Scouting the Pirates system 2024: Best speed tool
Scouting the Pirates system 2024: Best speed tool
Who has the best speed tool in the Pittsburgh Pirates system?
The ‘Best Tools’ series is a look throughout the Pittsburgh Pirates organization at who has the best tools in the system.
With the addition of the pitch clock and limitations on pitchers' pick-off attempts, we have seen an uptick in stolen bases across baseball.
So, having speed helps not only on the basepaths but also defensively in the field. Here’s a look at some of the Pirates in the system with the best ‘speed’ tool:
Mitch Jebb
The leader in stolen bases in the Pirates system this past season, Mitch Jebb, swiped 43 bases on 51 attempts in 2024 with Greensboro. Each Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and FanGraphs all give him a 60 grade for speed or better (the latter of which has him at 70).
The speed made him such an intriguing player to shift to center field, where he played 10 games toward the end of the season.
Jesus Castillo
An injury cut his season short, but Jesus Castillo led the system in stolen bases last year with 39 in 48 attempts. He also had 10 in 25 games when he got hurt. Going back to his time in the Dominican and Complex, he’s stolen 73 bases on 95 attempts.
He had also started to get some time in the outfield, which would be another opportunity to showcase his speed.
Estuar Suero
When it comes down to it, finding out how a player grades out when it comes to speed is easy; just take a stopwatch with you.
It’s hard sometimes to get a really good feel for someone’s speed watching on TV. Luckily, I got to see Estuar Suero run in person, and he can absolutely fly. He hit a triple, and he rounded the bases as fast as anyone I’ve seen in person.
His frame and long strides certainly help with that, but it’s elite speed, regardless.
Jhonson Pena
Another player whose speed I got an up-close view of is Jhonson Pena. WTM’s pick last year in this series, and after seeing him at the Complex, I can see why.
His stolen base numbers were cut in half this past year in the FCL, but it wasn’t because he was slower. He made some nice plays in center field that could have only been done due to his speed.
NolaJeffy - Konnor Griffin
There isn’t much to go off of for the time being, but Konnor Griffin’s speed in some of the post-draft “bridge league” games looked as advertised. That advertisement came with swiping 87 bags in 88 attempts in his senior year of high school, with the one caught stealing occurring while attempting to steal home. Griffin’s legs look like they’ll surely be a constant threat.
Murphy—Like Nola said, there wasn’t much information to go off outside the 87 stolen bases, but the brief look we got, the speed is very much legit. He’s a taller player, so it’s a combination of natural speed and long strides that got him from first to third very quickly.
One to watch: Lonnie White Jr.
White was WTMs pick for the best speed tool in the system
Lonnie White Jr. once had a ‘70’ grade speed attached to his name, making him an exciting center-field prospect.
He’s stolen 33 bases in the last two years combined, spanning 150 games played. It seems like there could be a potential for more, but with his build, he could be a guy who loses a tick the older he gets.
If he can stay healthy and maintain his speed, 20 stolen bases should be easy work for someone like him.
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I liked to see the Iverson Allen kid stateside cause the reports are that he can fly as well. Or am I making that up cause his name?
And it’s said Will Taylor has lost a step but I’m sure he can still move too. He was D1 slot WR/KR/PR for a power 5. Even if he has lost a step, I would imagine he’s gotta still have at least double plus speed for a baseball prospect.
Two players I think that get overlooked in the speed department: Jack Brannigan and Jhonny Severino. I think Severino deserves a mention for his hustle alone.
I hope Griffin comes up before he turns 23, since I turn 74 in a month (Karma caveat: if I live that long)