Pirates Draft Tracker Day 2: Picks and Live Updates
The Pittsburgh Pirates kicked off their 2025 draft buy selecting high school right-hander Seth Hernandez with the sixth pick of the first round.
The Pirates had three more picks on the first day of the draft. In the second round, they again took a high school pitcher in Angel Cervantes. With the 73rd pick, the Pirates drafted third baseman Murf Gray from Freson State, and they finished day one with catcher Easton Carmichael from the University of Oklahoma.
Day two of the draft covers rounds four through 20, so the Pirates will make 17 more selections.
Follow along for live updates.
Round 4 Pick 113: SS Gustavo Melendez, Puerto Rico (H.S.)
The Pirates began the second day of the draft by taking Gustavo Melendez, a high school shortstop from Puerto Rico.
Melendez is considered the 123rd-best prospect according to Baseball America and No. 140 by MLB Pipeline. The 17-year-old has the tools to stick and shortstop and is a solid runner. At the plate, he’s considered hit over power because of his 5-foot-8, 160-pound frame, but some evaluators feel he can be a plus-hitter (Pipeline gives him a 55-grade hit tool).
Melendez is committed to play collegiately at Wake Forest. The slot value for this pick is $674,300.
Round 5 Pick 144: C Adonys Guzman, University of Arizona
The Pirates took their second college catcher in Guzman from the University of Arizona. MLB Pipeline did not have him list among their top 250 prospects and Baseball America has him ranked 312. He’s regarded as a good defender with a strong arm.
Guzman had a breakout junior season and hit .328 with a .907 OPS, 12 doubles, nine home runs and 44 RBI in 62 games for the Wildcats. He was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and named to the College World Series All-Tournament Team.
The slot value for the 144th pick is $499,000.
Round 6 Pick 173: RHP Jack Anker, Fresno State
Anker will reunite with Murf Gray, his teammate at Fresno State. The right-hander is ranked 198th by MLB Pipeline and 490th by Baseball America.
The 6-foot-2, 21-year-old went 9-5 with a 5.98 ERA. He recorded heavy strikeouts and showed impeccable control 109 strikeouts and just 12 walks in 96.1 innings as a junior and was named to the All-Mountain West First Team.
His four-pitch mix includes a fastball, curveball, cutter and changeup. The slot value for the 173rd pick is $380,500.
Round 7 Pick 203: 3B Brent Iredale, University of Arkansas
Iredale is the second college third baseman the Pirates have taken, joining Murf Gray. He’s ranks as the 177th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 236 by Baseball America.
A native of Australia, Iredale slashed .286/.450/.544 with 11 doubles, 14 home runs, 57 RBI and nine steals in 65 games with the Razorbacks after transferring from a junior college. His best tool is his 55-grade power.
The slot value for the 203rd pick is $297,400.
Round 8 Pick 233: OF Josh Tate, Georgia Southern University
The Pirates took their first outfielder of the draft in Josh Tate from Georgia Tate. Baseball America had him as their No. 406 prospect.
Tate slashed .362/.437/.606 with 18 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 46 RBI and seven steals this past season. He posted the best batting average and had the most hits in the Sun Belt Conference. Tate began his career at the University of Georgia.
The slot value for the 233rd pick is $236,800.
Round 9 Pick 263: 1B Jared Jones, Louisiana State University
No, that’s not current Pirates’ pitcher Jared Jones, but the Bucs got some good value in taking the LSU first baseman. He’s ranked No. 101 by MLB Pipeline and No. 203 by Baseball America.
Jones hit 22 home runs and drove in 76 runs while hitting .323 with a 1.027 OPS and helped lead LSU to the College World Series. The right-handed slugger was named a 2025 First-Team All-American and 2025 Second-Team All-SEC.
The 21-year-old (22 next month) comes with 60-grade power and a 60-grade arm. The slot value for the 263rd pick is $206,100.
Round 10 Pick 293: SS Matt King, Arizona State University
The run on college bats continues with Matt King a senior from Arizona State.
King’s senior season was his first at ASU after transferring from UTSA. In 56 games, the 22-year-old hit a staggering .403, which was tied for 11th in the country. He recorded 18 doubles, a triple, 17 home runs, 55 RBI and eight stolen bases.
The slot value for the 293rd pick is $193,100. Given that King is a senior, the Pirates should be able to cut a deal.
Round 11 Pick 323: 2B Dylan Palmer, Hofstra
The Pirates began the back half of the draft with yet another position player from the college ranks.
