Bucs on Deck: Breakout candidates outside the Top 25

Breakout candidates deeper in the Pirates' system

Photo Credit: WTM

Yesterday, we looked at some breakout candidates inside our upcoming Pirates’ Top-25 Prospects list. Today, the focus shifts to players who are outside our list. Each writer picked one player not in the Top-25 that we feel could have a breakout in the 2025 season.

Finding a breakout player deeper in the system can be a little more challenging. Generally, you are looking for flashes and hoping they build on that heading into the following season.

Each player selected has shown flashes and will be looking to build off that and take the next step in their development.

WTM: Antwone Kelly, RHP

Signed out of Aruba in 2021, Kelly has moved slowly so far with the Pirates. After a year in the DSL, he spent two in the FCL despite pitching well, in limited innings, in the first one. The Pirates put him in the Bradenton rotation in 2024 and was on track for a big increase in his workload until he got hurt around mid-season, missing most of the second half. He returned in time to make three appearances that didn't go well, messing with his final numbers. Kelly throws 96-97 mph with a good change.

A couple of factors make him a good candidate for a breakout. One is that he's at a stage — roughly the boundary between Bradenton and Greensboro — when the team's pitching prospects have been tending to break out. The other is that he already had a mini-breakout in May and June of 2024, when he had a 2.15 ERA over 46 innings after a tough April. The injury unfortunately interrupted that run. Being a 5'10" right-hander may raise the specter of Kelly ending up in the bullpen, but the Pirates seem inclined to try him as a starter for now.

Anthony Murphy: Eddie Rynders

I tried to avoid the next couple of players who finished just outside our Top-25, figuring that with graduations (and perhaps some trades), they would make the list at some point this season.

That led me to Eddie Rynders, who has yet to make his professional debut.

The Pirates may have gotten an absolute steal in the fourth round with Rynders. There’s a chance that this may be a year too early for a ‘breakout,’ but I think the fact he was selected behind the likes of Konnor Griffin, Wyatt Sanford, and Levi Sterling helped keep him under the radar.

Rynders has the power potential and left-handed swing to make an immediate impact, most likely in the Florida Complex League, and could see Bradenton by the end of the season.

NolaJeffy: Garrett McMillan

When thinking about who I believe will have a big season in 2025, one of the first names that comes to mind is the big boy, Garrett McMillan. Listed at 6’4” and 235 lbs, the 2023 14th-round pick out of the University of Alabama popped up late in 2024.

Beginning the season in Bradenton, McMillan was used primarily out of the bullpen as a reliever for anywhere from one to four-inning appearances. During his time with the Bradenton Marauders, he made only one start in 29 appearances, shutting out the Clearwater Threshers across four innings while allowing only a hit and one hit-by-pitch to go with six strikeouts. Including playoffs, he made eight appearances with the Greensboro Grasshoppers — three starts — and gave up only a single earned run through 26.0 IP. He walked only five batters and struck out 35.

There isn’t much data to go off of, particularly in High-A, but his stuff really popped with Greensboro. He got up to 94-95 with the fastball and was frequently missing bats with it, along with what had the makings of being an above-average slider. Now, it’s hard to say what level he’ll begin at, as well as whether he’ll be stretched out as a starter or remain in the bullpen, but I believe he’s someone to keep an eye on who could quickly ascend the organizational ladder.

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Bucs on Deck Top 25 Final Update