The Pirates farm system has been on the upswing for the past few seasons. Even after the graduation of ace Paul Skenes and core-rotation piece Jared Jones, the Pirates still have more pitchers on the way. This list is headlined by Bubba Chandler who could give Pittsburgh one of the best front-three in baseball. Following Chandler are three middle infield prospects looking to give Pittsburgh’s offense a boost. This is a surprisingly deep system that dynasty managers should be fully aware of.
This article is part of a series focusing on each MLB team’s top 20 prospects for fantasy baseball heading into the 2025 season. Stay tuned for prospect breakdowns for all 30 teams throughout January here at Pitcher List, and head over to the Pitcher List dynasty page to check out the rest of the farm system rankings!
Top Pirates Prospects
The Top Tier
1) Bubba Chandler – SP, 22 YO
2024 Stats (AA/AAA): 119.2 IP | 3.08 ERA | 30.9 K% | 8.6 BB%
The team originally pulled Bubba Chandler away from his Clemson commitment with the intention of developing him as a two-way player. This lasted one full season in 2022 before the team decided his best path to the major leagues was on the mound. Since shifting his focus solely to pitching, Chandler’s dynasty value has taken off. Chandler’s initial struggles were with control. He was learning how to be a pitcher as opposed to a thrower. After a bumpy start in 2023, Chandler showed significant improvements down the stretch and carried this success over into 2024. In 23 starts, Chandler finished last season with a 3.08 ERA. His ERA was just 2.04 over his final 13 starts. He continues to grow more comfortable on the mound and has quickly turned into one of the game’s top pitching prospects.
Chandler’s success is not just dependent on surface-level stats. His success on the mound is directly correlated to an arsenal with significant upside. He has a plus-plus four-seam fastball that sits in the upper 90s and generates nearly 17″ of vertical break. Chandler commands the pitch well and gets plenty of whiffs up in the zone. He also mixes in three secondary offerings. The slider is the best one diving away from righties, but his changeup and curveball are also solid pitches that help to keep opposing batters off balance. Chandler has the control and stuff to become a dominant pitcher for fantasy baseball. He and Paul Skenes will form a formidable one-two punch at the top of Pittsburgh’s rotation for years to come.
2) Konnor Griffin – SS, 18 YO
2024 Stats: DNP
The Pirates took the first prep-bat in the 2024 draft selecting Konnor Griffin. The 6’4″ right-handed infielder is a great athlete. His size gives him considerable power projection to go with quick hands and plus speed. The rumors from this offseason are that Griffin has continued to bulk up adding more weight to fill out his big frame. Already viewed to have plus raw power, Griffin should continue to add more as he matures.
Dynasty managers’ ability to evaluate prep bats can be extremely difficult. The video and data on prep bats are limited. On top of that, they are often years away from the major leagues making it difficult to invest. However, Griffin’s profile is one to like. His work ethic seems to be off the charts for a player his age. Multiple training videos have surfaced from this offseason of him working on his swing which is certainly a positive. On top of that, Griffin has elite fantasy potential. His power projection comes with excellent speed. His floor is likely that of a 20/20 player with potential for much more. Drafting prep bats is all about focusing on upside. Griffin has plenty of that.
3) Nick Yorke – 2B/OF, 22 YO
2024 MiLB Stats (AA/AAA): .303 AVG | .285 OBP | .449 SLG | 12 HR | 21 SB | 18.7 K% | 11.1 BB%
2024 MLB Stats: .216 AVG | .286 OBP | .378 SLG | 2 HR | 2 SB | 28.6 K% | 9.5 BB%
The Red Sox took Nick Yorke 20th overall in the 2020 draft. His professional career got off to a fast start as Yorke hit 10 homers with 11 steals and a .323 batting average in Low-A. After that, Yorke was on every dynasty manager’s radar. The rest of his time in Boston’s organization was inconsistent. Prior to last year, Yorke looked like a high-floor, low-ceiling option for dynasty managers. After another slow start in 2024, a switch flipped for Yorke. Yorke’s power tool exploded. Following a promotion to Triple-A, Yorke hit six homers in 38 games with a .179 ISO. His Triple-A success continued following his trade to Pittsburgh where Yorke slugged .507 in 20 Triple-A games.
Yorke earned a late-season promotion to the majors, where his surface numbers were disappointing. However, Yorke posted a 15.4% barrel rate, a .284 xBA, and a .509 xSLG. For dynasty managers, there is no reason not to believe in Yorke moving forward. His strong major league batted ball data is supported by equally strong batted ball data from his time in Triple-A. On top of that, Yorke also posted a 90th percentile sprint speed. His future projection lies around .250 with 18-20 home runs and 20ish stolen bases. He is an underrated dynasty asset that deserves more attention.
