Pirates Promote Top Prospect to Bradenton

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have one of their top prospects making their first move up as a professional.

The Pirates assigned shortstop Wyatt Sanford to Single-A Bradenton, promoting him from the Florida Complex League (FCL) Pirates, according to the transactions log.

Sanford played 20 games with the FCL Pirates, slashing .259/.487/.370 for an OPS of .857, with 14 hits in 54 at-bats, one double, one triple, one home run, six RBIs, 17 runs, 15 walks to 15 strikeouts and 13 stolen bases on 14 attempts.

He ranked second in the Florida Complex League with stolen bases, sixth in walks, tied for sixth in runs and seventh in on-base percentage this season.

The Pirates drafted Sanford from Independence High School in Frisco, Texas, just outside Dallas, with the No. 47 overall pick and the eighth pick of the second round.

He originally committed to Texas A&M and signed his National Letter of Intent, but head coach Jim Schlossnagle left for Texas and Sanford signed with the Pirates for $2.5 million, which was over the slot value for the No. 47 pick at $1,984,800.

Sanford had a great senior season for Independence earning Second Team All-American honors and winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award in District 10-5A.

His family has history with the Pirates, as they drafted his father, Chance Sanford, in the 27th Round of the 1992 MLB Draft, who would 14 games with the team in 1998.

He stands 6-foot-1, 175 pounds and is currently 19 years old. MLB Pipeline gave him scouting grades of 50 for hitting, 45 for power, 60 for speed, 55 for his arm, 60 for his fielding and 50 overall.

Sanford ranks No. 8 amongst the top 30 Pirates prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, and has an MLB ETA of 2028.

He will join other top prospects in Bradenton, including the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft in shortstop/outfielder, Konnor Griffin, who ranks No. 2 in the Pirates minor league system.

Other top 30 prospects in Bradenton along with Sanford and Griffin feature right-handed pitcher Zander Meuth (No. 10), third baseman/shortstopJohnny Severino (No. 12), shortstop/third baseman/second baseman Yordanny De Los Santos (No. 16), first baseman/outfielder Tony Blanco Jr. (No. 21), right-handed pitcher Matt Ager (No. 22), catcher/first baseman Axiel Paz (No. 28) and right-handed pitcher David Matoma (No. 30).