3 unique draft prospects for the Pittsburgh Pirates to keep on their radar

Jurrangelo Cijntje

One of the rarest feats in baseball is the switch-pitcher. The only player in the modern age to do it consistently was Pat Venditte, who appeared in five seasons from 2015 through 2020. He only pitched 72.2 innings as a reliever with an 87 ERA+. But this year's draft might end up having the most talented pitcher to ever throw with both hands. That's Mississippi State hurler Jurrango Cijntje.

Cijntje has tossed 83.2 innings, working to a strong 3.55 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 3.72 K:BB ratio. The switch-pitcher has struck out just a touch over 30% of the batters he's faced with a 30.9% K rate. Cijntje has done great at cutting down walks. His walk rate was 14.2% last year, but now that's down to 8.3%. Cijntje has an HR/9 of 1.18, which is slightly better than the conference average.

While Cijntje is a switch-pitcher, he does have a better side. He has a brighter outlook as a right-hander as he can throw the mid-90s with an above-average slider and decent change-up. As a lefty, he sits in the lower 90s and doesn't throw the change-up as frequently. His slider is still decent when throwing from the left side, but he projects more as a reliever from that arm.

Cijntje is not a big pitcher. He is only 5'11", 200 pounds, which led to some questions about his durability. As a right-hander, he's drawn comparisons to two-time all-star Marcus Stroman, who is also on the smaller side for a pitcher. Cijntje might work very well as a reliever, able to keep opposing batters off balance with his ability to switch-pitch so any hitters get a good idea what they're looking for. He's also gotten more confrontable facing left-handed batters as a right-handed pitcher this year.

Either way, Cijntje has a chance to be the most talented switch pitcher in professional baseball and a starting pitcher. He's definitely one of the most unique draft prospects, not just this year, but maybe ever. Most updated rankings have him in the top 45 prospects in this year's draft class. The Pirates have the 37th and 42nd overall pick. If he is available, Cijntje is someone that would be very interesting to consider drafting. He'd give a team endless strategies on how to deploy him and take advantage of his switch-pitching prowess.

Tommy White

Tommy White has long been someone college baseball fans have had their eye on. White set the freshman home run record in 2022 with NC State. He has since transferred to Louisiana State University, where he has continued to mash SEC pitchers. Now, entering the draft, White has a chance of still being on the board when the Pirates select their competitive balance pick.

White is in the midst of his worst college season but is still batting .337/.412/.675. It's the first time he's posting a slugging percentage below .700. But White already has 24 home runs and a .338 isolated slugging percentage in 289 plate appearances. White has never struck out much, and this hasn't changed in 2024. He's gone down on strike three 12.1% of the time. But his 9.3% walk rate is below average.

One thing is for certain about White, and that's his power. White didn't earn his nickname "Tommy Tanks" for nothing. When White makes contact, it's very loud contact. He's a big 6'1", 230 pounds, and can use his raw strength to generate significant exit velocity. White also makes a lot of contact. He can reach outside the zone and hit things with authority. He's also an all-fields hitter, able to drive the ball wherever on the diamond.

But there are some red flags about White. The first is that he'll probably have to move across the diamond to first base long term. White has not shown great instincts at third base. While his arm is okay, he lacks even average range already. He's a well below-average runner, which also affects his lack of range. Although White is good at making contact outside the zone, it is reasonable to be concerned about how that will play once he reaches pro ball as he'll try and expand the zone frequently. That approach has worked in college but could get exposed in the minor leagues.

White certainly has a very high offensive ceiling. Sure, he's likely a 1B/DH long-term, and his swing decisions will probably need some sharpening once he is drafted. But there's a lot of power potential in White's bat. It's not overly likely that White will still be available when the Pirates select their competitive balance pick, but I also don't believe the chances are zero either. If he is still available, this would be the big bat the Pirates' system needs.

David Shields

If you're reading this and live in Western Pennsylvania, you have probably already heard of David Shields. Shields is a southpaw out of Mount Lebanon. He has pitched in the WPIALs and is one of the best prep left-handers in this year's draft. You know how Ben Cherington loves his high school left-handers, and if Shields is available, the Pirates should consider drafting the local kid.

Shields has a lot of traits you like to see from high school pitchers. He's athletic, has projectability, and a lot of raw talent. Shields stands at 6'2", 210 pounds. Shields only sits in the low 90s now, but with his attributes, there's definitely room for more velo. The pitch also plays beyond his speed because of his release point and ride through the zone. His sweeping slider is his best pitch right now, but he'll also mix in a decent change-up.

Shields' delivery is fairly low effort and his athleticism helps him repeat it, which in turn should help his command. He's already shown a good feel for pitching and can hit the zone with all three of his offerings. Given all that, Shields has a very high-ceiling profile, given all of these factors that should work in his favor as he develops.

Shields is a young gun, as he doesn't turn 18 until September. But the Pirates love their young and talented left-handers. Shields being a local kid gives them all the more reason to scout him and potentially draft him. MLB Pipeline has him ranked as the 36th-best prospect in this year's draft. The Miami commit definitely is someone the Pirates should consider if he's still on the board when they are selecting 37th overall.