4) Termarr Johnson – 2B, 20 YO
2024 Stats (A+/AA): .237 AVG | .366 OBP | .386 SLG | 15 HR | 22 SB | 21.3 K% | 15.6 BB%
Toolsy, athletic, and filled with potential are all ways to describe this former fourth-overall pick from 2022. Termarr Johnson, still only 20 years old, has been highly regarded since the draft. His quick left-handed swing generates significant power and can lead to highlight-reel home runs. The bat speed is key for Johnson who stands at just 5’7″. His quick hands help increase his pull rate and allow him to hit for more power than his frame suggests. Johnson’s patience at the plate is also a major part of Johnson’s power. His mature understanding of the strike zone forces pitchers to come over the plate where he can do damage. This plate discipline and power give him significant upside for fantasy managers, especially in OBP leagues.
Johnson has had no problem hitting massive home runs. Still, his size raises some concerns for future projections. In addition, Johnson’s hit tool is far from perfect. There is obvious swing-and-miss in his profile as Johnson can swing out of his shoes at times. In two full seasons of professional baseball, Johnson has hit .244 and .237 respectively. Part of the issue in 2024 was luck-driven with a slightly low BABIP, but low batting averages have become a theme early in his professional career. Johnson also hit just .198 against lefties last year. His dynasty value seems to be overvalued in generic leagues. Johnson profiles to hit .240 with 20 homers and 15 stolen bases. He does hold additional value in OBP leagues where his high walk rates help to offset his low batting average.
5) Braxton Ashcraft – SP, 25 YO
2024 Stats (AA/AAA): 73.0 IP | 2.84 ERA | 25.8 K% | 4.0 BB%
Drafted back in 2018, the path through the minor leagues has not been smooth for Braxton Ashcraft. After dealing with the pandemic, Ashcraft suffered an elbow injury after just 38.2 innings in 2021. Tommy John surgery forced him to miss the entirety of the 2022 season and limited him to less than 55 innings in 2023. Inning restrictions and durability will likely be concerns for Ashcraft throughout his career but the injuries could all be worth it. Following surgery, Ashcraft’s fastball improved dramatically. With a bump up to 96 mph on the gun, Ashcraft’s strikeout rate jumped improving his future ceiling. His control also remained impressive as he commands his pitches well and rarely walks a batter.
Beyond his fastball, Ashcraft also deploys a high-velocity slider that is capable of generating strikeouts. His curveball is more of an average offering but helps to keep right-handed batters off balance. Ashcraft dominated left-handed batters this past year, thanks in part to a strong changeup that has good fade. Ashcraft has a major league arsenal and is going to make his debut in 2025. For dynasty managers, it is important to remember that he has never eclipsed 75 innings in a season. There is upside here, but also plenty of relief risk.
6) Jack Brannigan – 3B, 23 YO
2024 Stats (A+): .238 AVG | .344 OBP | .490 SLG | 18 HR | 12 SB | 26.1 K% | 11.7 BB%
The Pirates selected Jack Brannigan in the third round of the 2020 draft out of Notre Dame. In three seasons at Notre Dame, Brannigan put up solid, albeit, unspectacular offensive numbers. That trend has continued into his professional career. Brannigan has shown flashes of power. He hit 18 home runs this past season and has run above-average home run rates each of the past two seasons. Brannigan’s swing is smooth. With just a small leg kick, he generates power using his whole body. He has excellent barrel control and runs high line drive rates, which should provide a stable floor for his batting average. Notably, Brannigan’s contact rate and strikeout rate both improved in 2024 which should help his future projection.
There is a lot to like in Brannigan’s profile. He has plus power, average speed, and a good batted-ball profile. His plate discipline at the plate is another plus although his contact rate still remains a concern. The other concern is age to level. Brannigan has yet to play a game above High-A and will turn 24 before the start of the 2025 season. With contact concerns already prevalent in his profile, he could struggle to hit tougher competition. Brannigan has the makeup of a top prospect but will need to prove himself against tougher competition in 2025.
7) Omar Alfonzo – C, 21 YO
2024 Stats (A/A+): .252 AVG | .357 OBP | .403 SLG | 13 HR | 2 SB | 25.9 K% | 13.5 BB%
The Pirates signed Omar Alfonzo out of the Dominican Republic back in 2019. Although he struggled offensively in the DSL and Complex League, there was no denying his advanced approach at the plate. Alfonzo has an excellent eye and is more than willing to take a walk. He can be considered too patient at times leading to high strikeout rates despite a much improved swinging strike rate.
Offensively, Alfonzo’s numbers do not stick out. However, there is a lot to like. His patient approach puts him in favorable hitters counts. He has good pull-side pop and hits a lot of line drives. Alfonzo hit a career-high 13 home runs last season and there is room for that number to continue growing. Although he primarily played catcher, Alfonzo got several starts at first base this last season which would be a negative for his future fantasy value. Alfonzo becoming a high OBP catcher is the best future outcome for dynasty managers.
Prospects Dynasty Managers Should Know
8) Zander Mueth – SP, 19 YO
2024 Stats (CPX/A): 74.0 IP | 2.31 ERA | 23.8 K% | 15.1 BB%
Standing at 6’6″, Zander Mueth’s athleticism landed him with Pittsburgh 67th overall in the 2023 draft. Mueth gets great extension on his pitches coming from a lower arm slot. The hope is that as he continues developing, he will add more velocity bringing his game to the next level. Mueth has a plus slider and changeup already, with control being his biggest issue. At 19 years old, there is lots of potential on a team that has found recent success with pitching development.
