Pirates 2023 Draft: The 'Paul Skenes draft' looking for added contributors in second full season
The Pirates get a win for drafting Paul Skenes, but who else from 2023 will step up?
The Pittsburgh Pirates ended up with the first overall pick for the 2023 draft, winning the inaugural lottery to determine the top of the draft.
Entering the season, it seemed like it would be the ‘Dylan Crews’ draft, as the LSU outfielder had been talked about as the future top pick in 2023 when he made it to campus a few years prior.
His teammate, Paul Skenes, emerged and established himself as one of the best prospects to ever pass through the draft.
In most drafts, you are looking to get one or two players who can consistently contribute to the major league team. The Pirates ensured that with their first pick, and anything else that may come along, makes it that much better of a class.
Paul Skenes
Paul Skenes
Heralded to be the best pitching prospect to come through the draft since Stephen Strasburg, Skenes proved to be every bit of that and then some.
Despite not starting the season in the majors, Skenes was named the starting pitcher for the National League in the All-Star game. He was also a finalist for the Cy Young and won the Rookie of the League.
Skenes struck out 170 batters in 133 innings pitched, posting an 11-3 record and a 1.93 ERA.
He was everything the Pirates could have hoped for out of the first overall pick and then some.
Mitch Jebb
Mitch Jebb
Drafted out of Michigan State, Mitch Jebb was the player the Pirates selected after Skenes.
It is not an easy thing to do, following up with the best pitching prospect of this generation, perhaps ever.
Jebb gets his own category not because he stands out among the rest but because he doesn’t fit into the other groups in this class.
He’s an advanced college hitter with strong bat-to-ball skills and has some of the best speed in the system. He led all Pirates’ minor leaguers in stolen bases and made a late-season switch to center field.
The issue is that he didn’t hit like you would hope a college hitter playing in Greensboro would, mainly due to his ‘20’ grade power.
There are still some things to like, but Altoona will be the ultimate test of whether his specific skills translate.
Promising Arms
Zander Mueth
Carlson Reed
Khristian Curtis
Jaden Woods
Each pitcher in this group is arguably among the top 25/30 prospects in the Pirates system. Zander Mueth was a prep signing who was the FCL Pitcher of the Year before having some control issues in Bradenton. He throws from an extremely low arm slot that could giveters a fit if he can stay in the lower-level hit strike zone consistently.
Carlson Reed was the closer at West Virginia in his draft year. The Pirates converted him to a starter, and he flourished, finishing behind only Bubba Chandler among the Pirates’ minor league pitchers in strikeouts. He made a strong argument for jumping straight to Altoona to begin 2025.
Multiple arm surgeries limited how much pitching Khristian Curtis did in college. After some concern about whether he’d be able to pitch again, the Pirates selected him in the 12th round and gave him an over-slot deal. He has the stuff but still deals with some feeling issues in his hand that hurt his control at times. He pitched in the AFL and performed well after a rough start. If the control is reigned in, he has the stuff to be a solid starter in this system.
Jaden Woods is a left-handed reliever with the stuff to pitch in the majors; he just needs to improve his control. He pitched well in Greensboro but was roughed up in Altoona, where he will likely begin 2025.
Traded Away
Garret Forrester
Charles McAdoo
Patrick Reilly
Austin Strickland
The Pirates have already traded four players from this draft class and could get contributions from the major league team from the return in 2025.
Garret Forrester was a part of the Bryan De La Cruz trade last deadline. Charles McAdoo netted what will likely be the Pirates’ Opening Day shortstop in 2025. Patrick Reilly was a promising arm in Greensboro who landed Billy Cook from the Orioles.
Austin Strickland was traded for Joey Bart last year, who emerged as the team’s starting catcher.
Depth Hitters
Justin Miknis
Kalae Harrison
These guys will probably log heavy travel miles as they shuttle up and down the system to fill needs. Kalae Harrison made it to Double-A last year but never hit much at any spot he was at. Justin Miknis spent a chunk of the season on the Development List as the third catcher in Bradenton.
Bullpen Guys
Danny Carrion
Magdiel Cotto
Garrett McMillan
Tyler Kennedy
Peyton Stumbo
Landon Tomkins
This entire group began 2024 in the Bradenton bullpen, with Garrett McMillan and Magdiel Cotto eventually getting promoted to Greensboro.
Danny Carrion's fastball graded out well, even though its average velocity was under 90 mph. Carrion, Cotto, and Peyton Stumbo should all factor into the Greensboro bullpen starting in 2025.
Tyler Kennedy had explosive stuff but was one of the wildest pitchers in the system. McMillan pitched well once getting to Greensboro and could get the opportunity to jump straight to Altoona.
Landon Tomkins saved eight games for the Marauders and will likely factor into some late-inning opportunities with Greensboro after pitching nine games there to close out 2024.
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My problem with Jebb is where they drafted him(2nd round 3 overall).You can get those "hit first profiles" later in the draft and a ton in rounds 3-5th.
And I know he crushed the Cape and lead the league in batting average that year but I'm telling you can find these guys in the draft in later rounds. I can go back and look and name at least 7-10 players with similar profiles and got drafted way later.
And don't get me stated on how the Pirates deployed him defensively. Now, they made him position-less not versatile🤷♂️
Edit** People don't realize the player Jebb has to become to have a valued return on a pick that high. At least one AS season at the ML level for that pick to be a good one.
The trades were mostly poorly executed, but I do feel like it says something positive that we were able to flip recent draftees for, in theory, what was supposed to be immediate big league help (plus our savior Billy Cook). Even moreso that we sent away some middle and later round guys. With how little chance there is that guys drafted later ever make an impact, its decent resource management to flip them early in my opinion