When searching for prospects they would select in the 2024 MLB Draft, Ben Cherington and Justin Horowitz, the Pirates' amateur scouting director, prioritized things like athleticism, potential impact and character. When looking at this year's draft class, that is mightily evident.
At the conclusion of the three-day draft, the Pirates had a pretty balanced product. They chose 11 pitchers and 10 positional players but there was also that underlying theme throughout the class.
"We were able to acquire a broad and really talented group of players to bring into the Pirates organization with a variety of different skill sets," Horowitz said. "I think some of the things we prioritized were athleticism, a chance for impact talent up and down the board and high-character individuals too, guys that our scouts were excited about not only from a work ethic standpoint but a high-character off the field as well."
It started with No. 9 overall pick Konnor Griffin from Jackson Prep High School in Flowood, Miss. and it continued with two more high school prospects on Day 1 in right-handed pitcher Levi Sterling from Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif. and shortstop Wyatt Sanford from Independence High School in Frisco, Tex.
HIGH-UPSIDE GUYS
As Day 2 wore on the Pirates stuck to the plan and found a few college players with high-upside. Wake Forest left-hander Josh Hartle (No. 83 overall) and Clemson outfielder Will Taylor (No. 145 overall) were among that group.
Before his 2024 season, Hartle was projected to go in the first round. He was coming off a sophomore season where he mowed down his competition, tallying an 11-2 record and a 2.81 ERA while striking out 140 batters in 102 1/3 innings. But a bad season, in which he tallied a 5.74 ERA over 74 2/3 innings, knocked him out of the first round. The Pirates view him as a starter in the long run and believe that he can get back to his 2023 form.
"He's got a great feel to pitch, he can pound the strike zone, he can move balls to both sides of the plate and he can spread the zone," Horowitz said. "He didn't have the best year, he would be the first to admit that. He tried some adjustments at the beginning of the season that didn't really flow as well as he expected. We're gonna help him get back to being the guy we all know is in there."
Taylor was in the same boat. He could've been drafted in the first round out of high school and was ranked as the 20th-best prospect in the 2021 class but decided to go to Clemson where he played both football and baseball. He was once seen as a player with plus-plus speed but suffered a torn ACL during football his freshman season and has never returned to that level. However, he's still a solid bat and plays a strong outfield with strong instincts and aggressiveness.
"We believe as a group that there is some serious underlying talent still in both of those guys and others up and down the board," Horowitz said. "But specifically with those two guys, I think there was a chance to capture some value, tap into what we've seen potentially in previous seasons, previous years and continue to help them grow as athletes in a professional player development environment."
Eighth-round pick Gavin Adams (No. 234 overall) fits into that mold as well. He's a hard-throwing righty who transferred to Florida State from Indian River State College before electing to get Tommy John surgery. He never pitched for the Seminoles, but he's a player who can reach triple digits with his fastball and struck out 44 batters in 26 1/3 innings in 2023.
"Gavin is a kid that I think has been on the Pirates' radar for quite some time. He's got an electric arm. He's recovering from surgery. I had the opportunity myself to spend some time with him a few weeks back. He's a great kid, ready to work, wants to get after it," Horowitz said. "Just a kid with some pretty impressive arm talent. He can throw really hard, he's got a developing breaking ball. I think he'd be the first to admit that strikes will be the first thing that he has to focus on improving the most as he enters a pro system, but a kid with some serious natural talent."
COLLEGE ARMS
Alongside Adams and Hartle, nine of the 11 pitchers the Pirates drafted were from the college ranks. Matt Ager (UC Santa Barbara, No. 174), Connor Wietgrefe (Minnesota, No. 204), Jacob Bimbi (Western Kentucky, No. 324), Matt McShane (Saint Joseph's, No. 384), Brian Curley (VCU, No. 474), Jake Shirk (Wright State, No. 534) and Joe Vogatsky (James Madison, No. 564) all displayed traits that the Pirates believe in as an organization.
Cherington said it was one of the most exciting things for him to see this year because when it comes to scouting and researching these players, there are so many moving parts. So, when it all comes together and all the voices are heard, it's an exciting process.
