Pirates must get creative in handling unique top infield prospect in 2025 and beyond

After the Pittsburgh Pirates took Paul Skenes in the 2023 draft, they selected Mitch Jebb in the second round with the 42nd overall choice out of Michigan State. Jebb, a speedy middle infielder who hits for a ton of contact, saw time up the middle and at third base in college. Given the Pirates’ current depth chart, they’ll need to take time and figure out how best to proceed with his development.

Hitting-wise, Jebb had to make some significant adjustments to his game in 2024. Heading into the start of June, he was batting just .200/.264/.300 with a .267 wOBA and 65 wRC+. He walked in 8% of his 175 plate appearances, but more worrisome than that was his 26.3% strikeout rate. Jebb struck out just 68 times in 685 plate appearances throughout college, good for a 9.9% K%, so for him to strike out that often was a huge red flag.

Luckily, Jebb made changes to his swing early in the summer, and it resulted in far better outcomes. Jebb hit .284/.382/.387 with a.362 wOBA and 125 wRC+ throughout his final 322 plate appearances of the year. He saw his K% drop to a more expected rate of 15.2%. He also walked far more often, drawing a free pass 13% of the time. He fell just seven walks shy of a one-to-one ratio of walks to strikeouts.

Where does Pirates' prospect Mitch Jebb fit in 2025 and beyond?

Last season, Jebb saw 474.1 innings at second base and 275.2 innings at shortstop. The Pirates got Jebb work in center field, as he started 10 games in the outfield grass. He also saw over 25 games at third base throughout his college career. However, each of these positions seem to feature potential long-term solutions ahead of Jebb on the depth chart.

With the way Oneil Cruz looked in center late last year, he could be the team’s long-term answer. Jebb isn’t likely to overthrow Termarr Johnson or Nick Gonzales for second base, either. That leaves shortstop. He also likely isn’t going to suddenly surpass both Ke’Bryan Hayes and Jared Triolo for third base, especially given his relative lack of experience there.

As of right now, Isaiah Kiner-Falefa is the Pirates’ MLB shortstop, but he is only controlled through 2025. By the end of the season, the Pirates should potentially have Jebb on the doorstep of the Major Leagues. He could be their best option for shortstop come 2026. But the question then becomes what happens if and/or when Konnor Griffin is ready?

The best option for Jebb may eventually be a utility role. He has a similar profile to Josh Harrison as a fast, contact-first hitter with experience all over the field. However, he could end up drawing walks more frequently than Harrison. Jebb definitely has the athleticism and speed to play anywhere up the middle or in the outfield grass.

The Pirates should start letting Jebb get playing time all over the field in 2025. He should continue to get innings in center field, along with both middle infield positions, as well as third base. That way, the Pirates have plenty of options when it comes to where to play him in 2026. At that point, if he is healthy and continues to hit like he did during the second half of last year, he could play a role in the team’s lineup.