Pittsburgh Pirates 2025 top 20 prospects: Bubba Chandler, Nick Yorke lead the way

I mentioned in the farm system rankings that the Pirates have had a lot of big names stall out, and thats reflected all over this list.

The 2021 draft class provided their current top prospect, but so far not much else, and their first-rounders from 2020 and 2022 have underwhelmed.

(Their first-rounder from 2023 is alright, though.) Im good with the top nine here, with a very clear dividing line between No.

9 and No.

10 (a fine player, but not someone you want as one of your top 10 prospects) marking a drop in the depth in the system.

(Note: Tools are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale; ages as of July 1, 2025.) Advertisement 1.

Bubba Chandler, RHP ( No.

19 on the top 100 ) Chandler was part of the Pirates 2021 draft class, where they took Henry Davis with the first pick and went well under slot so they could sign several other first-round talents to over-slot deals with Chandler by far the best of the group to date.

The former quarterback-shortstop-pitcher is now exclusively on the mound, and 2024 was a big step forward for him, as he moved through Double A to Triple A and cut his walk rate from 10.9 percent in 2023 to 8.6 percent across all of last year.

Chandler has one of the best four-seamers in the minors, 94-99 with exceptional shape and life, giving it the illusion of rise, and hitters just cant do anything with it: Triple-A batters whiffed on it 27 percent of the time they swung, and when they did hit it they were more likely to go the other way because they couldnt pull it.

Hes mostly fastball-slider-changeup now, barely using the curveball, so he can focus on improving just one breaking ball.

Itll probably always be his third-best pitch, but it was effective against righties last year, and his changeup is still a plus pitch for him that he can use against both sides.

The Pirates let him work a little deeper into games in 2024 and he showed no loss of stuff, while this was the second year in a row that he pitched a full season, so he should be ready to step into the big-league rotation by midyear.

He only became a full-time pitcher in 2023, so he may still have more growth ahead of him on the mound than the typical 22-year-old, and hes every bit the athlete youd expect from someone who was committed to Clemson for two sports.

Even if the slider is never more than a fringe-average pitch, he looks like hell at least be a No.

2 starter with the two elite weapons and the potential for above-average command as he matures.

2.

Nick Yorke, 2B ( No.

50 on the top 100 ) Boston shocked everyone in 2020 when they took Yorke, a high school second baseman who had to move off shortstop after shoulder surgery, in the first round, but his first full pro season in 2021 appeared to vindicate them when he hit .325/.412/.516 at both A-ball levels.

His follow-up in 2022 was marred by multiple injuries, including a nagging left wrist issue that interrupted his stint in the Arizona Fall League, and his 2023 fell somewhere in between, so it seemed like hed settled in as a future regular but one without much upside.

He did nothing after returning to Double A to start 2024, but from the moment Boston promoted him to Triple A, he turned into Rogers Hornsby, hitting .333/.420/.498 even through a trade to the Pirates for Quinn Priester.

Those numbers came with tons of hard contact: He peaked at 111 mph, half his balls in play were hard hit (95 mph+), and the average velocity of that upper half (his EV50) was 101.9 mph, all of which were comfortably above the MLB medians.

His swing is very simple and direct; it doesnt have a ton of loft, so hes probably not going to be a big power guy (barring a swing change), and instead should run high BABIPs and averages, maybe challenging for the league lead in doubles.

Hes a solid-average defender at second and his throwing has improved enough that hes not going to have any trouble staying there, although the left side of the infield is probably out of the question.

My evaluations of Yorke have been all over the place since he was drafted, so take this with even more grains of salt than usual, but Im buying Yorke now as a future 55, an above-average regular wholl have some years when hes an All-Star because he hits for such a high batting average.

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Konnor Griffin, SS/OF ( No.

84 on the top 100 ) Griffin was the best tools prospect in the 2024 draft class meaning he had the best overall combination of physical tools, with potential 60 or 70 grades in power, speed, arm, and fielding in centerfield, but no one seems to know if hes going to hit.

The Pirates took a shot with the No.

9 pick in the draft and will have to be patient, as the history of high school hitters from Mississippi is pretty dismal because of the caliber of competition those hitters face as amateurs.

Hes played short and center but looks much better in the outfield, with pro reports on his shortstop defense from instructs not especially glowing, and hes got a 70 arm that produced low-90s velocity when he pitched.

Its also huge raw power with a swing that generates a ton of leverage, both good from his hip rotation and bad from his deep hand load that creates a longer path.