"How that comes together with some of the tools that come out of our R&D group (research and development), in terms of assessing pitch shape and pitch quality and also in terms of development and Justin mentioned the athlete team," Cherington said. "How all of those perspectives come together to identify pitchers who already have traits that we believe in, perhaps traits we think we can turn up even more. Or aren’t doing something yet that we think they’re capable of doing, whether that’s in pitch design or athletically or whatever it is. We think we’re starting to have some success with that in the organization, identifying pitchers using all of those perspectives."
The meteoric rise of Paul Skenes and Jared Jones, the recent success of Bubba Chandler, the Pirates' No. 1 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, and the development of several other top prospects in the system are all evidence of that. This draft class has some bright spots as well.
There's a good mixture of both starters and relievers. Wietgrefe has experience as a reliever, but started 13 games this past season and was named to the All-Big Ten first team after recording an 8-4 record and 2.77 ERA over 78 innings.
Ager also has experience doing both. He shined in 2023, throwing a career-high 92 1/3 innings while holding opponents to a .209 average and recording a 3.12 ERA as a starter. But, he lost his spot in the rotation over this past season and still recorded 11 saves and pitched 62 1/3 innings.
FUTURE OF THE FRANCHISE
There was a heavy focus on college arms, and bats for that matter, in this year's draft, but five of the 21 picks were used on high school players. Three of those picks were used on Day 1, shortstop Eddie Rynders from Wisconsin Lutheran High School in Milwaukee was selected with pick No. 112 and Taylor Penn, a 6-5 right-handed pitcher from Woodford County High School in Versailles, Ky. was chosen with Pittsburgh's very last pick.
The Pirates were already on somewhat of a youth movement as 12 of their Top 30 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, are 20 years old or younger. Add Griffin, who is more than likely going to crack that group at 18 years old, and possibly Sterling, who is still 17, and that youth movement is continuing to grow.
Cherington understands and knows that the organization needs to keep getting better and needs to do whatever it takes to sustain that success. Consistently securing talent and making sure there is a constant flow of it throughout the organization is a crucial piece of that effort.
"Over time, the more talent you have in the system, the better job you do with development, the more likely that is to happen," Cherington said. "As I said before, I feel really good and encouraged with the progress we're making at the major league level. We know we need to make more. We're focused on that. We're really excited about this draft class and the opportunity this group of players will have to get better in our system."
As far as when those young players will reach the major league level? Well, that's something the organization will explore on a case-by-case basis.
"You can't predict timelines with any player, whether it be a college player or high school player, but we're excited to bring this class in, start to work with them, and let them join a bunch of other guys who are going to have a chance to help us win games in Pittsburgh one day," Cherington said.
2024 MLB DRAFT PICKS
1st Round, No. 9 - Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Jackson Prep High School (MS)
Comp. Bal. A - No. 37 - Levi Sterling, RHP, Notre Dame High School (CA)
2nd Round, No. 47 - Wyatt Sanford, SS, Independence High School (TX)
3rd Round, No. 83 - Josh Hartle, LHP, Wake Forest
4th Round, No. 112 - Eddie Rynders, SS, Wisconsin Lutheran High School (WI)
5th Round, No. 145 - Will Taylor, OF, Clemson
6th Round, No. 174 - Matt Ager, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
7th Round, No. 204 - Connor Wietgrefe, LHP, Minnesota
8th Round, No. 234 - Gavin Adams, RHP, Florida State
9th Round, No. 264 - Duce Gourson, 2B, UCLA
10th Round, No. 294 - Derek Berg, C, Army West Point
11th Round, No. 324 - Jacob Bimbi, LHP, Western Kentucky
12th Round, No. 354 - Camden Janik, C, Illinois
13th Round, No. 384 - Matt McShane, RHP, Saint Joseph's
14th Round, No. 414 - Ian Farrow, Florida Gulf Coast University
15th Round, No. 444 - Ethan Lege, 3B/OF, Ole Miss
16th Round, No. 474 - Brian Curley, RHP, VCU
17th Round, No. 504 - Andrew Patrick, OF, Wright State
18th Round, No. 534 - Jake Shirk, RHP, Wright State
19th Round, No. 564 - Joe Vogatsky, RHP, James Madison
20th Round, No. 594 - Taylor Penn, Woodford County High School (KY)
