Pittsburgh Pirates: One Underrated Prospect At Each Position

Third Base - Garret Forrester

Garret Forrester was one of the Pirates' most recent draft picks. The corner infielder was taken in the third round of the '23 draft out of Oregon State. Forrester has the potential to have a very good hit tool, as well as average power. He mostly played first base for Oregon before getting drafted, but the Pirates took him as a third baseman, and that's where he played the first few games of his pro career.

In 304 plate appearances, Forrester hit .341/.482/.522. While Forrester only had a .181 isolated slugging percentage, he reached double-digit home runs with a dozen doubles. However, he drew 59 walks and struck out just 51 times. It was the second college season in a row Forrester collected more walks than strikeouts.

Forrester continued that trend to A-Ball. He only appeared in six games with 29 plate appearances but struck out seven times to oppose ten walks. Forrester didn't have a single extra-base hit, with all five of his hits only getting one base. But at the very least, Forrester didn't have trouble getting the ball in the air. He hit more fly balls and line drives than grounders.

There's a chance for a 60-grade hit tool here. Forrester draws walks at a high rate, and strikeouts infrequently. He has not trouble with pitch recognition, and is one of his strengths. Forrester may not be a physical monster, but he's 6'1"/205 with both good raw strength and bat speed. He could be a 55-grade power hitter.

Forrester could also stick at third base. He has a good enough arm and solid instincts. But his range is definitely on the poor side. He's a below-average runner, and while he may be able to make the easy plays at third base, he may have trouble with making the more difficult plays that require a more rangy defender.

Even if Forrester moves to first base in the long run, his bat is definitely intriguing. He makes contact, and is strong enough to have 15-18 home run power. His ability to recognize pitchers helps him draw walks, and his swing decisions help him keep his K% low. He's somewhat of a Nolan Schanuel-lite.