(A Too Early) Pittsburgh Pirates Draft Targets
In past seasons, the Pittsburgh Pirates have drafted top of the line prospects such as Ke’Bryan Hayes, Mitch Keller, and Kevin Newman. Coming off a 69–92 last place finish in the National League Central, the Bucs will look to build upon their middle-of-the-line farm system through the First Year Player Draft. Since 2010, the Pirates have had 16 first-round (and compensation/competitive balance) draft picks. 8 pitchers, 4 outfielders, 1 catcher, and 3 infielders have been selected. Also, 9 out of the 16 have been drafted out of high school. Due to over half of these prospects coming out of high school, the Pirates may take another chance on a young star in round one.
The Pirates have the 7th, 31st (Competitive Balance A), and 44th (2nd Round) draft picks in the Top 50 this season. As catcher remains to be a very thin position, overall depth at all positions in vital for the Pirates to perform at a high standard. For rounds 3–40, the Pirates will pick 7th.
Since Bob Nutting’s purchase of the team, a big emphasis has been put on development of young players. This includes a new and improved Dominican Academy where the Dominican Summer League is held. International scouting has proven to be a gold mine of talent for the Pirates in the past. High ceiling prospects such as Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco, and Edgar Santana have been signed and developed through the Dominican Academy. The draft still proves to be a vital part of player development for the Pirates organization, complimenting the international prospects very well.
The way the Pirates draft may be a little different, however. Ben Cherington and the new front office may have different theories and techniques that only time will tell. During Cherington’s four-year stint as the Red Sox GM, he called the shots on 10 draft picks from 2011 to 2015. Half of these prospects were pitchers. Some names that are easily recognizable are Michael Kopech, Matt Barnes, and Pat Light.
Cherington has had a good track record of drafting outfielders during his stint. In 2011, he selected Jackie Bradley Jr. and Andrew Benintendi in 2015. Both were drafted out of college but a player drafted out of high school could give the Pirates more time to develop them to standard.
Something to keep in mind is that these rankings may differ due to one more season of eligibility for prospects before the draft. Another updated draft targets article will be published closer to draft day. This leads us to the number seven pick, Austin Hendrick.
Round 1 Pick 7: OF Austin Hendrick, West Allegheny HS
A Mississippi State commit, local boy Austin Hendrick could help the Pirates reform the outfield. Right now, the top outfield prospect for the Bucs is Travis Swaggerty followed by Calvin Mitchell. As an 18-year-old senior, Hendrick would take 3–4 seasons in the minor leagues to develop on a good schedule. This puts his MLB ETA around 2023–2024. This is right around the time table when the Pirates could be competitive anticipating a successful rebuild/retool.
According to Baseball America scouts, Hendrick possesses elite bat speed with the perfect balance of contact and power. Preferably a corner outfielder, Hendrick may be able to take over left field for the Pirates in the future. Perfect Game reports that Hendrick ran a 6.80 60-Yard Dash, has 93 mph Outfield Velocity, and 105 mph Exit Velocity. A left-handed hitter and fielder, Hendrick posses good arm strength and accuracy. Austin Hendrick is ranked 7th by Baseball America for the upcoming MLB Draft.
Round 1 (Comp A) Pick 31: RHP Victor Mederos, Monsignor Pace HS
The two-time Under Armor All-American Victor Mederos has a nasty five pitch mix to work with his 6'3" frame. As his changeup needs the most work, Mederos throws a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, curveball, and slider. National scouts have gotten quite familiar with Mederos over the seasons. After pitching twice as an All-American, Mederos committed to the University of Miami.
With his deep array of pitches, Mederos’ 6'3" 220 lbs frame gives him the ability to over-match his opponents. According to Perfect Game, Mederos has added 7 mph to his fastball since 2016, touching 96 mph. He will be 19-years-old on draft day and intends on being drafted as a pitcher, despite playing the corner infield spots in high school. Mederos bats and fields right-handed.
Round 2 Pick 44: 3B/1B Jordan Walker, Decatur (Ga.) HS
While evaluating the Pirates system, the corner infield positions seem to be the strongest. The 2nd ranked Pirates’ Prospect Ke’Bryan Hayes will hold down third base while other players such as Mason Martin and Josh Bell look to be the future at first base. The great thing about baseball is, the more depth, the better. And no better prospect to provide depth on the corners than a 6'5" power bat. Jordan Walker, a senior at Decatur High School in Georgia, jumped four spots from 47 to 43 in the latest Baseball America Top 100 Draft Prospects. The Duke commit mainly plays third base but puts in some time at first base as well.
Even though he already posses raw power, Walker has a very high ceiling for continued development of the long ball. Walker’s big frame contains surprising athleticism at 6'5" 220 lbs. Walker ran a 6.56 60 Yard Dash and throws 93 mph across the diamond according to Perfect Game. Walker also has an average 100 mph Exit Velocity in his arsenal. If Walker sticks at the corner infield spots, he could compare to Josh Bell and Oneil Cruz.
Wrap Up:
All three of these prospects could build upon a farm system built through international signings and drafting. In the next 5 seasons, listen for these guy’s names. Even though the Pirates did not draft a catcher in the top 50, they may select one in the next five rounds. Some potential prospects at the position include Kevin Parada (Ranked #62), Kyle Teel (Ranked #85), and Jackson Miller (Ranked #92).
About the Writer:
Ryan Miller is a high school senior seeking a career within the sports field. The New Jersey born 17-year-old was influenced by his father to become a Pittsburgh sports fan. On Twitter, he posts about roster transactions, play-by-play reactions, and interesting takes on different sports topics. Ryan also does a sports podcast with Josh Ruga (@JoshuaRuga on Twitter) about the Pittsburgh Pirates called Pirates Corner (@Pirates_Corner on Twitter). You can find him on Twitter @RyanFromPC.
