For the longest time, the Pittsburgh Pirates have been your run of the mill, middle of the pack team. Their farm system is no different. Once you get past the fact that they included a pitcher that would rank 2nd overall here to Tampa Bay as a PTBNL, this system actually has some sneaky-good value. There’s not a high amount of top-end talent in the top-25 Pittsburgh Pirates prospects you’ll see below, but with several on the cusp of the Majors and others with high floor, there’s value to be had here.

You’ll also notice a few trends. First, there’s a lot more real-life safer prospects than high floor upside ones. The Pirates have always targeted those types and that showed at the Major League level in 2019 with the likes of Bryan Reynolds and Kevin Newman. Second, the Pirates value prospects that can work the count, as evident by the plethora of walk rates above or near 10% below.

Overall System Grade: C

Minor League Affiliates

Triple-A: Indianapolis – International League

Double-A: Altoona – Eastern League

Advanced Single-A: Bradenton – Florida State League

Low Single-A: Greensboro – South Atlantic League

Short Single-A: West Virginia – New York-Penn League

Rookie: Bristol – Appalachian League, Dominican Summer League (2), Gulf Coast League (1).

All other team top-25 prospect rankings can be found here.

If you aren’t playing your dynasty leagues on Fantrax, you’re missing out on the deepest player pool and most customization around. Just starting out in a dynasty league? Then check out Eric Cross’ Top-250 Overall Fantasy Prospects, Top-500 Dynasty League Rankings & 2019 FYPD/J2 Rankings.

Also, make sure to check out the Fantrax Dynasty Baseball Podcast weekly with Nathan Dokken, Van Lee, and Ron Rigney!

Top-25 Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects – 2020

1. Oneil Cruz, SS

Let’s get the obvious out of the way here with Oneil Cruz. Yes, he’s a 6’7 shortstop. No, that doesn’t automatically mean he’s going to have to move off the position at some point. While Cruz likely won’t win any gold glove awards, his athleticism gives him adequate range for the position and a cannon of a throwing arm certainly helps. If anything, maybe Cruz moves to third, but I don’t anticipate that happening anytime soon. Regardless of position, Cruz possesses the offensive upside to stand out.

The first thing you notice about Cruz at the plate is his easy plus raw power. Dare I say there’s double-plus raw power potential here as there’s still physical projection left on his 6’7 frame. Cruz can really put a charge into the ball from the left side and the ball really explodes off his bat. However, as you can expect with someone this size, Cruz’s swing tends to get a tad long at times. The bat speed is great once he gets moving forward, but a deeper hand load along with a rather noisy pre-pitch setup are two areas that could use some refinement.

Another area of concern is the aggressive approach. It’s not that he chases a ton of pitches outside the zone, but Cruz could really benefit from a bit more patience, waiting for a pitch to drive and show off that raw power potential. There’s 30-plus homer upside in this bat down the road if some adjustments are made. Add in average contact skills and average to above-average speed and you have a high-upside offensive shortstop in the making.

If you’ve read my work over the last year or two, this ranking should come as no surprise. Jared Oliva is far from the flashiest prospect on the block, but there’s no denying the upside, the results, or the improvements he’s made. A breakout final season at the University of Arizona vaulted Oliva up into the 7th round of the 2017 draft and he just kept improving ever since.

One area that Oliva has always excelled in is on the basepaths. With plus speed and instincts to match on the bases, Oliva has produced back to back 30-steal seasons in 2018 and 2019 with a 79.3% success rate in his professional career. And when most prospects are tired and worn down, Oliva continued to run wild with 11 steals in 26 Arizona Fall League games. It wasn’t just his speed that stood out in the AFL either. Outside of home runs, Oliva ranked at or near the top of most statistical categories, ending as one of the top players in this year’s league.

