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There is a ton of excitement coming from the Pirates' farm system in 2026. The pitching is still super strong, there are finally some hitters starting to get closer to the big leagues and, of course, there's nobody like Konnor Griffin. After an incredible first season, he has a real shot of starting the year in the big leagues.
Aside from Griffin, there are a lot of other more overlooked players to watch out for. Let's dive into the best player at each position entering 2026.
Who is the Pirates' best prospect at each position entering 2026?
Catcher: Rafael Flores
After the Pirates acquired Rafael Flores in a trade for David Bednar, he jumped Omar Alfonzo as the top catching prospect in the organization. Last season across two levels, he slugged 22 home runs and posted a 134 wRC+ with an .825 OPS. He collected two doubles in his short big league stint as well. Flores will likely begin the year in Triple-A, but with trade speculation around Joey Bart, he could definitely find a way to Pittsburgh.
First Base: Tony Blanco Jr.
Tony Blanco Jr. has been a very exciting prospect to watch in the minor leagues. He has gotten comparisons to Aaron Judge with his massive body size and crazy exit velocities. Last season, he posted a 134 wRC+ with eight home runs and a .859 OPS. Striking out has been a bad problem for him, with Ks coming at a high rate of 35.1%. If he cuts that down, he could really take off into becoming the next big time prospect.
Second Base: Termarr Johnson
There have been a lot of mixed emotions recently over Termarr Johnson. He has shown excellent plate discipline his entire career, but his game flipped in 2025. He posted his highest batting average of his career by nearly 30 points at .272 and only hit nine home runs. He belted 33 home runs between 2023 and 2024. His OPS also fell to .745 in 2025, despite the other positive steps. The 21-year-old still has a bright future, and if he could unlock both the contact and power, he could live up to that first-round hype.
Shortstop: Konnor Griffin
Griffin is the best prospect in baseball, and he put together an unreal season in 2025. At just 19 years old, he posted a 165 wRC+ with 21 home runs and 65 stolen bases. His defense also earned him a Gold Glove. The Pirates have a major decision to make with him at spring training: should he be Pittsburgh's starting shortstop immediately, or is there more seasoning left for him?
Third Base: Murf Gray
The Pirates selected Murf Gray on Day 1 of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Fresno State. FanGraphs was high on him, marking him as a first-round talent, but he fell to the Competitive Balance Round B instead. He has yet to make his professional debut. In his junior year of college, he posted a 1.037 OPS with 18 home runs and a strikeout rate of just 10.8%. He's got great bat-to-ball skills, and that should help his power translate to professional baseball.
Left Field: Will Taylor
One of the most underrated picks in the Pirates' 2024 draft class was Will Taylor. All the hype went to Griffin, while Taylor has flown under the radar. Last season across two levels, Taylor posted a 138 wRC+ with 14 home runs and 23 stolen bases. He was a big time athlete at Clemson, playing football as well. He might get a chance in Double-A next season and has really emerged as an under-the-radar prospect.
Center Field: Edward Florentino
Edward Florentino broke out this past season and is now a top 100 prospect in baseball. Last season, he produced an OPS of .948 with a 159 wRC+. He is another power-speed player, as he belted 16 home runs and stole 35 bases. The 19-year-old has became one of the better signings out of international free agency in recent years for Pittsburgh.
Right Field: Jhostynxon Garcia
Jhostynxon Garcia is the biggest addition to the Pirates this offseason and is a top 100 prospect. He mainly plays center field, but saw a lot of innings in right, projecting in more of a corner spot moving forward. He has great power upside, belting 21 home runs with a .810 OPS in 2025. There is some concern about his right-handed bat playing in PNC Park, but nonetheless, he is still an exciting prospect to watch out for.
Designated Hitter: Esmerlyn Valdez
The biggest power bat in the organization is Esmerlyn Valdez. He had a monster showing last season, belting 26 home runs and posting a 155 wRC+. He also led the Arizona Fall League in home runs with eight. His power could be a real game-changer in this lineup, but he probably won't debut until 2027. Defensively, he isn't strong, so he may project more as a DH.
Starting Pitcher: Bubba Chandler
Bubba Chandler is once again the best pitching prospect in the organization. He had a nice start to his major league career last season, posting a 4.02 ERA with a 2.66 FIP and an 8.90 K/9. His electric fastball was strong and he cleaned up his walks by generating a 1.15 BB/9. That was a major concern for him, but it wasn't a problem through 31.1 innings. 2026 will be a huge year for him in Pittsburgh, and he has a real shot of winning a Rookie of the Year award.
Relief Pitcher: Brandan Bidois
To wrap up this list, Brandan Bidois is the top reliever in the organization. He was recently protected from the Rule 5 Draft and will get a chance to compete for a bullpen spot in spring training. Last season across four levels, he posted an 0.71 ERA with a 10.18 K/9 and a 2.44 FIP. His monster year earned him a spot on the 40-man, and now he's got to live up to the hype and contribute to this bullpen.