Reevaluating Ben Cherington's first Pirates draft four years later

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.