That last sentiment rings true in regards to Oliva as a prospect as well. His speed leads the way but Oliva has proven his worth at the plate as well. Oliva uses a wider stance, keeping his weight balanced and low. A bigger leg kick and load are used to time pitches, and while his hands can load a bit deep at times, Oliva’s quick hands and compact swing produce plus bat speed with a line drive, all-fields approach. He’s likely capped around 10-12 homers, but add in a .270-plus average and 30 steals and you have a borderline top-100 prospect with a real chance to make an impact in 2020.

Starling Marte’s departure could lead to an Oliva MLB debut before the all-star break if he performs well at Triple-A to start the season.

Admittedly, I’ve never been the highest around on Mitch Keller, but this is a much better pitcher than his 2019 MLB debut would indicate. Seeing a 7.13 ERA is never ideal, but when you dig deeper, you’ll find a 3.19 FIP and 3.47 xFIP along with majorly inflated .475 BABIP mark. Do you remember the girl that blew up like a blueberry in Willy Wonka? Yeah, his BABIP was that inflated. There are certainly greener pastures on the horizon for Mr. Keller.

Depending on where you look, some have Keller as a borderline ace or high-end #2 starter. I’m not quite there, projecting Keller as more of a strong #3 starter with a solid floor as well. The reason for the slightly lower ranking/projection from me is that I’m not incredibly high on his secondary offerings, mainly the changeup. While the pitch has shown some improvement, it’s still very inconsistent and merely a 45-grade offering in my book. Both his slider and curveball are above-average, but neither has separated itself as the main outpitch for Keller.

Keller’s plus fastball and the two breaking balls should allow him to find success as a mid-rotation starter, but I just can’t put him in SP2 territory until I see more refinement with his changeup. This might appear as me being a Debbie Downer when it comes to Keller, but that’s not it at all. Keller is a very solid pitcher that should provide plenty of value as a top-50 type of fantasy arm. I’m just not projecting elite numbers.

A 2017 international signing out of the Dominican Republic, Liover Peguero has been shooting up prospect rankings with a strong 2019 campaign and can easily slide his way into my top-100 overall by mid-season. Offensively, Peguero is mostly a hit/speed shortstop. He starts with his hands chest high and out away from his body. A smaller load is used with a moderate leg lick to time pitches and Peguero has above-average bat speed with quick hands and a compact swing. The contact skills are here to hit in the .280 range annually and Peguero has shown an advanced approach for his age as well.

Liover Peguero isn’t hitting .383 for no reason – the work doesn’t stop!#DefendTheNest pic.twitter.com/clpIKgcbc5 — Missoula PaddleHeads (@GoPaddleHeads) July 23, 2019

As for his power and speed, Peguero grades as a 40/50-power, 60/55-speed shortstop. There’s still some physical projection left on his 6’1 frame, and with some added bulk, Peguero could be a 15-18 homer bat if he adds some loft to his swing. This is a name firmly on the rise in dynasty leagues with a good combination of ceiling and floor.

Let’s set aside the 459 nicknames I have surrounding Travis Swaggerty’s last name and focus on the player. That’s what these articles are about, right? Right. Now, after being selected as the 10th overall pick in 2018 as a polished collegiate bat, Swaggerty hasn’t impressed out of the gate as a pro as many expected with a .721 OPS through his first 173 games. However, there have been some positives to take away.

First, Swaggerty has put his plus speed on full display with 32 steals and a 74.4% success rate on the bases. THat’s far from an elite success rate by any means, but Swaggerty has shown enough base running acumen to continue receiving the green light frequently moving forward, giving him 25-plus SB upside annually. The power hasn’t quite been on the same level, but a near 50% groundball rate in 2019 limited how often Swaggerty’s above-average raw power showed up in games.

