Pittsburgh Baseball Now Unveils Pirates Top 30 Prospects List

Introducing our first-ever Pittsburgh Pirates Top 30 prospects list at Pittsburgh Baseball Now. Our three-man staff of John Perrotto, Cody Potanko, and Danny Demilio put together a list of our top Pirates prospects, and we combined the three into one comprehensive list.

Over the next few days, we will release each of our individual Top 30s, but first, we present our overall rankings:

1. C Henry Davis

• Level: Double-A
• 2022 Stats: .269/.399/.483, nine doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 31 RBIs, five steals, 41 games

Davis has battled a wrist injury for a good chunk of this season, but the 2021 first-overall pick has flashed his upside when healthy. Davis’ skill set with the bat and his plus arm behind the plate making him the top Pirates prospect.

2. RHP Quinn Priester

• Level: Double-A
• 2022 Stats: 1-3, 2.49 ERA, 43.1 innings, 40 hits, 46 strikeouts, 12 walks, nine games/nine starts

Don’t let the record fool you — Priester has looked very strong this season and taken a step forward in his development. The right-hander features a strong mix of pitches, led by his big curveball.

3. SS/2B Termarr Johnson

• Level: Florida Complex League
• 2022 Stats: .143/.143/.286, 1 for 7, one double, three games

The Pirates used the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft on Johnson, considered the top hitter available and one of the top prep hitters in decades instantly making him one of the top Pirates prospects.

4. C Endy Rodriguez

• Level: Double-A
• 2022 Stats: .303/.393/.552, 24 doubles, three triples, 18 home runs, 51 RBIs, four steals, 93 games

Rodriguez has emerged as one of the Pirates’ best prospects this year thanks to a terrific season with the bat and improved defense behind the plate. Rodriguez is athletic and versatile and earned a recent promotion to Double-A.

5. 2B Nick Gonzales

• Level: Double-A
• 2022 Stats: .246/.364/.380, nine doubles, one triple, four home runs, 19 RBIs, six steals, 48 games

Gonzales recently returned from a trip to the injured list due to plantar fasciitis. Though Gonzales is striking out at a high clip (nearly 33%), he still possesses high potential at the plate both in terms of hitting for average and power.

6. SS Liover Peguero

• Level: Double-A
• 2022 Stats: .260/.301/.396, 20 doubles, four triples, eight home runs, 42 RBIs, 21 steals, 97 games

Acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a trade for Starling Marte in 2020, Peguero is regarded as one of the Pirates’ best middle infield prospects due to his potential at the plate, in the field, and on the bases.

7. RHP Michael Burrows

• Level: Triple-A
• 2022 Stats: 5-5, 3.74 ERA, 86.2 innings, 74 hits, 103 strikeouts, 28 walks, 21 games/19 starts

Burrows has emerged as one of the Pirates’ better pitching prospects and worked his way to Triple-A Indianapolis. Burrows posted a 4.93 ERA through his first nine appearances with Indianapolis, but a more respectable 3.70 FIP.

8. LHP Anthony Solometo

• Level: Single-A
• 2022 Stats: 3-0, 3.68 ERA, 29.1 innings, 24 hits, 31 strikeouts, 11 walks, nine games/five starts

Solometo’s first taste of pro ball has gone well with the Bradenton Marauders. The southpaw features a deceptive delivery that makes it tough on hitters, and the 19-year-old has gotten good results.

9. TWP Bubba Chandler

• Level: Single-A
• 2022 Stats (Hitting): .228/.354/.430, three doubles, two triples, three home runs, 16 RBIs, three steals, 34 games
• 2022 Stats (Pitching): 0-1, 2.57 ERA, 28 innings, 14 hits, 21 walks, 46 strikeouts, ten games/seven starts

Chandler, a two-way player, has split time this season between the FCL Pirates and Single-A Bradenton. Chandler has flashed his potential both on the mound and at the plate, which makes him one of the more intriguing prospects in the Pirates’ system.

10. OF Travis Swaggerty

• Level: Triple-A
• 2022 Stats (minors): .258/.344/.416, 12 doubles, seven triples. seven home runs, 43 RBIs, 12 steals, 79 games
• 2022 Stats (MLB): .111/.111/.111, 1 for 9, five games

The former first-round pick made his MLB debut earlier this season and picked up his first big league hit. Swaggerty has been playing well at Triple-A and could get another shot in Pittsburgh before the year is out.

11. RHP Jared Jones

• Level: High-A
• 2022 Stats: 5-6, 5.08 ERA, 101 innings, 95 hits, 43 walks, 120 strikeouts, 21 games/21 starts

Jones hasn’t necessarily gotten the best results this season, but the young righty has a strong mix of pitches and has shown the ability to miss bats (27.5% strikeout rate)

12. INF/OF Ji-Hwan Bae

• Level: Triple-A
• 2022 Stats: .297/.364/.450, 17 doubles, four triples, eight home runs, 41 RBIs, 20 steals, 83 games

Though he is currently on the injured list with a strained oblique, Bae has produced excellent results this season at Indianapolis. If he can return healthy by the end of the season, Bae is a candidate to make his debut with the Pirates by season’s end.

13. RHP Thomas Harrington

• Level: Rookie (FCL)
• 2022 Stats: N/A

The Pirates selected Harrington in the competitive balance round A in the 2022 draft between the first and second rounds. Harrington features a four-pitch mix and excellent control. He has yet to make his professional debut.

14. RHP Carmen Mlodzinski

• Level: Double-A
• 2022 Stats: 3-7, 4.62 ERA, 78 innings, 75 hits, 32 walks, 83 strikeouts, 21 games/17 starts

Mlodzinski, the 31st pick in the 2020 draft, has spent the entire season with Double-A Altoona. Though he has mostly started for the Curve, there is a possibility he could end up in the bullpen eventually.

