Top 5 unranked prospects in the Pittsburgh Pirates' farm system

Gavin Adams

The Pirates selected Gavin Adams in the eighth round of this year’s draft. The right-hander was a JUCO transfer to Florida State University but never threw a pitch for the Seminoles, as he underwent Tommy John surgery. Still, he has some powerful stuff and will be a prospect to watch during the second half of next year.

Adams' four-seamer is the best pitch in his arsenal. The righty’s heater sits in the upper 90s, but he tops out at 101 MPH, making him one of the Pirates’ hardest-throwing pitching prospects. His go-to breaking pitch is an upper-80s slider, while his offspeed pitch is a changeup with similar velocity. 

While Adams can throw some high-octane stuff, he has control issues, like most young flamethrowers. He struck out 44 batters in just 26.1 innings in 2023, but that came at the cost of 19 free passes. Adams is 6’4”, 190 pounds, and throws from a low three-quarters arm slot.

Adams has the sort of stuff you’d expect from a closing pitcher: big velocity with a good breaking pitch. The Pirates have helped young and hard-throwing pitchers like Kyle Nicolas and Jared Jones harness their powerful stuff in recent seasons. Hopefully, they can do the same with Adams once he returns from Tommy John next year.

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