Poetry in motion. Travis Swaggerty HR swing #Pirates pic.twitter.com/US8Jf4Z7vT — Kyler Peterson (@KPeterson813) April 16, 2019

The swing itself is sound and has been cleaned up over the last year or two. If you go back and find video of him at South Alabama, Swaggerty’s hands started pretty low and out from his body. This made for added hand movement during load and would leave him vulnerable to higher velocity up in the zone. With his hands now at his shoulder, the swing looks more fluid and explosive. Swaggerty is never going to be an elite option in any one category, but has the tools to hit .270-plus with 15-20 home runs and 25 steals at peak. At the very least, this should be a solid starting outfielder at the highest level.

6. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B

On the surface, this ranking probably seems a bit low to most people. In the real-life game of baseball, Ke’Bryan Hayes is a very good prospect. A prospect that has a good chance of having a long a successful Major League career due to his abilities on both sides of the ball, especially defensively at third base. But with this list more geared for fantasy, Hayes prospect star isn’t quite as bright. Still, I had him in my top-150 overall, so it’s not like I’m out on him altogether. Hayes is a good but not great fantasy prospect that can still provide solid value for your team as soon as this season.

The reason for that last sentence is the set of tools Hayes possesses. There are no plus offensive tools from what I’ve seen. However, I’d be willing to throw 50 or 55 grades on all of Hayes’ offensive tools with no major weaknesses. From the right side, Hayes has a fairly fluid swing with great lower-half incorporation. Once he gets going, there’s above-average bat speed, but I have noticed his swing getting a tad long at times. Hayes displays above-average contact skills with an all-fields approach, but without a ton of loff. With his approach, swing, and raw power, I’m not sure we ever see home run totals higher than the teens.

For fantasy purposes, Hayes’ speed is his most notable asset. A borderline plus runner, Hayes has displayed 20-25 steal upside with good instincts and high efficiency on the bases over the last few seasons. Overall, Hays projects as a .275/15/20 type which has value in the fantasy world, but I’m not projecting him to develop into an offensive star.

7. Brennan Malone, RHP

Brennan Malone is one of my favorite arms from the 2019 draft class. An athletic and projectable right-hander, Malone features four pitches that project as Major League average or better with two being plus offerings. Malone works out of a high 3/4 arm slot with an athletic delivery with good extension that he repeats well. His strong lower half gives him good drive towards home plate and the delivery as a whole is rather smooth with a lively arm.

NC ‘19 RHP Brennan Malone showing off that tremendous upside. Anywhere from 91-95 with plane and life, found command in 2nd, peaked at 95.6 per Trackman. CB flashed avg w/ 12/6 at 76-77, also showed sharp, tight SL at 80-81. High-end #MLBDraft arm here. pic.twitter.com/BTayegpOR2 — Brian Sakowski (@B_Sakowski_PG) July 2, 2018

The two plus pitches I referenced above are his low to mid-90’s fastball with run and sharp slider with two-plane break. Malone also will mix in a big breaking curveball that flashes above-average to plus and a serviceable changeup with some fade. For a 19-year-old, his command is advanced and allows him to maximize the effectiveness of his four-pitch mix. If Malone can continue improving that command and control, he has the stuff to develop into a #2 starter or high-end #3.

8. Quinn Priester, RHP

The 18th overall pick this past June, Quinn Priester has one of the highest upsides of any pitcher in the 2019 draft class. The reason for that is the arsenal Priester already has as a high school arm and the projection of what he can be in a few years. A 6’3 righty, Priester sits in the low 90’s already, touching 95-96 with plenty of life on his heater. With added bulk and physical maturation, another tick or two in velocity wouldn’t be a shock putting Priester in the “sitting mid-90’s” range instead of topping out there. And better yet, this is easy velocity. Priester has a smooth and fluid delivery with minimal effort needed to reach his velocity due to his arm speed.

With clean and easy mechanics like this and his feel for pitching, you got to feel good about Priester moving forward. His plus fastball and plus curveball give him a good baseline to work off of and if he can develop his changeup into a legitimate third offering to neutralize left-handed batters, Priester could wind up as a #2 starter when his development is finished. There’s a lot to like here so hop aboard the Priester train in dynasty before it’s too late.