A First Team All-CAA selection, Palmer finished second in the conference with a .400 batting average and 88 hits. A 5-foot-9, 170-pound senior, Palmer doesn’t have a ton of pop but he totaled 32 stolen bases and offers versatility defensively with experience in both the infield and outfield.
He’s Hofstra’s all-time leader in triples with 12, ranks second in steals with 82, third in hits with 247 and fourth in batting average (.386).
Round 12 Pick 353: RHP Cameron Keshock, Samford
For the first time since round six, the Pirates took a pitcher. Keshock is rated as Baseball America’s 467th-best prospect.
A 6-foot-7 transfer from Auburn, Keshock went 5-4 with a 5.73 ERA across 15 appearances/14 starts during his first year at Samford. The right-hander struck out 74 batters and walked 33 in 77 innings,
He throws from more of a three-quarters slot and is said to have a good sinker.
Round 13 Pick 383: RHP Dylan Mathiesen, Liberty
Mathiesen graduated from Montour High School and was named 2022 Pittsburgh Post Gazette 4A Player of the Year.
He played his freshman year at California University of Pennsylvania before he transferred to Liberty, where he spent the last two seasons.
This past year, the 5-foot-10 right-hander 2-4 with a 5.07 ERA in 17 starts. He struck out 84 batters in 65.2 innings.
Round 14 Pick 413: RHP Connor Hamilton, Tennessee (H.S.)
The Pirates dipped into the high school ranks in the 14th round to take Hamilton out of Montgomery Bell Academy.
The 19-year-old has a fastball that was clocked as high as 96 mph and is committed to play at Vanderbilt. He’s ranked as the top high school pitcher in Tennessee by Perfect Game.
Hamilton, who stands 6-feet-4-inches and weighs 205 pounds, is Baseball America’s 297th-best prospect.
Round 15 Pick 443: RHP McLane Moody, Arkansas (H.S.)
Make it back-to-back prep arms for the Pirates. Moody is No. 352 on Baseball America’s big board.
The right-hander measures 6-foot-7 and weighs 210 pounds, so there’s room to grow into his frame. His fastball was clocked at 96 mph.
Moody is committed to play for the University of Arkansas and is considered the second-best pitcher in the state by Perfect Game.
Round 16 Pick 473: OF Eddie King Jr., Louisville
After four-straight pitchers, the Pirates go back to the position player group and land a college outfielder.
King, a senior at Louisville slashed .367/.435/.750 with 19 doubles, a triple, 17 home runs and 63 RBI in 55 games and was named to the Second Team All-ACC. He also performed pretty well in the Cape Cod League two summers ago.
The bulk of his defensive work has come in center field, but he has experience at all three outfield spots.
Round 17 Pick 503: OF Carter Gwost, Minnesota (H.S.)
Gwost pitched and hit in high school but the Pirates announced him as an outfielder.
Gwost is listed at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and is committed to Nebraska. He was named the 2025 MSHSBCA Class AAA Minnesota Player of the Year.
Though he was drafted as a outfielder, the expectation is Gwost will be a two-way player in college, if he doesn’t sign.
Round 18 Pick 533: OF Canon Reeder, Oregon State
Reeder just wrapped up his junior season with the Beavers and slashed .293/.402/.489 with 11 doubles, a triple, eight home runs and 37 RBI in 55 games.
He’s primarily played center field and bats and throws right-handed.
Round 19 Pick 563: RHP Brandon Cain, University of Oklahoma
Another pair of college teammates will team up again in the Pirates’ organization. The Pirates took Sooners catcher Easton Carmichael in round three.
Cain played in 21 games for Oklahoma this season and started two games in right field. He hit .359 in 47 games as a sophomore for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College prior to joining the Sooners.
*UPDATE: Cain’s draft classification has been changed from outfielder to pitcher. He went 2-1 with a 1.86 ERA, 10 strikeouts and 12 walks in the MLB Draft League. He’s the nephew of former MLB outfielder Lorenzo Cain.
Round 20 Pick 593: LHP Nick Frusco, New York (H.S.)
The Pirates conclude the 2025 draft with Frusco, who is the 249th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline and the 334th-best on Baseball America.
The 6-foot-4 southpaw has a fastball, slider and changeup, all of which grade as average offerings. It will be hard to Pirates to get Frusco to sign instead of honoring his commitment to Clemson.
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