Three potential under slot draft picks to keep an eye on for the Pirates

Each draft pick has an assigned slot value. Last year, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ first overall pick had a slot value of $9,721,000. The Pirates’ pick, Paul Skenes, signed slightly under slot at $9.2 million. This would help them save money for other picks later on in the draft, namely high school right-hander Zander Mueth. This isn’t the first time Ben Cherington has done this as Pirates’ General Manager, as he took Henry Davis first overall and signed him to under slot value in ‘21 to help him later be able to sign Anthony Solometo, Bubba Chandler, Lonnie White Jr., Owen Kellington, and Braylon Bishop.

Now he has also gone the other way, no doubt. Termarr Johnson would be a primary case, however it is all likely about the Draft class. Hopefully, this is another deep class that the Pirates will be able to take advantage by having additional picks.

Given that Cherington has now done this two times in his three full drafts (not counting 2020’s five-round draft), I would not put it past him to do this again in the 2024 draft. If there’s an opportunity to take an under-slot player so he can take an over-slot prospect in the second or third rounds, he might do it again. If this happens to be the approach Cherington takes, who could be on the Pirates’ radar?