corona High School in Corona, Calif.

Widely regarded as one of the best prep right-handed pitching prospects in recent years, Hernandez was ranked the No. 3 prospect in this year's draft class by MLB Pipeline. He has elite stuff, touching 98 mph with his fastball, but also boasts a changeup that misses bats with ease and a curveball with above-average spin. He was named the 2025 Gatorade National Player of the Year at the high school level.

After being homeschooled until his junior year, Hernandez burst onto the high school scene in 2024. In his first season with Corona, he posted a 9-0 record, a 0.62 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 56 innings of work. The following season, he struck out 105 batters in 53 1/3 innings – nearly two per inning – against just seven walks, posting a 0.39 ERA.

Measuring at 6-foot-4, and 190 pounds, Hernandez was part of a stacked team in Corona that also featured shortstop Billy Carlson, selected by the Cincinnati Reds at No. 10 overall. Hernandez, who is committed to play college baseball at Vanderbilt, is the third high school player the Pirates have taken with their first pick in the last four years, joining Termarr Johnson (2022) and Konnor Griffin (2024). He is the first high school pitcher the Pirares have selected with their first pick since Quinn Priester was drafted at No. 18 overall in 2019.

Pirates foolishly ignore biggest need with controversial No. 6 pick in 2025 MLB Draft

Despite Hernandez's tremendous upside, this was a somewhat controversial pick for Pittsburgh at No. 6 overall. The Pirates' prospect pipeline, while rife with arms, is starved for offense – and there were some high-level offensive picks still available on the board after three pitchers were selected in the first five picks before Pittsburgh's.

The next four teams in the order – the Miami Marlins, Toronto Blue Jays, Reds and Chicago White Sox – all drafted position players. The Marlins, who picked immediately after Pittsburgh at No. 7, selected Oregon State shortstop Aiva Marquette, who had been mocked to the Pirates at No. 6 by numerous outlets, including ESPN.

Now that they have taken a prep arm at No. 6, the Pirates need to select the best available bat (preferably a left-handed college bat) with their next pick at No. 50. Hernandez joins an already-strong pitching pipeline in Pittsburgh, but the Pirates must now pivot their focus to the area of the greatest organizational need.

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