Pirates projected to add slipping college star in MLB's latest 2025 mock draft

The MLB Draft is getting closer and mock drafts are beginning to come into focus. The Pittsburgh Pirates have the sixth pick in this 2025 class, leaving a ton of talented prospects for them to choose from.

MLB Pipeline has released its first official mock draft of the year and the results should excite Pittsburgh. At No. 6, Jim Callis has the Pirates landing Aiva Arquette, a shortstop from Oregon State University. Although it is another middle infielder, this would actually be a great pick for Pittsburgh as his hit tools are considered the best in his class.

"The best college position player available," Callis stated in his Mock Draft. "Arquette has more power upside than most middle infielders and still will profile well offensively even if he slides over to second base. He could fit into the top three picks and this is probably as low as he would go."

The way Callis describes it, the Pirates would be very fortunate if Arquette falls to them. With how this mock goes, he would be the second position player taken with Ethan Holliday going first overall and four straight pitchers going in picks two through five.

Pirates projected to select top college hitter in first MLB Mock Draft

Scouts labeled him as a very solid prospect, giving him these grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55.

Arquette has displayed them all in his junior season, posting a 1.170 OPS with 16 home runs and 56 RBI. His wRC+ is up to 162 and he possesses a strong walk rate of 14.7% and a strikeout rate of just 16.1%. His slugging percentage is excellent at .695, led by those homers, 11 doubles, and a triple.

Those offensive tools are exactly what the Pirates could use in their farm system, which lacks hitters, and adding another one that could slip into MLB Pipeline's top 100 prospects would be ideal.

Although there a handful of outstanding pitchers to take early in this draft, the Pirates should not take the bait. They need offensive prospects with how deep their pitching staff is in every level. Arquette truly feels like the best fit here, and the Pirates shouldn't overthink it. This organization has had a problematic offense for a decade now, and it's time to change that with every opportunity that presents itself.