Pirates Draft Signings: Comp Pick Murf Gray Among First Wave of Deals
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced their first wave of 2025 draft signings, headlined by competitive balance round B pick Murf Gray.
Gray, a third baseman from Fresno State, was selected by the Pirates with the 73rd pick. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound right-handed batter hit .324/.398/.639 with 22 doubles, 18 home runs and 73 RBI in 60 games during his junior year.
The 21-year-old finished tied for first in the Mountain West Conference in home runs, second in RBI and earned 2025 All-Mountain West First Team honors. He was named the Mountain West Championship MVP both this year and last.
Gray signed for $997,500, a little bit south of the $1.13 million slot value assigned to the 73rd pick.
In addition to Gray, the Pirates signed right-handed pitcher Jack Anker (6th round) and infielder Matt King (10th round). Anker signed for $347,500, just below the slot $380,500 slot value. As a college senior, the Pirates signed King for $22,500, well below the $193,100 slot value.
Anker was a teammate of Gray’s at Fresno State and named to the All-Mountain West first team after going 9-5 with a 5.98 ERA and 109 strikeouts agaisnt 12 walks in 96.1 innings as a junior in 2025.
King, from Arizona State, led the Big 12 conference in batting average (.403) and hits (87) in his first year with the Sun Devils after transferring from UTSA. He finished the year with 18 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 55 RBI and eight steals in 56 games.
The Pirates have 18 draft picks yet to sign, including first-round pick Seth Hernandez, a right-handed pitcher from Corona High School in California.
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