Pirates go from high school to college players in Day 2 of Draft

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Day two of the Pirates draft look so much different than day one. Not only did they have eight picks instead of three, of the eight selections only one was from high school.

The Pirates drafted seven college players including three straight from rounds six through eight. In all four pitchers, two more shortstops, an outfielder and a catcher from the Army.

3rd round Josh Hartle (LHP, 6’5”, 210 pounds)-Wake Forest University
·       70th best prospect, 6-3, 5.79 ERA, 74.2IP, 81 strikeouts last year
·       Sophomore season 1st team All-ACC 11-2, 2.81 ERA, 140 strikeouts, 102.1 innings

4th round Eddie Rynder (shortstop, 6’2”, 195 pounds)-Wisconsin Lutheran HS
·       1st team all-state, fourth best prospect in Wisconsin
·       Left-handed hitter, right-handed thrower

5th round Will Taylor (CF, 5’10”, 180 pounds) Clemson University
·       Right-handed hitter .313/18 doubles/13 HR/69 RBI in 107 games at Clemson
·       Led team with a .465 on-base percentage this season while his average was .230
·       Drafted by the Rangers in the 19th round out of high school

6th round Matt Ager (RHP, 6’6”, 225 pounds) UC Santa Barbara
·       3-4, 4.02 ERA, 24 appearances (9 starts), 11 saves in 2024, 2nd Team All-Big West
·       Played for the USA Baseball Collegiate national team in 2023 after a 3.12 ERA with 115 strikeouts in 92.1 innings as a junior

7th round Connor Wietgrefe (LHP, 6’2”, 200) University of Minnesota
·       8-4, 2.77 ERA, 78 innings, 74 strikeouts, ONE home run allowed, First-Team All-Big Ten and named the Dave Winfield Pitcher of the Year

8th round Gavin Adams (RHP, 6’4”, 195 pounds) Florida State University
·       Coming off Tommy John surgery in March, at Indian River State College in 2023, averaged 15.04 strikeouts per 9 innings
·       Selected by Washington in the 11th round last year

9th round Duce Gourson (shortstop, 6’, 200 pounds) UCLA
·       Left-handed batter and right-handed thrower, .288 average, 7 home runs, 16 doubles in 2024
·       Member of the 2023 USA Collegiate National Team after leading UCLA in extra-base hits, doubles, on-base percentage, walks and stolen bases

10th round Derek Berg (catcher, 6’3”, 200 pounds) Army
·       15 home runs while hitting .290 in 53 games in 2024, ending the season on a 28-game on-base streak

All of the players selected through the first two rounds play up the middle. Whether it’s one of the four shortstops, the catcher or centerfielder or the five pitchers, all excel up the middle. Cherington says it’s one of the inputs they use in finding new talent.

“It’s certainly an input,” Cherington said. “If players can do that, it’s probably going to help them on our list. But it’s not the only player we’ll consider taking, obviously. There are plenty of corner players, first basemen, catchers, etc., that we like and we’ll take. We never corner ourselves in any one thing. But the middle of the field player does have more places to go, typically, down the road, just more options.”

“I don’t think it’s just the Pirates. A lot of teams value that, certainly we do. It helps get those guys in a spot on the board that they’re at.”

Panther Picks

A pair of Pitt right-handed pitchers were selected in Day 2 of the MLB Draft, both in the seventh round. White Sox selected All-American closer Phil Fox (199 overall), while starter Ryan Andrade goes to Tampa Bay (216 overall).

A Hempfield HS graduate, Fox was Second-Team All-ACC and Third-Team All-American after winning three games and getting eight saves in 23 appearances. His ERA was 1.47 in his first year at Pitt striking out 45 in 36.2 innings.

Andrade was Pitt’s Friday night starter, making 15 appearances, pitching 63 innings with 72 strikeouts and a 7.29 ERA.