The Pittsburgh Pirates have made significant additions to their farm system by signing four players from the 2023 MLB draft. These players include Mitch Jebb, a shortstop from Michigan State (2nd round), Carlson Reed, a right-handed pitcher from West Virginia (4th round), Patrick Reilly, a right-handed pitcher from Vanderbilt (5th round), and Landon Tomkins, a right-handed pitcher from Louisiana Tech (10th round).
Mitch Jebb stood out for his high contact rates and versatility. With a .337 average and .438 OBP at Michigan State, he brings valuable hitting skills to the team. Jebb's compact swing and understanding of his mechanics maximize his potential. With his combination of high contact ability and speed, he has the potential to be an everyday player and if not a then a flexible bench player.
2nd-rder Mitch Jebb signs w/@Pirates for $1.65 million (pick 42 value = $2,045,900). @MSUBaseball SS, nice combination of hitting ability & speed, could be a 12-15 HR guy too. Big summer in @OfficialCCBL last year too. @MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/UXrgOGhkEa
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 15, 2023
Carlson Reed, a power pitcher from West Virginia, adds much-needed pitching depth. With a fastball that reaches 98 mph and an above-average slider and changeup, he has the tools to succeed as a starter. While he needs to improve his control, the Pirates believe in his athleticism and arm speed, making him a promising arm. With those concerns, but yet his plus stuff at the very least Reed should make for a good bullpen arm.
4th-rder Carlson Reed signs w/@Pirates for $600k (pick 104 value = $646,900). Closer for @WVUBaseball is equipped to start as pro, mid-80s slider & changeup may be better than mid-90s fastball that gets to 98 mph. Very intriguing arm. @MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/LmEstSQLLj
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 15, 2023
So the team saved against their bonus pool between both of them. They are also the highest picks signed thus far. However, the team did sign a few other top-10-round selections as well.