Ranking the 10 most valuable young players in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization

5. Termarr Johnson

Termarr Johnson is heating up at the plate in Double-A, and could be nearing a promotion himself to Triple-A. The 2022 first-rounder has been very impressive at the plate considering he's just 20 years old. He consistently has produced high walk rates to go with decent strikeout rates. His plate discpline is very advanced, and he adds power at second base.

So far to begin this season, Johnson is batting .271 with five home runs and seven stolen bases. He adds an .803 OPS with a 135 wRC+. His walk rate is up to 14.1% and his strikeout rate is down to just 16.7%.

Even while Nick Gonzales appears to be the long-term answer at second base, there is still time to figure out a way to get both of these two middle infielders in the Pirates' lineup. Johnson may make his MLB Debut this season, given his hot start to the campaign. 2026 will definitely be the year where he gets a significant chance in the big leagues, and who knows? With his tools, he could be a possible Rookie of the Year candidate.

4. Hunter Barco

Hunter Barco has emerged as the Pirates' top southpaw prospect and has been making history, too. He went on a scoreless streak that broke a record for the Altoona Curve, which ended in his next start - up with Indianapolis. He just landed on the injured list, but thankfully he should be back soon, only suffering a mild muscle strain in his shoulder. He has already begun throwing again.

This hot start has also put him into MLB Pipeline's top 100 prospects, too. On the season, across two affiliates, Barco has posted an 0.89 ERA with a 2.46 FIP and an 11.87 K/9. Opponents are batting .139 against him, and he is walking hitters at an 11% clip to create a WHIP of 0.89.

His numbers are excellent, and he has shown signs of great stuff on the mound. Once he is healthy and he finds himself in another groove, his debut could also happen this season. The majority of the Pirates' pitching prospects are right-handed, and with Andrew Heaney likely to be dealt this deadline, that southpaw swap could work out perfectly.

3. Bubba Chandler

Bubba Chandler's debut is the most anticipated out of any prospect in this organization. He probably should have made the Opening Day rotation over Carmen Mlodzinski, but instead he is in Triple-A and pitching very well. The NL Rookie of the Year favorite for 2025 is the highest-ranked pitching prospect in baseball right now. Chandler has also became the highest-ranked Pirates prospect in MLB Pipeline's top 100 prospects list of all time.

In Triple-A this season, Chandler has generated a 2.17 ERA with a 2.85 FIP and a 13.50 K/9. His WHIP is up to 1.13, coming from an opposing batting average of .197 and a 10.5% walk rate. He has dominated his opponents in Indianapolis, but he remains in the minors so the Pirates can save a year of service on him.

The date to wait to save a service year has already passed, so the Pirates are really just trying to limit his innings so he cannot win the Rookie of the Year. If he wins, then he qualifies for a year of service, regardless of his number starts in the big leagues. That happened to Skenes last season, and Pittsburgh does not want to miss out on the extra year two seasons in a row. They may be depriving the team of an extra draft pick in the process, however.