He does have quick hands and should be able to adjust to a shorter swing without sacrificing much power if any, assuming the Pirates decide to go that route.

Theres a ton of risk here multiple scouts have seen him, raved about the tools, and told me I just dont know if he can hit but Griffin offers 30/30 upside with plus defense in center.

4.

Termarr Johnson, 2B ( No.

92 on the top 100 ) This is the, uh, get off the pot year for Johnson, as it is for several of his classmates from the 2022 draft (Druw Jones, Cam Collier).

Hes entering his age-21 season and still hasnt shown the plus hit tool everyone seemed to think he had as an amateur.

Johnson failed to post a .250 batting average for the second year in a row and hit for even less power in 2024 than he had in 2023, again drawing a ton of walks while hitting too many groundballs and pop-ups.

Johnson has excellent bat speed and clearly knows the strike zone, and he showed real progress during the season as the Pirates worked with him on his swing decisions to get him to do more damage on pitches on the inner half.

He also moved further back in the box, and as a result of those adjustments, he cut down on his whiff and chase rates after the All-Star break and pulled the ball more often.

Unfortunately, none of it translated into more hits or more power.

A .237/.367/.386 season line isnt going to make him more than an extra guy in the majors.

He has too good of a swing and too much plate discipline to not hit at least in the high .200s.

5.

Braxton Aschraft, RHP The Pirates have a bunch of right-handed starters who are close to the majors but have some kind of question mark about whether they can be big-league starters.

Ashcraft has the best stuff of the group, working fastball/slider/curve, bumping 98 with good spin and carry on the four-seamer.

He works without a changeup or split and with a history of arm problems behind him, including elbow and shoulder surgeries.

His slider has gyro break and has been effective against lefties so far, and what he really lacks is a pitch with arm-side break or fade, like a two-seamer or a split.

If only they had someone in their organization who had cooked up a pitch like that on his own.

Anyway, Ashcraft was banged up again last year with forearm tightness, pitching very well in the 73 innings he did throw, with just 12 walks and 77 strikeouts between Double A and Triple A.

He does repeat his delivery enough to believe the command and control are real, so hes as starter as long as the connective tissue permits.

6.

Thomas Harrington, RHP Harrington has plus command of a bucket of average pitches, sitting 91-94 and throwing everything hard, even his changeup.

There isnt really an out-pitch here, despite the solid strikeout rate (25.1 percent) in 2024 across three levels, mostly Double A and Triple A.

His changeup is good enough that he had no platoon split last year.

He might be a fourth starter as soon as this year if the command is just so good that he can get away without a 55 pitch in his repertoire, with fifth starter much more likely.

7.

Mike Burrows, RHP Burrows came back from Tommy John surgery and reached the majors for a single three-inning outing.

Hes a four-pitch guy coming from a higher slot, making him extremely north-south, with good but not elite carry at 93-95 up top.

His curveball has higher spin, but the slider looks like itll be the better breaking pitch, although neither has a lot of horizontal movement, while his changeup is solid-average.

He had a huge platoon split last year, but thats probably because he just cant locate anything inside to them rather than an issue with his changeup.

He was rusty last year but came back with all his stuff intact.

He might be a back-end starter, with not much ceiling beyond that because of the slot and movement of his arsenal.

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Carlson Reed, RHP Reed is cut from a slightly different cloth than the guys ahead of him, with a higher ceiling but lower probability of sticking as a starter.

Drafted in the fourth round in 2023 out of West Virginia, Reed has a long arm action, which often is a big negative for a starter, but hes athletic enough to repeat it and get to a consistent release point.

His slider can flash average or even a tick above when he gets more tilt on it; some break straight down, but the best ones then break hard and late away from right-handers.

The changeup is a 55, with heavy tumble to it.

Hitters clearly dont like his arm action as he had high whiff rates on all three pitches in Low A (where he was too advanced for the level anyway) and High A (more appropriate).

His velocity trended up as the season went along as well, as did his control.

His walk rate was actually much lower at the higher level.

It might be three 55s in the end, maybe a 60 if you dream on the changeup, as long as he keeps repeating the arm action.

9.

Wyatt Sanford, SS Sanford was Pittsburghs second-round pick in 2024, a polished high school shortstop with plus defense and speed who earned high marks for his swing decisions.

He has excellent bat speed and a sound swing that should let him get to 50/55 power.

Hes not that strong yet, so he may need to bulk up just to be ready for Low-A pitching in the deadly Florida State League this year, but he has the eye and swing to at least make a lot of contact there, even if theres no impact.

I thought he was a borderline first-round talent at the time they got him, so needless to say I loved the pick.