9) Thomas Harrington – SP, 23 YO
2024 Stats (A/AA/AAA): 117.1 IP | 2.61 ERA | 25.1 K% | 4.1 BB%
On one end, you have Mueth who has a lot of question marks but significant upside. Then, you have Thomas Harrington who saw his strikeout rate dip significantly following a promotion to Triple-A but is knocking on the door of the major leagues. Harrington has a solid four-pitch mix but it is difficult to grade any of his offerings much better than average. His changeup is certainly his best pitch and he has great control over all of them. He is a low-variance pitching prospect who could debut in 2025.
10) Hunter Barco – SP, 24 YO
2024 Stats (A+/AA): 66.0 IP | 3.27 ERA | 31.2 K% | 8.3 BB%
The Pirates drafted Hunter Barco in the second round, knowing he had a long way to go in his recovery from Tommy John. He was limited to just 17 innings in 2023 and his 2024 season was cut short after suffering a lower-body injury. However, when on the mound, Barco has looked excellent. His slider makes him an incredibly tough at-bat for left-handed hitters and his changeup keeps righties off balance. There is a risk that his arm cannot handle a professional workload as a starter, but he does possess plenty of upside.
11) Levi Sterling – SP, 18 YO
2024 Stats: DNP
Standing at 6’5″, Levi Sterling has an athletic delivery that is easily repeated. His fastball is already lively, sitting around 93 mph, but it plays up with big arm-side run. His curveball and slider both have a chance to be plus pitches as well. With a starter arsenal already, Sterling is amongst the most projectable arms to come out of the 2024 draft class. He could rise quickly through Pittsburgh’s system and turn into a significant dynasty prospect.
12) Mike Burrows – SP, 25 YO
2024 MiLB Stats (CPX/A/AAA): 51.1 IP | 5.26 ERA | 25.1 K% | 10.2 BB%
2024 MLB Stats: 3.1 IP | 2.70 ERA | 14.3 K% | 21.4 BB%
After posting solid numbers in Triple-A, the Pirates called up Mike Burrows to make his MLB debut last season. Burrows pitched just one game out of the bullpen but showed off his solid fastball velocity following Tommy John surgery in 2024. Burrows could move to the bullpen where his fastball/curveball combination could play better or there is a chance he sticks as a back-end starter for Pittsburgh.
13) Tsung-Che Cheng – SS/2B, 23 YO
2024 Stats (AA/AAA): .225 AVG | .329 OBP | .347 SLG | 11 HR | 17 SB | 23.0 K% | 12.6 BB%
Tsung-Che Cheng is an undersized middle infield prospect who has plus speed and little to no power projection. Cheng has good contact skills and his plus plate discipline helps him to get on base at an above-average clip. The stolen bases that follow are where Cheng will generate most of his fantasy value. With limited power, Cheng could struggle to maintain an everyday role with Pittsburgh and prevent him from becoming a fantasy-relevant prospect.
14) Khristian Curtis – SP, 22 YO
2024 Stats (A): 75.1 IP | 4.06 ERA | 25.4 K% | 12.2 BB%
If this list was based on pure stuff, Khristian Curtis would rank much higher. His fastball sits 95 on the gun and generates over 17″ of induced vertical break. Off of that pitch, Curtis mixes a slider, changeup, and cutter. His slider has excellent dive down and away from righties and generated a high whiff rate in Low-A last season. How well Curtis can control his stuff is still the biggest question. Below-average control has resulted in home run and walk issues. The potential is here, but there is still plenty of development remaining.
15) Mitch Jebb – 2B, 22 YO
2024 Stats (A+): .253 AVG | .341 OBP | .355 SLG | 6 HR | 43 SB | 19.1 K% | 11.3 BB%
Mitch Jebb’s profile is predicated on making contact and running. His swing and stance take the style of an old-fashioned slap hitter. He prioritizes contact over everything, driving the ball to all fields. Once on, Jebb is a plus runner with big stolen base upside. If he can develop power, Jebb’s fantasy ceiling will increase significantly.
The Next Five
Although these prospects do not crack the top 15, dynasty managers should keep their eye on these five players.
Anthony Solometo – 22 YO – Left-handed pitcher with a funky delivery who has struggled with control throughout his professional career.
Wyatt Sanford – 19 YO – A glove-first shortstop taken 47th overall in last year’s draft who lacks power projection but has plus athleticism.
Edward Florentino – 18 YO – Standing at 6’4″, Florentino has as much physical projection as anybody and posted a 144 wRC+ in the DSL last year.
Esmerlyn Valdez – 20 YO – A first-base prospect with plus power and an improving hit tool that could help turn him into a fantasy-relevant prospect.
Shalin Polanco – 20 YO – An uber-athletic outfielder who has been unable to hit consistently enough to progress through the minor leagues.