Pittsburgh Pirates 2024 MLB Draft Report Card

Best Pure Hitter: While shortstop Konnor Griffin’s (1) hitting ability is the biggest question of his toolset, that’s more of a testament to his superlative secondary tools than his poor hitting chops. He has a chance to be a solid pure hitter and has already begun refining his swing path over the last year or so.

Best Power Hitter: Griffin (1) has easy above-average raw power now and a still-projectable 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame that could lead to plus or better raw power in the future as well. His natural strength, bat speed and explosiveness lead to plenty of upside in the power department.

Fastest Runner: Tired of hearing Griffin’s (1) name already? Well he’s also a double-plus runner and his speed might be the loudest tool he has to offer. He was one of the faster runners in the 2024 prep class and should use that speed to be an impact baserunner and defender—whether that’s at shortstop or perhaps tractably in center field.  

Best Defensive Player: Shortstop Wyatt Sanford (2) earned a reputation as one of the best shortstop defenders in the class and projects as a plus fielder with above-average arm strength and plus speed. He’s instinctive with actions that scream big league shortstop with great angles and body control as well as a quick exchange that lets an already strong arm play up further.

Best Fastball: Righthander Gavin Adams (8) didn’t pitch this spring for Florida State thanks to Tommy John surgery but he has huge velocity and a fastball that is routinely in the upper 90s and has touched 101 mph in the past.

Best Secondary Pitch: Righthander Levi Sterling (1s) is a more of a well-rounded pitcher who checks a lot of boxes than a real stuff monster, but he has a pair of above-average secondaries with his curveball and changeup. Pittsburgh seems particularly excited about the cambio, which is a low-80s pitch with solid fade, tumble and arm speed—as well as a more advanced feel than is typical for high schoolers with that pitch type.

Best Pro Debut: Lefthander Connor Wietgrefe (7) made four starts and pitched in five games with Low-A Bradenton where he posted a 0.90 ERA, struck out 13 batters and walked two in 10 innings. Wietgrefe pitched heavily off his four-seam, two-seam and slider, but he generated a ton of misses with a mid-80s changeup that showed nearly 16 inches of armside fading life.

Best Athlete: Griffin (1) was one of the best pure athletes in the 2024 draft class as a whole, so he’s an easy selection here for the Pirates. Given his athleticism and physical tools, it wouldn’t be difficult to make the case that Griffin’s pure upside potential is as great as any player drafted this year.

Most Intriguing Background: Outfielder Will Taylor (5) was a standout multi-sport athlete coming out of high school in South Carolina, but he opted to get to campus at Clemson where he played both sports for two seasons before focusing on baseball only in 2024. Taylor hasn’t yet lived up to his high school expectations but features athleticism, speed and above-average defensive chops in the outfield.

Closest To The Majors: Lefthander Josh Hartle (3) entered the spring as a first-round pitching talent thanks to his exceptional command and deep arsenal of effective pitches. He chose the wrong time to have a career-worst season with Wake Forest, which pushed him further down the draft board, but he managed a 6.7% walk rate in college over three years and that above-average control could allow him to move quickly in the minors.

Best Day Three Pick (Or NDFA): Lefthander Jacob Bimbi (11) signed for $180,000 as the Pirates’ first day three selection. While he got hit around up in a brief pro debut (five hits and seven walks in four innings) the Pirates like his arm talent. He throws a 90-96 mph fastball and spins both a low-80s slider and upper-70s curveball well.