10.

Mitch Jebb, SS/CF Jebb started playing centerfield last year to boost his value, and he seems very likely to get to the majors as a utility player who can handle short, center, and second, but lacks the thump to play anywhere as an everyday guy and doesnt hit lefties at all.

He hit .274/.361/.391 against righties, however, and is a 55 runner whos very good at second base and surprised everyone with how well he seemed to adapt to center.

Theres no ceiling here, just a good player who could stick around for a long time because of his unusual versatility.

11.

Yordany De Los Santos, SS/3B De Los Santos changed his swing dramatically from 2023 to 2024, cutting way down on his swing-and-miss in the zone as a result, demolishing the Florida Complex League in his second go-round before scuffling a little in a month-plus in Low A.

He just wasnt physically ready for the higher level, with low exit velocities in the little time he was there, an issue exacerbated by him chasing almost 36 percent of the time out of the zone, often just making weak contact.

Hes got a plus arm and if he cant last at shortstop, he should be very good at third base.

Hes a potential regular at one of those spots if the strength comes.

12.

Tsung-Che Cheng, SS Cheng went to a training facility I wont name last offseason and changed his swing to try to lift the ball more, getting himself to 11 homers ...

two fewer than he hit the year before.

His overall line collapsed to .229/.329/.347, a drop of over 100 points of slugging percentage.

Hes an elite defensive shortstop, however, and a plus runner, and even in a disastrous season at the plate, he didnt panic and start chasing pitches out of the zone, so theres still a foundation here for an everyday player.

Hes a contact hitter wholl hit a few homers naturally by figuring out which pitches to ambush.

If the Pirates can convince him to undo the changes, hell be fine.

13.

Tony Blanco, 1B Blanco is enormous with huge power, topping 120 mph in exit velocities already, with crazy bat speed behind it, but hes pushing the upper bounds of what a baseball player can look like and he hasnt even turned 20 yet.

He spent two summers in the DSL, then came here to the FCL last year for 30 games around an injury and hit .305/.385/.505 with 31 strikeouts in 109 PA (28.4 percent).

He hasnt played that much and his eye at the plate is not great, while he also has to cope with his enormous strike zone.

If he hits, its 40 homers, but the odds are very long here.

14.

Jack Brannigan, SS/3B Brannigan had a bad year in 2024, but still has the potential to be a good utility infielder with some power.

He hit well in High-A Greensboro, a great hitters park, but hit just .200/.301/.387 away from home.

Its not a great swing and his leg kick isnt helping, as he doesnt always come down in the same area so sometimes hes more open and sometimes more closed.

Hes got an easy plus arm and can play short or third, possibly plus at either spot.

Even a low-OBP, 20-homer guy at short is probably a regular; I think hes going to fall a little short of that, but that hes better than what he showed last year.

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Hunter Barco, LHP Barco had Tommy John surgery in his draft year, returned in 2023, started out healthy last year but then had a stress reaction in his shin that ended his year after two Double A starts in July.

Hes a crossfire, low-slot lefty whose fastball is really his only average pitch, with a 45 slider his main secondary weapon.

He doesnt have great feel to spin it and the shape doesnt work for him at all, while he barely throws a changeup and had the expected platoon split.

Hes always had reliever risk from the delivery anyway, but the arsenal will probably push him there.

16.

Omar Alfonzo, C The son of former big leaguer Eliezer Alfonzo, Omar is also a catcher, with a plus arm and at least average all-around receiving skills, and he hit well at both A-ball levels last year.

He first signed in 2019, didnt debut until 2021 due to the pandemic, and didnt see full-season ball until 2023.

He had a solid 2024, boosted a little bit by some home games at Greensboro, an outstanding hitters park, where he hit five homers in 17 games.

Its more contact and patience, and he might be a better overall hitter if he tried to pull the ball a little less often.

Hes a very high-probability backup who could be a regular if the receiving gets to plus and he can hold his OBPs steady even at higher levels.

17.

Levi Sterling, RHP Sterling was one of the youngest pitchers in the 2024 draft, only turning 18 in September, but his stock took a dip because his velocity was down about 2 mph in his spring season.

At his best, hes up to 94 with a plus changeup, lacking an average breaking ball, and he needs to get significantly stronger to get more power from his legs and hold his stuff through the season.

He was also playing shortstop in high school, which likely took a toll on him physically as well.

Hes projectable and has a fast arm, although its slingy and comes from a low enough slot that hes more likely to end up a reliever right now.

18.

