The Pirates’ farm system continues to be as sturdy as ever on the prime, and MLB Pipeline’s High 100 Prospects reveal on Friday solely solidified that time.
Pittsburgh landed 5 prospects on the High 100 record, led by 2023 No. 1 total Draft decide Paul Skenes, who remained at No. 3 behind the Orioles’ Jackson Holliday and the Brewers’ Jackson Chourio. Second baseman Termarr Johnson got here in at No. 44, right-hander Jared Jones landed at No. 62, left-hander Anthony Solometo ranked No. 82 and right-hander Bubba Chandler debuted at No. 93.
Skenes has barely pitched as an expert, however he’s already seen as being on the cusp of the Majors. He pitched 6 2/3 innings throughout three Minor League associates in 2023 after main LSU to the School World Collection title by pitching eight shutout innings in a must-win semifinal sport vs. Wake Forest and fellow High 100 prospect Rhett Lowder. Skenes completed the season with a 1.69 ERA in 122 2/3 innings whereas pitching within the extremely aggressive SEC.
Skenes has the potential to influence the Pirates’ Main League rotation — presumably earlier than the All-Star break if he has extra sturdy showings within the first few weeks of the season. Pittsburgh wants rotation arms, and the 21-year-old is seen because the strongest pitching prospect from the school ranks since Stephen Strasburg, who debuted on June 8, 2010, the yr following his Draft.
Johnson dropped 15 spots from the tip of 2023 to this yr’s record, however he’s nonetheless comfortably within the High 50 and produced nicely in his first full season. The 19-year-old hit 18 homers in 105 video games final season and acquired on base at an impressive .422 clip. He ended the season at Excessive-A Greensboro, the place he did so nicely {that a} promotion to Double-A Altoona may very well be within the playing cards if his first month or so is as sturdy.
Jones is the opposite Pirates pitcher who’s on the doorstep of the massive league membership. He broke out with a 2.23 ERA in 10 begins at Double-A to start 2023, and whereas his numbers weren’t practically as spectacular in his first style of Triple-A Indianapolis, he acquired much more contact on the bottom in comparison with his early days and struck out 99 batters in 82 innings.
Solometo was ranked the No. 5 left-handed pitching prospect by MLB Pipeline, and the funky lefty is going through stiff Double-A contest. He had a 4.35 ERA with Altoona in 51 2/3 innings to finish the season, however he tore up Excessive-A in a hitter-friendly Greensboro ballpark with a 2.30 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP in 58 2/3 innings.
Solometo has constructed a aggressive bond together with his 2021 Draft classmate Chandler, who’s rapidly rising up the ranks of prospect evaluators. Chandler was extraordinarily sturdy final season, pitching 111 innings over 25 begins whereas putting out 128 batters. His 51 walks got here again to harm him, as he allowed 15 homers amongst 109 hits within the season. However that’s to be anticipated since he was a two-way participant nicely into ‘22, and now he’s studying to repeat his supply as his focus shifts to solely pitching.
With these promising prospects main the way in which, 2024 ought to be a really fascinating yr for the Pirates’ farm system, as the massive league workforce is making an attempt to take the 14-win soar it made final season and switch it right into a rivalry window. If that occurs, count on some — if not all — of those gamers to be a part of sustaining it.
For extra data on how the High 100 Prospects record is decided, click on right here.