9. Alexander Mojica, 3B

You can’t put too much stock in DSL numbers, but a 1.048 OPS and more walks than strikeouts from a 16-year-old is something to take note of. A 2018 international signee for $350K out of the Dominican Republic, Mojica is strong in every sense of the word. A powerful right-handed swing, plus raw power, and a strong throwing arm are his calling cards, along with that plate approach of course. And not only does he display intriguing power for his age, but Mojica has also shown a good feel for hitting and control of the strike zone.

Mojica truly was one of the most impressive hitters from the 2019 Dominican Summer League and should come stateside in 2020. If he continues to show the tools necessary to hit for plenty of average and power, expect Mojica to fly up prospect rankings with top-100 potential by this time next year.

After originally signing with the Braves in 2017, Ji-Hwan Bae found himself back as a free agent after the penalties were levied by MLB to the Braves in their international signing scandal. The Braves loss was the Pirates gain. After a solid, yet uninspiring professional debut in 2018, Bae’s breakout 2019 season in the Single-A South Atlantic League has put him squarely on the prospect radar for dynasty leagues. In fact, he barely missed making my top-250 overall as one of my final cuts.

With Bae, most of his value comes from his hit tool and speed. That speed translated immediately with 10 steals in 35 games in 2018 and 31 in 86 games last season on 42 attempts. It hasn’t just been on the bases where his speed has been an asset either. Bae has shown average to above-average range at shortstop with a strong enough arm to remain at the position moving forward. The real question is if he can make a big enough impact at the plate. Bae has displayed an above-average hit tool and the ability to work the count but has shown zero power so far outside of gap to gap power. His swing doesn’t generate much loft at all and the raw power itself is below-average.

I’m not saying we have to worry about him being a Dee Gordon type in the power department but I also don’t anticipate more than a handful of home runs annually. Even with minimal power potential, Bae’s smooth and quick left-handed swing, all-fields approach, and sound strike zone awareness should allow him to hit for a fairly high average to pair with 25-plus steals annually. He’s a great target in dynasty leagues now as his value is still pretty tame.

11. Tahnaj Thomas, RHP

Continuing with this breakout theme we have going on here, Tahnaj Thomas fits the criteria from the pitching side of things. Thomas spent the first two years of his professional career with the Indians after signing in December of 2016 before coming over to Pittsburgh in the Jordan Luplow trade last season. His ranking here shows just how far he’s come as a pitcher over the last couple of years. Thomas didn’t even focus solely on pitching until signing with Cleveland and is already pushing my top-250 overall.

At 6’4/190, Thomas has a strong, athletic, and projectable frame with an easy delivery from a high 3/4 arm slot. He’s already sitting in the low-90’s consistently, touching 95-96, and likely will add a tick or two with more added bulk. Added velocity paired with the plus riding life he already generates would make Thomas’s fastball a borderline double-plus offering. Offsetting the heater is a curveball and changeup with the curve projecting as a plus offering with good shape and depth. If Thomas can develop his changeup into a reliable third offering and continue to refine both his command and control, there’s #3 starter upside here. Another name to target in dynasty leagues before his price continues to rise.

12. Sammy Siani, OF

Just 12 months after his big brother Michael was drafted in the 4th round, little bro bet him by three rounds when Pittsburgh selected Sammy Siani with the 37th overall pick this past June. Presently, I have Mike ranked a bit higher overall, but Sammy might just have the higher longterm upside. Like his big bro, Sammy has above-average or better speed that benefits him both on the basepaths and in the outfield. The defensive skills aren’t quite as robust as they are with Michael, but Sammy has proven to be an adequate defender that can handle center field.

