With the 18th overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft the Pittsburgh Pirates selected right-handed pitcher Quinn Priester. The Priester selection was the start of what was viewed by many outlets as a strong draft by the Pirates.
Prior to the draft, many scouts and draft analyst had Priester as the top prep pitcher in the draft. Despite this, when the Pirates picked at 18 he was still on the board. This made selecting Priester a no brainer for former general manager Neal Huntington and his staff.
Priester signed quickly after being drafted and this led to him making his professional debut on July 2nd.