1: SS/CF Konnor Griffin (First Round #9, $6,216,600 slot - Jackson Prep, MS), a LSU commit. He's considered the consensus top prep prospect; his only question is whether his bat will hold up; consistent contact is a concern.
2: RHP Levi Sterling (Competitive Balance, #37, $2,511,400 slot - Notre Dame HS, CA.) Levi's a Texas commit that features a heater (90-92), curve and splitter.
3: SS Wyatt Sanford (2nd Round #47, $1,984,800 - Independence HS, TX), a Texas A&M commit. His selling card is that he has a good glove and should stick at short, although some believe he profiles as a utility guy because of his uncertain stick, so that will be his determinant tool.
4: LHP Josh Hartle (3rd Round #83, $920,800 - Wake Forest). He was hot in '23 (11-2/2.81 & an All-American) and stumbled in '24 (6-3/5.79); the Bucs are taking a roll on a rebound from the lefty. He's the only college pick among the Bucs Top Five.
5: SS Eddie Rynders (4th Round #112, $649,700 - Wisconsin Lutheran HS). He has power and is likely to switch to 3B, and was an overdraft per most scouting services.
6: CF Will Taylor (5th Round #145, $471,400 - Clemson). Will started out as a football/baseball guy for the Tigers and settled on baseball; that parlay worked out pretty well for Bubba Chandler. But it is tough on the bod; he's already had ACL surgery and broke his wrist in April. He's another who needs to show some consistency after an up-and-down college career.
7: RHP Matt Ager (6th Round #174, $359,900 - UC Santa Barbara). He's hit 95 on the gun and lasted a couple of rounds later than expected, so he may be a steal. But he's another wait-and-see guy; his 2024 campaign was a disappointment compared to '23.
8: RHP Connor Wietgrefe (7th Round #204, $281,500 - Minnesota). He was converted to F/T starter this year and responded with a slash of 8-4/2.77 ERA, both second in the Big Ten.
9: RHP Gavin Adams (8th Round #234, $224,500 - Florida State). Adams underwent TJ surgery in March, but in '23 lit it up with 100 MPH gas. He also has a serviceable slider and appears to be a bullpen project after rehab, although he has been a career starter.
10: IF Duce Gourson (9th Round # 264, $196,100 - UCLA). Like Ager, Gourson fell to the Pirates two or three rounds later than expected. A contact-style hitter, he batted .288 for the Bruins.
11. C Derek Berg (10th Round #294, $183,800 - Army). He's versatile (also plays 1st & 2B) while hitting .290 with 15 homers in 200 ABs.
The remaining 10 players drafted on the third day slot up to $150,000 plus whatever crumbs remain from the Top 10 rounds. MLB's Draft Tracker list of Bucco selections
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Griffin has the potential to be star stuff, keepin' in mind that he's just 18, while the Pirates stuck to their script of collecting college pitchers and versatile middle infielders in the prime rounds. The Bucs took a few guys that had been hot news in 2023 who then faltered during their junior seasons, with a lot of projection and development involved with this year's top guns. A couple of third day guys to watch are VCU soph RHP Brian Curley (6-0-3/2.87, K per inning) and the only prep kid of the day, Woodward KY 6'-5" RHP/3B Taylor Penn (.375 at the dish, 7-1/0.40 on the hill with 89 K in 52 IP). Both should require a hefty bonus. Righty swinger Ian Farrow of Florida Gulf Coast College (.379/15 HR) offers a big bat as a corner OF/DH.
This year the draft room looked like a luau, per Kevin Gorman of the Trib. Area scout Dan Radcliff, who has been with the club since 2015 and habitually wore a Hawaiian shirt to every draft day, was missing this year as he battles cancer. The other scouts honored their AWOL bud by wearing their own Hawaiian shirts this year to let him know he was missed.
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