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Sep 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Bubba Chandler (57) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pirates Named Best Farm System in Baseball

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Feb 5, 2026 7:00 AM ET

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates head into 2026 with some of the top young talent in all of baseball, and it shows throughout the minor leagues.

Baseball America thinks so as well, naming the Pirates farm system the best of any of the 30 major league teams.

It marks the just the third time that Baseball America has bestowed the distinction on the Pirates, last doing so in 2014 and then doing so for the first time in 1997.

Pittsburgh has received high farm system rankings this season, with ESPN marking it third and The Athletic putting it at fourth, so this makes it the first time a publication has put their prospect group at the top.

Why the Pirates Have the Best Farm System

Baseball America ranked four Pirates players in their top 100 and in their top 40, including shortstop/outfielder Konnor Griffin as the top prospect, right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler at 15th, outfielder Edward Florentino at 28th and right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez at 38th.

The Pirates having their top four prospects in Baseball America's top 40 is quite impressive and shows the high quality of talent the franchise has in their minor leagues.

Baseball America staff writers see having better players at the top of their rankings as much important than having a solid top 30, since those great prospects will usually produce at the next level.

"Having the best prospect in baseball in Griffin is a great start, but it’s the depth of top-tier prospects, including Bubba Chandler, Edward Florentino and Seth Hernandez, that puts the Pirates on top of the farm system rankings this year," they wrote. "The team’s second-tier depth is less impressive, but it’s better to have elite prospects in quantities than depth.

Why These Four Prospects are So Highly Rated

Griffin had an incredible first professional season at just 19 years old, moving up all the way to Double-A and becoming the top prospect in baseball.

He has everything that a team would want in a player, great athleticism, can hit for contact and power, speed around the base paths and is fantastic defensively, winning an MiLB Gold Glove Award at shortstop.

Griffin hasn't even played at Triple-A yet and turns just 20 years old on April 24, but the Pirates are reportedly considering making him their starting shortstop on Opening Day, which might happen if he has a great Spring Training.

Baseball America ranks Chandler as the third best right-handed pitching prospect and fourth best pitching prospect.

He has already pitched at the major league level, spending the last month-and-a-half with the Pirates in 2025, beginning in the bullpen, then transitioning into a starter role for the last month.

Chandler has an 100 mph fastball and both his changeup and slider are great offspeed pitches that make it difficult for hitters to deal with.

He should feature as an important part of the starting rotation next season, which already has the likes of 2025 National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes, veteran Mitch Keller and fellow rookie Braxton Ashcraft.

Baseball America is incredibly high on Florentino, who they have as their top corner outfield prospect.

Florentino performed incredibly well at both Rookie-Level ball with the Florida Complex League (FCL) Pirates and Single-A Bradenton at just 18 years old in his first professional season in the United States.

Batting Average	On-Base %	Slugging %	OPS
.290	.400	.548	.948

Hits	Doubles	HR	RBI	BB/K	SB
84	23	16	59	49/78	35

Much like Griffin, he hits for contact and power and has good speed at just 19 years old. He also has a keen eye and reduces strikeouts and is a solid outfielder, which should keep him there instead of relegating him to a designated hitter spot.

Florentino should start at High-A Greensboro and then if he has a solid showing, earn promotion to Double-A Altoona.

The Pirates took Hernandez sixth overall in the 2025 MLB Draft out of Corona High School in Corona, Calif., about 45 miles east from

Hernandez stands 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, commanding an imposing presence on the mound at just 19 years old.

His fastball is his best pitch, reaching around 100 mph, but the break he gets on his curveball is impressive and he has good control over his changeup. He does throw a slider as well.

Hernandez, while not officially pitching for the Pirates in2205, did pitch down at Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla., where he should start next season with the FCL Pirates.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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