The Pittsburgh Pirates are desperate for starting pitching on their major league staff, and one publication signaled that help is on the way.
It also might have tipped a hand as to which players the Pirates will add to the 40-man roster Tuesday to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft.
Baseball America ranks pitchers as the Pirates’ top four prospects and seven of their top 10 in 2024 preseason rankings: Right-hander Paul Skenes, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023, remains the top prospect from Baseball America’s 2023 midseason rankings, but righty Bubba Chandler moved up seven spots to No. 2, followed by Jared Jones and lefty Anthony Solometo. Skenes, Chandler and Solometo all finished the season at Double-A Altoona, Jones at Triple-A Indianapolis.
Second baseman Termarr Johnson, the Pirates’ first-round pick in 2022, slipped one spot to No. 5 but remains their highest-ranked position player. The rest of the top 10 is rounded out by right-handers Quinn Priester and Thomas Harrington, second baseman Nick Gonzales, shortstop Tsung-Che Chang and righty Braxton Ashcraft.
Both Priester and Gonzales made their major league debuts last summer.
A slick defender with elite speed, Cheng started the 2023 season ranked 25th and jumped from No. 13 in midseason rankings. Ashcraft wasn’t ranked to start the season but appeared at No. 14 midseason after returning from Tommy John surgery and impressing at High-A Greensboro and Altoona. Both are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft, so the Pirates would have to place them on the 40-man roster Tuesday to protect them.