15. 1B/3B Malcom Nunez

• Level: Double-A
• 2022 Stats: .257/.360/.463, 11 doubles, 18 home runs, 70 RBIs, five steals, 90 games

The Pirates acquired Nunez from the St. Louis Cardinals in the Aug. 1 trade for Jose Quintana. The 21-year-old Nunez’s potential is mostly at the plate, and he hit his first homer with the Curve on Saturday.

16. OF Lonnie White Jr.

• Level: Florida Complex League
• 2022 Stats: .286/.286/.857 with one double, one home run, and three RBIs

White has dealt with elbow and hamstring injuries and played in just two games this season. The hope is to get him back in games before the end of the season.

17. OF Matt Fraizer

• Level: Double-A
• 2022 Stats: .225/.294/.353 with 17 doubles, seven triples, five home runs, and 41 RBIs

Fraizer has had a rather disappointing season considering his strong showing in 2021. Fraizer started to turn it around in July with a .282/.358/.435 slash line, but so far in August, he has batted .194.

18. OF Canaan Smith-Njigba

• Level: 60-day IL, out for the season
• 2022 Stats Triple-A: .277/.387/.408 with 15 doubles, three triples, one home run, and 19 RBIs
• 2022 Stats MLB: .200/.429/.400 in three games played

Smith-Njigba fractured his right wrist just three games into his major league call-up in June. The fourth-round pick of the New York Yankees in 2017 will hope for better health in 2023.

19. RHP Kyle Nicolas

• Level: Double-A
• 2022 Stats: 1-3, 3.89 ERA, 69.1 innings, 55 hits, 32 walks, 81 strikeouts, 18 games (17 starts)

Nicolas suffered a setback with an shoulder injury in June, but he is now back pitching with the Curve. He is looking to make a splash in this Pirates’ system after being acquired from the Miami Marlins in November in the Jacob Stallings’ trade.

20. RHP Tahnaj Thomas

• Level: Double-A
• 2022 Stats: 4-4, 3.35 ERA, 40.1 innings, 39 hits, 16 walks, 43 strikeouts, 30 games (one start)

Since moving into the Curve bullpen, Thomas has thrived in a role more conducive to his limited pitch arsenal. Thomas features a good fastball/slider combo but lacks a third pitch.

21. OF Hudson Head

• Level: High-A
• 2022 Stats: .230/.335/.387 with 16 doubles, one triple, ten home runs, and 36 RBIs

Head started off extremely cold with Greensboro but had a good July, batting .253/.325/.480. He has a .333 average in August.

22. 3B Jared Triolo

• Level: Double-A
• 2022 Stats: .275/.370/.397 with 18 doubles, four triples, seven home runs, and 36 RBIs

Triolo, like much of these prospects, started off extremely cold. Yet thanks to a recent surge, he has catapulted himself into a position where the Pirates will need to consider placing him on the 40-man roster in advance of the Rule 5 draft.

23. INF Maikol Escotto

• Level: Single-A
• 2022 Stats: .202/.278/.358 with 10 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, and 32 RBIs

Escotto has bounced from High-A to the FCL, and it’s been a rough year for the former Yankees’ prospect. Can he turn it around?

24. TWP Jack Brannigan

• Level: Single-A
• 2022 Stats Pitching: N/A
• 2022 Stats Batting: .308/.419/.615 with two doubles, two home runs, and four RBIs

Although Brannigan has played in just six games with the Marauders, he has impressed. put Pirates’ brass on notice with his play. Curious to see if they want to use him as a pitcher now that they’ve seen his hitting ability.

25. RHP Colin Holderman

• Level: MLB
• 2022 Stats (minors): 1-0, 2.60 ERA, 17.1 innings, 11 hits, five walks, 21 strikeouts
• 2022 Stats (MLB): 5-0, 1.73 ERA, 26 innings pitched, 16 hits, 12 walks, 21 strikeouts

Holderman was the return in the Daniel Vogelbach trade with the New York Mets last month and has performed rather well for the Pirates. In a bullpen that needs help, Holderman can provide some high-leverage innings.

26. C Blake Sabol

• Level: Double-A
• 2022 Stats: .270/.340/.457 with 19 doubles, four triples, 13 homers, and 54 RBIs

Sabol has enjoyed a solid season with Altoona, showcasing his ability to hit for power from the left side of the plate.

27. LHP Hunter Barco

• Level: Florida Complex League (out for season; recovering from Tommy John surgery)
• 2022 Stats: N/A

The Pirates selected Barco from the University for Florida in the second round of this year’s draft. The left-hander is currently rehabbing from Tommy John surgery he underwent earlier this year.

28. LHP Michael Kennedy

• Level: Florida Complex League
• 2022 Stats: N/A

Kennedy, another 2022 draftee of the Pirates (fourth round) signed for an over-slot deal. The lefty has an advanced feel for pitching for a teenager.

29. OF Connor Scott

• Level: Double-A
• 2022 Stats: .251/.318/.397 with 20 doubles, four triples, five home runs, and 33 RBIs

Scott was also part of the Stallings trade and has been inconsistent this season. In 11 games in August, Scott is batting .243/.300/.514 with two home runs and five RBIs.

30. OF Rodolfo Nolasco

• Level: Single-A
• 2022 Stats: .239/.333/.429 with 14 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, and 46 RBIs.

Nolasco had a rough first three months of the season but turned it on the past two. In July, Nolasco batted .341/.455/.795, and in August, he’s batting .333/.444/.333.