But enough about his defense. From the left side of the plate, Siani has a nice-looking swing. He keeps his weight back well pre-pitch and transfers forward well with good lower-half incorporation. The swing itself is smooth with plenty of bat speed thanks to quick hands and a direct path to the ball. There’s not a ton of power upside here, but Siani impacts the ball enough to get into double-digits for home runs if he adds a bit of loft. The final product could be in the vicinity of .275-.290 with 10-15 homers and 20-25 steals.

13. Calvin Mitchell, OF

In case you haven’t noticed, the Pirates have been developing a type. The type of prospect you see a lot in this system is a better real-life asset than fantasy one for the most part, but does enough to profile as a Major League regular. Bryan Reynolds and Kevin Newman are two recent examples of this and Cal Mitchell is one of many in this Pittsburgh system that fit the mold. This is no knock on Mitchell or any other prospect like this, but you have to understand what you’re investing in when you acquire one of these prospects in dynasty leagues.

When it comes to Mitchell, he has one tool that grades above a 50. Defensively, he’s passable at best in the outfield and there’s not a ton of power or speed here, but Mitchell can make a lot of contact and get on-base. However, 2019 was a step back in those areas for Mitchell. He hit only .251 and saw both his walk rate and strikeout rate worsen. Mitchell has a smooth and sound left-handed stroke with a great feel for the barrel, so I’m not overly worried about his 2019 performance especially in a league that usually favors pitchers a bit more. But even if/when he gets back to the .280 level, his overall .280/15-20 HR upside has value, but don’t expect an offensive star here.

14. Braxton Ashcraft, RHP

A 2nd round pick in 2018, Braxton Ashcraft has only made 16 starts in his professional career with lackluster results. But it’s his raw stuff and size that has me excited about his long-term potential. Ashcraft is a big 6’5 right-hander with plenty of projection left on his 190-pound frame. Like with Thomas above, he sits in the low-90’s and should get up into the mid-90’s consistently with plenty of arm-side life one he fills out his frame more. Ashcraft also has good extension towards home plate and repeats his mechanics well.

For secondaries, he’ll mix in a slider that flashes plus and a changeup that is behind but projects as at least an average third offering for him. Some will look at his putrid strikeout rate and overlook Ashcraft. That’s a mistake. With this three-pitch mix and solid command/feel, Ashcraft has mid-rotation upside in time. That strikeout rate should trend up as well over time.

15. Lolo Sanchez, OF

The 2019 season was really a tale of two seasons for Lolo Sanchez. He started the season in the Sally, thriving with a .301 AVG, .829 OPS, and 20 steals, albeit in 30 attempts, in 61 games. Then, after a mid-season promotion to the Class-A Advanced Florida State League, Sanchez struggled mightily. In 52 games, Sanchez hit just .196 with a .570 OPS and seven extra-base hits. Power has never been and likely never will be a big part of his game, but Sanchez has shown enough power projection to approach double-digits annually if he can add a bit of loft to his mostly linear swing.

The main reason to target Sanchez in dynasty leagues is his speed potential. With plus or better speed, Sanchez has 30-plus stolen base upside, but to reach that level, he’s going to need to become more efficient on the bases. He’s averaging around 40 steals per 160-games so far in the minors but that’s come with a 65.3% conversion rate. If his stolen base output is limited due to poor efficiency moving forward, Sanchez’s overall value takes a big hit. While he’s not a zero elsewhere, his tools at the plate translate to around .260/10 so stealing bases is going to be vital for him. The 2020 season is going to be crucial in his development.

16. Mason Martin, 1B

The 2019 season was Mason Martin’s coming out party in a way. He has shown big power potential previously, but all that raw power finally translated consistently into games with 35 home runs and 32 doubles in 131 games between Single-A and High-A. A lot factored into his in-game power jump. Martin’s estimated flyball distance jumped 6.2 feet, fly ball percentage rose 3.2%, and pull percentage rose 4.3%. With his easy plus raw power, solid loft, and pull-happy approach, Martin should continue to be a big power source with 30-homer upside annually.

