Pirates 2025 2nd Round Pick Chooses UCLA

Cervantes played for Earl Warren High School in Downey, Calif., a city just 13 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

He had an excellent senior season in 2025, with a 7-3 record and a 1.59 ERA, 106 strikeouts and four complete games, earning Gateway League Pitcher of the Year honors.

Cervantes has four pitches in his arsenal, with a fastball that reaches 97 mph but features more around 91-93 mph, a curveball, a slider and a changeup, which is his best pitch.

Perfect Game ranks him as the 34th player overall in the Class of 2025, the 12th best recruit in California and the third best right-handed pitcher.

MLB Pipeline ranked him No. 49 overall in the 2025 Draft Class, Keith Law of The Athletic ranked him No. 63 and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN ranked him No. 66 overall.

Cervantes had a slot value of $1,934,700, which the Pirates now lose from their $14,088,400 bonus pool, after they failed to reach a deal.

NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) money may have played a role in Cervantes staying with UCLA, but he did verbally commit in April 2023 as a sophomore and might bet on himself making more money after college in the 2025 MLB Draft, when he is next eligible.

The Pirates have signed 11 of their 21 2025 MLB Draft picks, including first round pick, right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez, who they took out of Corona High School in Corona, Calif., 45 mile east of Los Angeles, with the sixth overall pick.