3 late-blooming Pirates prospects who made an impact in 2024

There are a lot of MLB players who were late bloomers. A mix of things, such as injuries, depth chart priority, and even prospect status can hold a player back. But sometimes, even after all of that, some players break out and prove to be solid MLB pieces.

Since the start of the 2020s, there have been 13 position players who were 25 or older in their rookie season to post a 110 OPS+ or better (minimum 300 plate appearances) and 58 pitchers of the same age or older in their rookie years to post an ERA+ of 110 or greater (min. 50 IP).

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ system mostly consists of very young players, like Konnor Griffin and Levi Sterling, but they do have some older prospects who could make an impact. Last time, we looked at underrated prospects in the Pirates’ system who were 20 years old or younger. This time, we’re going to take a look at prospects who could be late bloomers — that being ones who are 24 years or older but have either put up good numbers in the minor leagues or have the potential to be something worthwhile in the near future.

Late-blooming Pirates prospects who could make an impact in the near future.

Scott Randall

The Pirates acquired Scott Randall from the Arizona Diamondbacks during the 2022-2023 offseason for utility man Diego Castillo. A former seventh-round pick, Randall missed the entirety of 2023 due to injuries. But he’s come back in 2024 strong and posted some very promising numbers.

While Randall’s 4.39 ERA wasn’t great, it was the only blemish on his report card. He struck out 24.3% of opponents alongside a microscopic 3.2% walk rate. That amounted to a 7.57 K:BB ratio. He had the 7th-best walk rate and 11th-best K:BB ratio among minor league pitchers with at least 50 innings pitched. Randall only allowed home runs at a 0.51 per 9 rate, accompanied by a 45.1% ground ball rate. 

He had a 1.18 WHIP, 2.92 FIP, and 3.36 xFIP as well. Randall’s inflated batting average on balls in play was the most likely culprit for his poor ERA. His BABIP clocked in at .333, the sixth-highest among Pirates minor league arms with 50+ frames under their belt this year.

Randall’s four-seam fastball sits in the low-90s, topping out at 94 MPH, but it has good movement with above-average ride and solid break. His primary breaking pitch is an upper-70s curveball. He’ll also mix in a slider, cutter, and change-up. He has also displayed strong command over his offerings.

Randall made it to Double-A this year but only made one start. It was a strong outing as he pitched four scoreless innings, striking out three and allowing zero walks. Randall turned 26 in early August, so he is an extremely late bloomer at this point. But he is coming off a strong season.

2025 will be Randall’s age-26 season. He pitched well this year, both out of long relief, pitching multiple innings out of the 'pen nine times while making eight starts. Given his age, he has a chance to open 2025 at Triple-A. He could be a long-relief option for the Pirates if he keeps putting up strong numbers.