However, the problem is that a high batting average isn’t likely to accompany all the dingers. Martin has displayed below-average contact skills with big swing and miss tendencies. He’ll often chase too many offspeed pitches outside of the zone and that has led to a higher strikeout rate at every level thus far. If you can stomach a .240 batting average, you’ll likely feel okay investing in his power potential. And those in OBP leagues should value him a bit higher due to his higher walk rate that has kept his OBP high despite a lower batting average.

17. Jack Herman, OF

Speaking of power bats, Jack Herman had one of the biggest power increases in the minors from 2018 to 2019 with a 7.8% jump in his estimated flyball distance per MinorGraphs by Prospects live. That’s a significant jump and very encouraging from a prospect who spent all of the 2019 season as a 19-year-old in Single-A. But like with Martin, there are some contact and approach concerns here with Herman. He’s maintained a high walk rate so far, but Herman also struck out nearly 30% of the time last season.

Jack Herman with an RBI 2B to CF off Seth Corry pic.twitter.com/lwNcPGjdb8 — Jesse Roche (@jaroche6) August 16, 2019

While the power upside is enticing, I’m not a big fan of his swing, to be honest. Herman has a hunched over stance and drops his backside in his swing. This is fine for generating loft, but it’s going to leave him vulnerable to velocity up in the zone. The swing can also get a tad long at times which doesn’t help. These are all things that can be cleaned up over time though.

18. Juan Pie, OF

Alright, let’s detour away from the power surge and discuss a more athletic and speedy prospect in Juan Pie. Signed out of the Dominican Republic back in 2017, Pie has yet to excel in terms of statistics, but he’s flashed the raw tools that made him an intriguing international prospect. Raw is the keyword there though as Pie is as raw as they come with his tools needing plenty of extra time in the oven before they’re ready to eat with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Pie’s most noteworthy tool is his borderline plus speed, but in order to fully capitalize on that, he’s going to need to learn to be more efficient on the basepaths and read pitchers better. So far, Pie has been caught in 15 of his 29 attempts through his first 100 professional games. Yeah, that’s not going to cut it. At the plate, we have more rawness. Pie has a quick left-handed swing with some physical projection left, but often looks too rigid and can let his mechanics get out of wack. This is far from a finished product, but the potential for a 50-hit, 50-power, 55-speed outfielder at peak is just waiting to be unleashed.

19. Shendrik Apostel, 1B

Okay, back to the power bats. Well, at least for one more. If this name seems familiar to you, it should. Shendrik Apostel is the younger brother of Texas Rangers rising prospect Sherten Apostel. While Shendrik is still mostly an unknown, you have to be encouraged by his big 6’5 frame and big raw power. He even walked more than he struck out in 2019 during his second season in the DSL. I’m not going to get long-winded with this one as there’s still not a ton of info out there on him, but Apostel is one to keep an eye on as he likely comes stateside in 2020.

20. Steven Jennings, RHP

You’ll notice in most of my top-25’s that there are a couple of floor guys right around this part of the article. Despite being a 2nd round pick, Steven Jennings skillset points to him being more of a safer floor guy for me with back-end rotation upside. Jennings toes the rubber at 6’2/175 and works out of a higher 3/4 arm slot with an athletic and repeatable delivery. The reason for him being more of a floor prospect is the fact that he doesn’t have any plus pitches.

All four of his pitches project as Major League average or slightly more than that, but none are considered plus. But what he does have working for him is above-average command and control over his entire arsenal and a good feel for pitching. Jennings really pounds the strike zone and doesn’t pitch himself into too many jams by issuing too many free passes. With a lower ceiling, he’s only a deeper dynasty target right now.

21. Rodolfo Castro, INF

Rodolfo Castro is about as big of a boom or bust prospect as you’ll find in this system. Since signing back in 2015, Castro has displayed plus raw power but with below-average contact skills and an overly aggressive plate approach. The strikeout rate hasn’t been crazy-high, sitting at 23.9% for his career, but the aggressive approach has hindered his overall production, including his power. There’s 25-homer upside with Castro, but until he cleans things up at the plate, he doesn’t project as a regular quite yet. He’s still only 20 though, so there’s plenty of time to improve.

