Recapping the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 2025 MLB Draft

This year’s MLB Draft is officially in the books, and this year, the Pittsburgh Pirates made a lot of noise. After last season left them with the beginning of a potentially interesting core headlined by Paul Skenes, they had a clear need for offensive help heading into the draft. With the club working on a tight budget, the draft has become even more important for their success.

The Pirates had plenty of funds and key picks to work with this year, as their bonus pool of just over $14 million was the eighth-highest bonus pool in this year’s cycle. This draft was crucial for general manager Ben Cherington and Amateur Scouting Director Justin Horowitz, as the team desperately needs some internal weapons.

The Pirates leaned into prep upside early in this year’s draft, going for tools, projection, and raw traits early, then shifting toward safer, more cost-controlled college performers on day two. This is a formula that served them well, as they were able to walk away with some of the most exciting prep arms in the country while also forming a very good collegiate group of hitters on day two.

Fans were concerned about the lack of bats seen in the Pirates’ early picks, but they made up for this later in the draft. They weren’t afraid to get crafty while also waiting for their ideal players to fall right into their hands. Overall, this was one of the strongest classes Cherington has put together in my eyes.

Let’s break down how the Pirates performed in this year’s draft.

Round 1 (Grade: A+)

1 (6) – Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona HS

When looking at the names on the board for the Pirates at pick six overall, they were fortunate to have a decent amount of choices. With most of these being on the prep side, the Pirates had a choice to make: Take the top arm available, or slightly reach for one of the better bats.

The Pirates elected to take the top arm available, which resulted in righty Seth Hernandez being the first player off the board for the Bucs. This pick is the easiest A+ grade possible, as Hernandez’s upside is far too high to pass up on. It was a bit shocking to see him at number six, so why not take the chance?

Hernandez is widely known for his four-seam fastball, and rightfully so. He touched triple-digits on the pitch last year at one of the Area Code events in California, really catching the eyes of scouts across the nation. His heater routinely sits in the upper-90s, potentially projecting to touch 100 more often once he fills out fully.

While it’s easy to get excited about this type of fastball for someone of Hernandez’s age, his real money maker is his changeup. In my eyes, it was the best changeup in the class ahead of draft day and was routinely given similar marks from those in the industry. He throws it in the low-80s with good downward movement, missing plenty of bats along the way.

His curveball might just be the most underrated part of his game, as it gives opposing hitters a far different look than his fastball and changeup. It’s a huge change in speed also, as it’s thrown closer to the high-70s with loopier break.

Hernandez has also mixed in a slider, which has slowly become one of his key offerings. Due to the fact that he throws it a little harder, it reminds me of Bubba Chandler’s cutter/slider offering, a pitch that’s helped transform his arsenal in the upper levels of the minor leagues.

The areas where Hernandez still has some work to do development-wise are where you’d expect to see from a prep arm. His command has a little way to go, but his athleticism and velocity will make up for some of the lacking attributes of his game.

Hernandez will likely sign slightly over slot, but I’m less concerned about this after seeing Kade Anderson agree to an $8.8 million deal shortly after being selected third overall.

Overall, this was the best choice the Pirates could’ve made with their first pick. Hernandez’s sheer upside and dominant tools make him one of the premier talents in the draft, and to pass up on that skillset would be a bad decision.

Also, the hitters at the top of the draft had far more questions surrounding their names than Hernandez did, making this pick even smarter and safer.

Round 2-3 (Grade: B+)

2 (50) – Angel Cervantes, RHP, Warren HS

CBB (73) – Murf Gray, 3B, Fresno State

3 (82) – Easton Carmichael, C, Oklahoma

The Pirates followed up their selection of Seth Hernandez with another prep arm, much to the displeasure of the team’s fans. However, righty Angel Cervantes was one of the best picks they could’ve made.

Cervantes is as safe of a prep arm as you’ll find outside of the first round, with him possessing great athletic abilities overall. Cervantes features a legitimate three-pitch mix at just 17 years old, already showing the smooth mechanics needed to be a starter at the next level.

