Reevaluating Ben Cherington's first Pirates draft four years later

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During Ben Cherington's first full season as the Pirates' general manager, he encountered a pandemic, which made the whole major league world hectic. That year's MLB Draft happened before the 2020 season even started, and Cherington did not have much of an opportunity to scout these prospects. This peculiar draft lasted only five rounds, but the Pirates came out with six players, and most have already made an impact on the franchise in some way.

What happened to the six players Ben Cherington drafted in the 2020 MLB Draft?

First-Round Pick: Nick Gonzales

The first draft pick that Cherington made in Pittsburgh was Nick Gonzales with the seventh overall selection. Gonzales was one of the top hitters in the draft out of New Mexico State. He quickly became a top prospect in the Pirates farm system and performed extremely throughout his minor league career, which led to his call up in 2023.

Gonzales made his MLB debut during the 2023 season, and it did not go well. He batted .209 with just two home runs and an OPS of .616. This resulted in him starting the 2024 season in Triple-A, but he did so well there that he earned another promotion. Since re-joining the Pirates this season, Gonzales has been one of the top hitters in the lineup.

Through 53 games, Gonzales has a .278 batting average with five home runs and 30 runs batted in. He also has an OPS of .740, which includes an on-base percentage of .318 and a slugging percentage of .423. His wRC+ sits 104 and his fWAR is at 1.3. Not only has he been impressive at the plate, but his defense has been great, too, as he's compiled 4 Outs Above Average.

Although Gonzales did not start his career as many hoped he would, he's come around in Year 2 and is looking like the Pirates' long-term second baseman. He must continue to produce at the plate to keep his role, as there are multiple other options within the organization at second base.

Competitive Balance A: Carmen Mlodzinski

With the next pick in the draft, Cherington selected Carmen Mlodzinski from South Carolina. Mlodzinski was originally a starter, but after struggling a ton in Altoona, the team decided to make him a reliever, which has worked out greatly for Pittsburgh.

Mlodzinski was Cherington's first draft pick to make his MLB debut in 2023. He quickly joined the Pirates and had a very good rookie season. Mlodzinski posted a 2.25 earned run average with a 1.28 WHIP and 34 strikeouts. Opponents batted just .214 against him, but he allowed a decent amount of walks.

This season, Mlodzinski has reestablished himself in a high-leverage role in the bullpen. He got off to a rough start, but after throwing multiple outings as an opener, Mlodzinski has found his groove. Through 19 appearances, Mlodzinski has a 3.42 earned run average in 26.1 innings pitched and has struck out 23 batters. Opponents are batting .229 against him, but his WHIP has decreased to 1.18.

The first Cherington draft pick to make the majors for the Pirates has been impressive and has solidified himself a spot in this bullpen.

Second-Round Pick: Jared Jones

In the second round, the Pirates went with an 18-year-old right-handed pitcher from California. That pitcher is Jared Jones, the Pirates' standout rookie. Before Jones was a star in the Pirates rotation, he was a prospect in the Pirates farm system. He did not perform consistently well in his minor-league career, but he really took the next step for the 2024 season.

In his minor-league tenure, Jones posted a 4.31 earned run average with a WHIP of 1.33 and struck out 391 batters. Opponents batted .238 against him, but his control was consistently shaky. He did dominate with the Altoona Curve in 2023, but after promotion to Indianapolis, he lost things. That led to his run at 2024's spring training, where he did not allow a single earned run and earned himself a spot in the rotation.

Since joining the Pirates' rotation, Jones has emerged as one of the best rookie pitchers in all of baseball. He has a 5-6 record with an earned run average of 3.56 in 91 innings pitched and has struck out 98 batters. Opponents are batting just .220 against him, to go along with a 1.11 WHIP.

Jones is still just 22 and is already at the top of the league as a rookie. He is also the final player in Cherington's first Pirates draft class to make the big league roster ... so far.

Third-Round Pick: Nick Garcia

In the third round, the Pirates took an elite closer from a Division III college named Nick Garcia. He was an exciting story, but he did not have a very long career with the Pirates, as he was traded to the Rockies in 2022 in exchange for Connor Joe.

With the Pirates, Garcia was transitioned into a starting pitcher and struggled in his first year, but did solidly in his second. He went 4-4 with an earned run average of 3.66 in 113 innings pitched and struck out 109 batters. His WHIP sat at 1.20 with an opponents' batting average of .218. After that solid season, he was sent to Colorado's minor leagues, but after a year, he found himself in the Giants' farm.

Garcia is currently in Triple-A with a 5.74 earned run average in 15.2 innings pitched and has a WHIP of 1.91. He lost his control as he was put back into the bullpen with the Giants organization. Despite not having a long career in Pittsburgh's system, Garcia was able to get the Pirates Joe, at the very least.

Fourth-Round Pick: Jack Hartman

The Pirates' 2020 fourth-round pick was also traded for a veteran in the same offseason as the Joe deal. Jack Hartman was traded to the Rays for Ji-Man Choi. Hartman did not pitch very much with the Pirates as he battled injuries. His only season came in 2022 and he did not pitch well, posting a 6.27 earned run average with a WHIP of 2.04.

The Rays somehow took him for Choi and actually turned him into a solid reliever in High-A. This season, Hartman has a 3.10 earned run average in 20.1 innings pitched at the level, carrying a WHIP of 1.38.

Fifth-Round Pick: Logan Hofmann

The last selection from the 2020 draft class was right handed pitcher Logan Hofmann. This pick looked solid in 2021, as Hofmann had a great season with Bradenton, posting a 3.59 earned run average in 82.2 innings pitched with a WHIP of 1.11, striking out 103 batters.

The very next season, Hofmann became a reliever and posted a 6.81 earned run average and a WHIP of 2.10 in Greensboro. In 2023, he was given another opportunity, but did even worse, which resulted in the righty being released. He still remains an unsigned free agent.

Overall, Cherington's first draft with the Pirates turned out pretty well. He found a long-term option at second base, a high-leverage reliever, and a star rookie in the rotation. His fifth draft with the Pirates is right around the corner. Maybe he can uncover more stars, just like he did in 2020.

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