For the first half of the 2019 season, Cody Bolton was on cruise control. In his 12 starts in the High-A Florida State League, Bolton posted a 1.61 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 2.0 BB/9, and 10.1 K/9 across 61.2 innings. That earned him a promotion to the Double-A Eastern League where he struggled with an ERA over five in nine starts. The upside here isn’t incredibly high, but there’s a lot to be encouraged about in regards to his future as a rotational piece.

First, Bolton has a strong and athletic 6’3 frame with a clean and repeatable delivery without much effort. He sits in the low-90’s with his fastball, topping out around 95-96 with strong life, and mixes in a slider and changeup that both project as Major League average or better pitches. None are plus pitches, but all project as 50 or 55 grade and Bolton has shown a good feel for each. Add in average to above-average control and command and Bolton projects as a high-floor #4 starter longterm.

23. Jasiah Dixon, OF

Some might look at his draft slot and wonder why Jasiah Dixon is included in this top-25. Well, to start, that was incredible value in the 23rd round. Beyond that, Dixon has the offensive tools to monitor in dynasty leagues. In addition to having a strong throwing arm in the outfield, Dixon has shown quick hands at the plate which has translated into plus bat speed from the right side. His swing is smooth, but lacks much loft and is more geared for line drives into the gaps. He’s also shown a good feel for the barrel with solid strike zone awareness for his age. And once Dixon gets on base he has plus or better speed that could translate to 30-plus steals annually. The raw tools are here to potentially make a fantasy impact down the road.

To be honest, I almost didn’t even include Will Craig here. You have to love the easy plus raw power, but as more time ticks by, I’m not sure he’s an everyday player at the Major League level. The reason for that is a below-average hit tool, strikeout woes, and no path to playing time in Pittsburgh. Craig is a 1B/DH type, and as of now, there’s still no DH in the National League so he’s thoroughly blocked by Josh Bell. Craig is now 25 with a strikeout rate trending in the wrong direction, so time is ticking on him.

This ranking might seem a bit low, but when I watch Kevin Kramer, nothing jumps out at me. He’s a good defender than can play multiple positions and has shown above-average contact skills throughout his professional career, but the power/speed upside is limited to around 10-12 in each. If he can hit above .280, that plus his defense will likely allow him to carve out a role in Pittsburgh. However, he’s not a great fantasy option due to the limited power and speed. Right now, I’m projecting him as more of a utility guy.

Others to Monitor

Matt Gorski, OF: Really wanted to include Matt Gorski in my top-25. There’s above-average raw power and speed here, but I have many concerns about his swing, approach, and contact skills. He’s definitely one to monitor in 2020.

Jason Martin, OF: Martin has been around for a while in this system. However, he doesn’t quite have the skillset to project as a Major League regular in my eyes. He’s better suited for a 4th outfielder role.

Travis McGregor, RHP: McGregor has had an inconsistent career to date and missed the entire 2019 season due to Tommy John surgery. Possesses a plus fastball, but the secondary offerings need work.

Jared Triolo, 3B: The 72nd overall pick in 2019 possesses above-average contact skills, but below-average power due to a linear swing. Simply one to monitor for now as the upside isn’t high here.

Luis Escobar, RHP: Three average or better pitches, but well below-average command and control are pushing him into the bullpen.

Media Credit: Robert Robinson, Missoula Paddleheads, Kyler Peterson, Mike Rosenbaum, Jesse Roche, Brian Sakowski.

Fantrax is one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites of 2019 and we’re not slowing down in 2020. With multi-team trades, designated commissioner/league managers, and drag/drop easy click methods, Fantrax is sure to excite the serious fantasy sports fan – sign up now for a free year at Fantrax.com.