Just like Hernandez, he throws a very good changeup to pair with a low-90s fastball, a mix that seems to be the Bucs’ bread and butter this draft. His curveball can be an intriguing pitch, as he can throw it from more of a 12-6 break to more of a sweepy slider profile.

Throwing a starter with this high of a floor in the Pirates’ system feels like a true match made in heaven.

When his name was called on draft day, many people considered Murf Gray to be quite a reach with their Comp-B pick. However, he’s displayed the tools to be even better than people realize.

He’s posted very good contact rates as well as an intriguing power profile, one that could lead him to become a complete hitter at the next level. Standing at 6-foot-4, Gray could routinely find himself pulling homers at the next level.

He was regarded very highly by FanGraphs, as they ranked him as the 19th-best player on their draft board. This is far and beyond the highest praise he received, but these plus attributes hold, we could be looking at a very safe hitter here in Gray.

The Pirates rounded out this group with catcher Easton Carmichael, a right-handed hitter who routinely finds himself making hard contact. Carmichael has been a very good contact-hitting catcher, but this doesn’t come at the expense of his power, as he hit 17 homers last season.

Overall, this group of players is both intriguing with plenty of upside potential, while also being extremely safe in the process. Cervantes should profile as a pretty good starter, while Gray and Carmichael should be good hitters moving forward.

Round 4-10 (Grade: A-)

4 (113) – Gustavo Melendez, SS, HS

5 (144) – Adonys Guzman, C, Arizona

6 (173) – Jack Anker, RHP, Fresno State

7 (203) – Brent Iredale, 3B, Arkansas

8 (233) – Josh Tate, OF, Georgia Southern

9 (263) – Jared Jones, 1B, Louisiana State University

10 (293) – Matt King, SS, Arizona State

Outside of Hernandez in the first round, this stretch of picks between rounds four and ten is the best stretch of selections the Pirates had in this year’s draft. There are players of all types here, including some incredible upside in some of the hitters in these rounds.

My two favorite players in this range are Brent Iredale and Jared Jones, the team’s 7th and 9th round picks, respectively. Prior to the draft, I had both of these players circled as potential targets for the club, and it was thrilling to see the team take a chance on such exciting hitters.

Starting with Iredale, the Australian third baseman is one of the more powerful hitters the Pirates selected in this year’s draft. He routinely hit high exit velocities this season with Arkansas while simultaneously maintaining low chase rates. This makes for a very good offensive profile with plenty of pop and a safe floor.

Jones, a first baseman, was my favorite pick in the entire draft outside of Hernandez, as his value is extremely clear. He comes with some of the most electric power in college baseball, as he slugged 64 homers across three seasons for the LSU Tigers.

Even though his strikeouts increased this season at LSU, Jones did a far better job at not chasing outside of the zone, allowing for his hit tool to take a massive step forward. With the Pirates not having a consistent answer at first base, this type of player now in the farm system is huge.

Adonys Guzman and Josh Tate are both interesting college bats, although the Pirates may have reached on each of these players slightly. However, there are very interesting offensive profiles in each of these players, as they both flat out raked in their final collegiate seasons.

Guzman fell just shy of double-digit homers, while Tate eclipsed that mark. They both posted wRC+ numbers above 110, with Tate finishing in the 150s. They also posted solid exit velocity numbers, alongside decent on-base metrics, catching my eye in all of these areas.

Gustavo Melendez is an interesting shortstop out of Puerto Rico, as the left-hander has displayed a solid all-around game from a 5-foot-8 frame. He has a good feel for the barrel, as well as a decent glove. A Wake Forest commit, Melendez could develop nicely as he ages.

Their 10th-round pick, Matt King, really interests me at the dish. He posted a 144 wRC+ this season at Arizona State while rarely striking out, posting a strikeout rate of just 8% this season. He’s shown elite bat-to-ball skills with a great eye.

Jack Anker is a semi-interesting arm as well, as he profiles to be a back-end of the rotation piece. He sits in the low to mid-90s, with a decent changeup as well, fitting the arsenal the Pirates were seeking this draft.

