Pirates Take Two More Prep Players on First Day of MLB Draft

The Pittsburgh Pirates still had two more picks to make on day one of the MLB Draft after selecting prep shortstop Konnor Griffin with the ninth selection in round one.

As they did with their first selection of the night, the Pirates went the high school route with their next two picks.

The Pirates were on the clock at pick No. 37 in the Competitive Balance Round A, which they used on right-handed pitcher Levi Sterling from Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif. 10 picks after selecting Sterling, the Pirates concluded the first day of the draft by taking shortstop Wyatt Sanford from Independence High School in Texas with their second round pick — No. 47 overall.

The 17-year-old Sterling is ranked as the 58th-best prospect in this year’s draft class according to MLB Pipeline. Sterling’s four-pitch mix consists of a fastball, curveball, sweeper and changeup. His best pitch is his plus-curveball, which Pipeline grades as a ’60’ on the ’20-80’scouting scale.

Sterling’s fastball sits in the lower-90s and, as is the case with his sweeper, is an above-average offering.

The 6-foot-5 right-hander is committed to play at the University of Texas while pick No. 37 comes with a $2,511,400 slot value.

Sanford, meanwhile, is ranked as the 35th-best prospect on Pipeline’s board. He’s considered a plus-runner with a plus-glove and a good arm, all of which lead to a strong chance of him being able to stick at short at the next level.

While he’s a sure-handed defender and good athlete, Sanford will need to show he’s capable of being impactful at the plate. There are questions surrounding his bat, notably in terms of seemingly-limited power potential.

Sanford is committed to Texas A&M if he decides to go to college. The slot value at his selection is just shy of $2 million.

His father, Chance, played 14 games for the Pirates in 1998. The Pirates took him in the 10th round of the 1991 draft but he did not sign. He was again selected by Pittsburgh in the 27th round the following year.

Through their first three selections of the 2024 draft, the Pirates have already matched their number of prep picks from a season ago at three.