Pirates Have Reportedly Signed 22-Year-Old Outfielder

The Pittsburgh Pirates made a low-key addition to their organization Thursday, signing a young outfielder to a minor league deal just hours before opening a three-game set against the Los Angeles Dodgers on the West Coast.

The club announced the move involving 22-year-old free agent Owen Prince, assigning him to the Florida Complex League Pirates. The transaction came via a report from MiLB.com.

“Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent OF Owen Prince to a minor league contract.”

Prince arrives after wrapping up his college career at Virginia Military Institute, where he spent four seasons from 2023 through 2026.

Over 184 games in the Keydet uniform, he posted a .321 batting average, a .458 on-base percentage and a .401 slugging mark. His power numbers included four home runs, 21 doubles and four triples. He also drove in 92 runs and swiped 103 bases, showing the kind of speed and plate discipline that scouts often notice even when draft boards pass a player by.

This summer, Prince kept his bat hot in the MLB Draft League with the Williamsport Crosscutters. In that circuit he hit .282 with a robust .464 on-base percentage and a .336 slugging percentage. He collected two doubles, two triples, 15 RBI and 24 stolen bases.

Despite those numbers, he went undrafted in July, leaving him available for clubs looking to add depth at the lower levels.

Pirates fans following the big-league club may not see Prince in black and gold anytime soon, but the signing fills out the developmental pipeline at a position where speed and on-base skills remain valuable. The Florida Complex League offers a place for undrafted free agents and recent college graduates to begin their professional careers under the organization’s coaching staff.

Meanwhile, the major-league club prepares for a tough test in Los Angeles. The series against the Dodgers begins Friday night at Dodger Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 10:10 p.m. CDT. Pittsburgh enters the matchup after taking two of three from the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park earlier this week. The team enjoyed a scheduled off day Thursday before traveling west.

Prior to the Tigers series, the Pirates had claimed two of three against the Boston Red Sox, also at home. That stretch leaves them at 5-5 over their last 10 games. Their overall record sits at 63-66, placing them 5½ games behind the San Diego Padres in the race for the final National League wild-card berth.

In the National League Central standings, Pittsburgh occupies fourth place, 16½ games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. The gap to the division lead underscores the long climb still ahead if the club hopes to make a late push.

On the mound Friday, the Pirates plan to hand the ball to right-hander Bubba Chandler. Chandler carries a 6-8 record, a 4.23 ERA and 108 strikeouts into the start. Opposite him, the Dodgers are expected to counter with right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who owns a 12-7 mark, a sparkling 2.60 ERA and 136 strikeouts on the season.

The contrast in pitching lines highlights the challenge facing Pittsburgh’s lineup against one of the National League’s stronger rotations. Chandler will look to keep the game close early and give his offense a chance against a Dodgers club that has been among the more consistent teams in the league this year.

For Prince, the focus remains far from the big-league lights. His immediate task is to adjust to professional pitching and the daily grind of the Florida Complex League schedule. Success at that level could open doors to higher affiliates in the coming seasons.

The Pirates’ front office has shown a willingness in recent years to take calculated chances on college performers who fall through the draft cracks. Prince’s combination of contact skills, patience at the plate and base-running instincts fits that mold.

Whether those tools translate remains to be seen, but the organization now has another prospect in the system to evaluate.

As the big-league club begins its series in Los Angeles, the quiet signing of a 22-year-old outfielder serves as a reminder that roster building continues year-round, even on days when the attention is fixed on the standings and the starting pitchers.