Jhonny Severino, 3B/22 Severino, acquired in the trade that sent Carlos Santana to Milwaukee, was great while repeating the FCL last year, but his strikeout rate jumped to 30 percent when the Pirates promoted him to Low A.

Hes power over hit right now and could end up a 25-homer bat if he had the hit tool, but his pitch selection is lacking and he doesnt square the ball up often enough right now.

Hes played third base and shortstop but shortstop isnt happening.

Hes only 20 but this is a big year, as hes already had a taste of Low A and he needs to show he can make consistent, hard contact against that level of pitching.

19.

Keiner Delgado, SS/2B Haben Sie einer Delgado? Nein, ich habe Keiner Delgado!* Delgado was on the Yankees loaded FCL affiliate in 2023, then went to the Pirates in the JT Brubaker trade last spring, spending most of the year in Low A for the Pirates.

The undersized infielder hit just .232/.318/.347 there, as his high walk rate from the complex league didnt last once pitchers realized they could attack him in the zone.

He just wasnt strong enough, at least not yet, although he did manage to poke eight homers, all dead-pulled into the right field corner.

Hes a switch-hitter with great instincts and could stick at short, with above-average defense at second if he has to move.

I was more excited a year ago when it seemed like he had enough sock; that was wrong and we have more data to back that up.

If he gets stronger, soon, he still has the rest of the tools to be at least a good utility infielder.

(* I know, its ein or eine, not einer.

Just give me this one.) 20.

Matt Ager, RHP Ager was a starter at UC Santa Barbara to start 2024 but moved to the bullpen partway through the year and had much better results.

Hes 90-94 with a short-breaking slider thats more vertical than horizontal, and there might be more velocity to come, as he had an oblique strain before the season started and came back very quickly.

Its straight relief but he might be able to zip to Double A if the stuff ticks up.

Others of note Right-hander Zander Mueth has a great arm but his low arm slot gives lefties a long look at the ball and he allowed a .351 OBP to them last year.

After his promotion to Low A, he walked 24 in 22 2/3 innings.

Hes up to 97 with a slider and cutter.

...

Outfielder Lonnie White.

Jr.

made a deal for some angel food insert saxophone solo but his move to High A didnt go well at all beyond the fact that it was the most the 2021 draftee had ever played in one pro season.

He got into 89 games but hit .167/.275/.340 with a 34.4 percent strikeout rate.

The only reason I havent given up here is that he has so little experience around multiple injuries; the 375 PA he had last year were more than hed had in the previous two-plus years combined.

...

Right-hander Mike Walsh , a graduate of Yale, throws a ton of sliders and cutters, leaning on them more than his low-90s fastball, and throws enough strikes to see a future middle reliever.

Righties hit just .118/.208/.129 off him, with just one extra-base hit in 96 PA, between Low A and Hhigh A last year.

Advertisement 2025 impact Yorke is one of their best prospects and he should get a shot to win the second base job in spring training, which is why I was and remain very confused that they signed Adam Frazier and his .282 OBP and .294 SLG to a major-league deal.

Frazier hasnt had an OBP over .301 since 2021.

I think the Pirates were willing to trade Luis Ortiz because of that trio of close-to-the-majors right-handers in their top 10 in Ashcraft, Burrows, and Harrington; all three probably get starts in the majors this year.

Ashcraft would be the one to pick for the highest impact, but of course, hes also the most likely of the three to be unavailable due to injury.

The fallen Everything went backwards for lefty Anthony Solometo last year, including his velocity, as he was down from 94-95 to 88-90 for much of the season.

He made 20 appearances in Double A and walked 36 in 58 2/3 innings with just 46 strikeouts, so hes not even missing bats like did the year before.

When the Pirates first got him in the second round in 2021, he had a potential plus breaking ball and came from a low three-quarters slot that made him very hard to pick up.

I really dont know what the Pirates could do here; he might be hurt, he might need a delivery overhaul, he just needs some kind of reset.

Sleeper Im a big fan of Reed, even though his arm action is the kind I often disdain in these writeups.

He makes it work for him, he has the three pitches, and he made adjustments as the year went on.

Additional top prospect coverage GO DEEPER Top 100 MLB prospects 2025: Keith Laws rankings, with Roman Anthony at No.

1 GO DEEPER MLB prospects who just missed Keith Laws top 100 ranking: Caissie, Saggese and more GO DEEPER MLB 2025 farm system rankings: Keith Law ranks all 30 teams, Mariners are new No.

1 (Top photo of Chandler: Mike Janes / Four Seam Images via Associated Press).

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