For years, “wait until the prospects arrive” has felt like a tired refrain in Pittsburgh. We’ve heard about waves before — some hit the shore, some fizzled at sea, some never quite became what we hoped.
But here we are in 2026, finally watching Paul Skenes anchor the front of the Pirates’ rotation like a generational talent should. And somehow the farm system behind him isn’t just holding steady — it’s getting better.
MLB Pipeline called the Pirates one of the most improved farm systems in baseball this year –– and that's after they graduated the best pitching prospect of a generation and traded away a handful of arms to improve their offense.