Pirates need top prospect Braxton Ashcraft's MLB future to start soon

The Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen has struggled plenty in recent games. As a team, they have lacked consistency amongst their high-leverage relievers, which has bled down to others in smaller roles. With a solid chance to return to the postseason, the Pirates need to have arms that can be relied upon during these tight games.

One arm that is on the doorstep of the major leagues is Braxton Ashcraft, the Pirates' fourth-ranked prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Out of the four top pitching prospects in the Pirates' organization, Ashcraft is the one who is most projectable as a reliever.

Could Braxton Ashcraft be a long-term arm in the Pirates bullpen?

Due to his injury history, remaining a starting pitcher seems like a tough task for Ashcraft. He has gone through two surgeries on his throwing arm. The first operation was to fix his shoulder, and his second was to fix his elbow (Tommy John surgery).

Prior to 2024, Ashcraft's season record for innings pitched was 53. Injuries have prevented the young right-hander from reaching triple digits in innings in any singular season.

In 2024, Ashcraft has thrown a career high 72 innings, but he has been placed on the injured list twice since joining the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate in June. Not only has he pitched the most frames of his professional career, but he has also been his most effective, too.

With Altoona and Indianapolis, Ashcraft has posted an earned run average of 2.88 with a 1.07 WHIP and 76 strikeouts. Opponents are batting just .234 against him, and his walk percentage is at just 4.5%. Not only is he effectively getting batters out, but he is also pounding the zone consistently.

Although it is a small sample size, Ashcraft has appeared to perform better against tougher competition. With Altoona, his earned run average was at 3.46, but with Indianapolis, it fell significantly to 0.49. That stat is likely to drop, but what is impressive is WHIP dropping from 1.10 to 0.98, along with an opposing batting average of .244 improving to .203.

His effectiveness at a higher level indicates that he could be ready for the major leagues, but not as a starting pitcher. Ashcraft has been very productive this season as a starter, but the Pirates should look to transition him to a reliever. The major league roster could use a long reliever to piggyback off of short starts from delays or ineffectiveness. Not only would that role benefit Pittsburgh, but it would also limit the innings for Ashcraft, which would help him stay healthy.

The Pirates cannot promote him at the moment, as he is dealing with a forearm issue. It looks like they dodged a bullet, as it is just muscle related and not a recurring injury with the elbow. Reports show he should be returning to action soon.

Whenever the Pirates are able to call up Ashcraft, they must. He would be an instant upgrade in the bullpen, and it will solidify him a role that can limit his pitch count. Preventing Ashcraft from future injuries should be a priority, given the value he brings to the team.