It’s that time of year when prospect outlets deliver their top 100 lists and organizational top 30s. The Pittsburgh Pirates have been well-represented on several lists.
One of the most valued and trusted sources of prospect information, MLB Pipeline selected five Pirates farmhands for their 2024 top 100 prospects rankings. No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes is a top-five prospect in the sport at No. 3 overall and the highest-ranked starting pitcher. Regarded as the best pitching prospect since Stephen Strasburg, Skenes owns an 80-grade fastball and 70-grade slider. He allowed four runs and only recorded two outs in his Double-A Altoona debut but bounced back with two scoreless innings to close his season after 6.