Pirates earn significant praise by MLB.com for 2025 draft class

The Pirates began the draft by selecting prep right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez (Corona High School) No. 6 overall.

We likely won’t know for 4-5 years how well the Pittsburgh Pirates succeeded or failed with their 2025 draft class, but MLB.com is filing the Bucs as winners.

On Wednesday, MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis selected five teams that did the best at identifying and drafting talent.

Callis picked the Pirates as crafting the second-best draft, only behind the Baltimore Orioles. Listing five teams, Callis slotted the Pirates second.

“For the second straight Draft, Pittsburgh landed the player with the most pure talent in the Draft despite not owning a top-five selection,” Callis said.

The Bucs selected high school shortstop/outfielder Konnor Griffin No. 9 last season and has blossomed into a top 15 prospect in the sport. Callis noted several teams had issues with his swing. Griffin has proved them wrong.

Some teams shied away from the Pirates No. 6 overall pick, Seth Hernandez, “because the industry is skittish about the risk associated with high school right-handers.”

Hernandez, 19, can hit 100 mph with his fastball, but typically sits into the mid-90s and tops out at 97-98 mph. The 6-foot-4 righty put up video-game numbers at Corona High School.

In 53.1 innings, Hernandez posted a 0.39 ERA and struck out 105 batters. He only walked seven.

Hernandez won National High School Invitational MVP honors and is dubbed by MLB Pipeline as possessing a 70-grade fastball, a 60-grade curveball, a 55-grade slider, and a 60-grade changeup.

Hernandez, the Gatorade National High School Player of the Year, has a chance to be the best pitcher in the draft despite being the fourth selected, including the first high-school arm.

The Pirates didn’t mind and selected Pipeline’s No. 3 overall player.

They followed up the Hernandez selection with prep right-hander Angel Cervantes in the second round. Ranked the No. 49 player available, Cervantes was one of the youngest players in the draft and doesn’t turn 18 until August 21.

Selected No. 50, the Warren, California native owns a 55-grade fastball, 50 curveball, and 50 slider. His best pitch is a 60-grade changeup as a potential four-pitch pitcher. His fastball sits 90-93 mph with good carry and spin rate.

Callis also likes what the Pirates did in the third, fourth, and fifth rounds.

“Oklahoma’s Easton Carmichael (third) was one of the better college backstops, high schooler Gustavo Melendez (fourth) is a solid shortstop with a sneaky-good bat,” Callis continued, “and Louisiana State first baseman Jared Jones (ninth) was a flat-out steal considering he may have more raw power than anyone in the Draft.”

Jared Jones, not that one, is a power-hitting corner infield bat that ranked No. 101 in MLB Pipeline’s top prospect list but fell to the ninth round.

Jones, 21, owns 60-grade power at first base and hit 64 home runs in three seasons at LSU.

Callis called him a steal after Pipeline projected Jones to be a third or fourth round selection. He needs to improve his contact and fielding, but the Pirates may have a bat that could quickly move through their system.

The 2025 signing deadline to secure rights to draft picks is August 1.