Pittsburgh Pirates: An Early Three-Round Mock Draft

Round One - Dylan Crews

Get used to the Dylan Crews vs. Chase Dollander debates because you'll hear them for a while. With the number one pick in the draft, I have the Pirates selecting LSU outfielder Dylan Crews. Crews might just be the most hyped college position player prospect in years, and at least since Adley Rutschman, who broke the all-time signing bonus record.

The LSU outfielder has been nothing short of phenomenal. Crews is slashing .356/.458/.677 with a 1.135 OPS since arriving to college. Power is Crews' specialty. He has 40 home runs to go with 27 doubles across 584 plate appearances, amounting to an isoalted slugging percentage well over .300 (.321). However, do not mistake him for an all-or-nothing batter, either. He's posted just a 16.8% strikeout rate and a 13.6% walk rate. Not only has he been crushing baseballs and getting on base at an extreme rate, but he's also swiped 17 bases.

Crews projects as a slightly above-average defensive center field. He could improve his glovework up the middle at a young age, but he might project as a fantastic right fielder. Crews has a powerful arm that can play at all three outfield spots, and he's also considered an above-average runner, so range is not an issue, either.

Although he has an aggressive approach and swing, he has little whiff in his game. He also has a fairly wide stance in the batter's box and creates some leverage with his upward trajectory swing. Despite a large swing, he's a quick hitter. He also has a decent frame at 6'0", 203 LBS.

Crews could approach Rutschman's record-breaking signing bonus. Before you call out the Pirates for being cheap, remember that before the Orioles and Rutschman set the record, the Pirates and Gerrit Cole held the record from the 2011 draft. During that same draft, they also broke the record for the highest signing bonus for a second-rounder (Josh Bell) and seventh-rounder (Clay Holmes). Plus, there is no such thing as saving money from the draft. Each team gets an allotted amount they must spend, and it's not as if that money goes to Bob Nutting if it isn't spent. On top of that, every team spends over their allotted amount.

Many will have Dylan Crews going to the Pirates. Many will have Chase Dollander going to the Pirates. As of right now, there is no wrong answer between the two. But if the draft were tomorrow, I think the Pirates would take Dylan Crews.

Round Two - Cameron Johnson

I'll admit it; I've fallen in love with Cameron Johnson as a prospect. I hope and pray that he's still on the board when the Pirates are on the clock and that the Pirates select him. There's still a distinct possibility he is available as well, at least right now. The strapping southpaw may just be one of the most interesting left-handed pitchers in the draft and high school arms in the class.

Standing at 6'5", 230 pounds, Johnson is a massive kid at just 18 years of age. Johnson uses his size to fling a mid-to-upper 90s fastball through the zone. He's already averaging 95-96 MPH. He also has a good slider, one that sits in the upper-70s. MLB Pipeline sees it as a proper out pitch. His third offering is a change-up. Although Pipeline isn't too bullish on it right now, he's still just 18. There's plenty of time for him to start incorporating the pitch more and getting a better feel for it.

Not only does he throw hard with a nice breaking ball, but he does it with a low three-quarters arm slot. It's about as low as you can get before being considered a side-arm pitcher. There's a lot to like about Johnson, but there is some risk. During the summer, he showed fatigue later into the season. This affected his game overall, and he became less sharp during the year.

Still, at 18 years old, he is already pumping 95-96 MPH through the zone, and with his frame, Johnson should be on the Pirates' draft radar. If he decides to go through with his commitment to LSU, I think he would become a top-ten draft prospect in two or three years. Ranked as the 50th-best prospect per MLB Pipeline, there's a possibility he's still available when the Pirates are on the clock for the second round and with the 42nd overall selection.

Competitive Balance Pick - Walker Martin

The Pittsburgh Pirates will have the 67th overall selection, and with that pick, I have the Pirates taking high school infielder Walker Martin. Martin is a product of Colorado and a very well-rounded player. According to MLB Pipeline, all five of his tools grade out as average or better. However, there isn't anything that stands out as elite in his game.

Martin was a two-sport star at his high school, Centennial State. Although he didn't originally get a chance to show what he could do against better competition because of football, he finally got the opportunity, and scouts believe he'll have decent power. Martin displayed decent bat speed, but at 6'2", 188 pounds, there's room for growth and additional physical power. Even though he faced better competition in a small sample size, he didn't have an issue catching up and squaring the ball off pitchers.

Martin is considered an average runner with above-average athleticism. He's also displayed solid defense at shortstop. However, given his physical projection, he might not last at shortstop long-term. But given his athleticism and arm that can play on the left side of the infield, he could see time at third, second, or an outfield spot. You also can't fully rule out shortstop, even if some don't project him to stay there.

Martin is a guy who could hit .260 with 20 home runs a year from a premium position. Ranked as MLB Pipeline's 73rd-best prospect, the infielder is currently projected to go in the early third round. However, he could definitely end up getting selected in the late second round. Either way, he's a high school position player that has a chance of being available when the Pirates are selecting in the competitive balance round B.

Round Three - Brandon Sproat

Dylan Crews is going to take a lot of money to sign and potentially even approach the record-setting number. Meanwhile, Cameron Johnson is going to take over slot money to pry him away from his commitment to LSU and Walker Martin from his commitment to Arkansas. They're going to have to take an under slot player at some point, and one could be Brandon Sproat, a senior righty from the University of Florida who is re-entering the draft (he was drafted by New York Mets in 2022 but did not sign).

Sproat had a solid junior season, posting a 3.41 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 2.48 K:BB ratio through 89.2 innings. Sproat only had an 8.6% walk rate and a 21.5% strikeout rate. But his biggest strength was preventing the home run. Sproat allowed just five dingers, leading to a 0.5 HR/9 rate. 

Sproat can run it up into the upper-90s. He has hit 99 MPH before but typically sits around 96 MPH. Along with his fastball, the right-hander throws two breaking offerings. Between the two, his slider is the better pitch. It's a mid-80s offering, but his curveball does have the potential to be an average offering. Sporat's fourth offering is a change-up. Although he doesn't use it as frequently, don't sleep on it. It does have some decent movement.

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2023 will be Sproat's age-22 campaign and his final year at college. At 6'3", 210 pounds, Sproat does have a starter's build. While he does have mediocre control, he definitely has some impressive stuff. It is impressive to have a starting pitcher who can regularly run it up to around 98 MPH. He could be a very underrated prospect and a player the Pirates keep an eye on.