Round 11-20 (Grade: B+)

11 (323) – Dylan Palmer, 2B, Hofstra

12 (353) – Cameron Keshock, RHP, Samford University

13 (383) – Dylan Mathiesen, RHP, Liberty University

14 (413) – Connor Hamilton, RHP, HS

15 (443) – McLane Moody, RHP, Northside Senior High

16 (473) – Eddie King Jr., OF, Louisville

17 (503) – Carter Gwost, OF, Little Falls HS

18 (533) – Cannon Reeder, OF, Oregon State

19 (563) – Brandon Cain, RHP, Oklahoma

20 (593) – Nick Frusco, LHP, Miller Place HS

The later parts of most MLB Drafts tend to be less significant unless there’s a chance at an over-slot prep player, but there were a few real standouts in this portion of the Pirates’ class.

The beginning of this range tends to play similarly to some of their earlier picks. Dylan Palmer looks to be a solid contact hitter, comparing to Matt King. He struck out under 7.5% of the time this season while also posting a 145 wRC+, making him a semi-intriguing contact bat. He also stole 32 bags, showing off his wheels.

Cameron Keshock and Dylan Mathiesen both fit the same profile as some of the pitchers the team selected early in the draft, with their fastballs sitting in the low-mid 90s, with decent changeups and secondary breaking balls as well.

The first arm here who really jumps out is right-hander Connor Hamilton, a Vanderbilt commit who’s been seen hitting the upper-90s, attending a few PG National Events. He’s the top right-hander in Tennessee, and if he signs, he should be a fascinating arm.

McLane Moody follows a similar track to Hamilton, as his fastball has also touched the upper-90s, with a decent curveball in his back pocket. He’s currently committed to Arkansas and ranked as the second-best RHP in Arkansas by Perfect Game.

The Pirates then go through the strongest three-pick stretches of this ten-pick range, as Eddie King Jr., Carter Gwost, and Cannon Reeder all look like really solid all-around players.

For starters, King was one of the most impactful members of a solid Louisville lineup this season. His calling card is his power, as he hit 17 homers this season for the Cardinals. He should profile to be a solid on-base threat with some serious pop, the type of hitter the Pirates desperately need.

Carter Gwost is my favorite prep hitter the Pirates selected this draft, as his swing is already extremely smooth and polished for a high school prospect. Gwost, a Nebraska commit, has shown solid power during his high school career, and if developed correctly, could become a very polished hitter.

Cannon Reeder is the final hitter the Pirates selected in this year’s class, and the Oregon State hitter has some intriguing tools to offer. While the hit tool will be the main concern, he blasted eight homers last season for the Beavers while also posting a 108 wRC+ and playing a solid outfield.

The Pirates finished up the draft by first selecting Brandon Cain, a former two-way player and nephew of former MLB star Lorenzo Cain. He’s a solid athlete who has touched the upper 90s on his fastball in limited action.

Their final pick in the draft was Nick Frusco, a prep left-handed pitcher. Frusco is committed to Clemson and has hit the mid-90s on his heater. He has solid mechanics and appears to be the Pirates’ lone late-draft, over-slot attempt. He may head to campus, but if he doesn’t, there could be a solid player here.

Final Thoughts

In the overview I wrote surrounding the Pirates and how they may attack the upcoming MLB Draft, I made a point to emphasize the fact that they desperately needed to address the offense, and add some bats to the system. They delivered, adding plenty of college hitters with tremendous upside, along with some decent prep bats.

They also managed to do this while adding the top prep arm in the country, Seth Hernandez, who honestly had an argument to be the top player selected in this year’s draft. Hernandez will be a future ace and will likely become one of the top pitching prospects in the sport in no time.

Overall, the Pirates and their entire front office deserve some serious praise for how they went about this year’s class. They added lots of high-upside prep players, while also adding solid collegiate bats, which, if they go their way, may completely reshape their offense in a few seasons. This is likely Cherington’s best class since 2021, and it has the potential to be the best of his entire tenure.

When talking to Scott Moore of our Pirates show, Bucco Bantr, he shared a similar sentiment. Scott expressed his satisfaction with the class by saying, “Despite the overall weakness of this year’s draft class, Justin Horowitz and the Pirates were able to secure quite the haul.”

I couldn’t agree more, as this class shaped up very nicely.