Prospects from the 2026 MLB draft have already begun their journey to the Major Leagues. They have started to make their first impressions with the teams that drafted them. Multiple picks from the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 2026 class have already made their professional debut, so let’s take a glance at how their first MILB games have gone so far.
Chris Rembert
Chris Rembert is the highest draft pick to have played pro ball so far. Taken 51st overall with the compensation pick the Pirates received for not signing Angel Cervantes, Rembert finished off his final season at Auburn batting .343/.399/.459 with a .384 wOBA and 97 wRC+. He only struck out 14.7% of the time, with a 7.2% walk rate. The second baseman hit four home runs with a .116 isolated slugging percentage over 265 trips to the dish.
Rembert has played in parts of 11 contests at A-Ball Bradenton since he was drafted. He is hitting well in the small sample size, with a .294/.410/.353 triple-slash, .378 wOBA, and 114 wRC+. He hasn’t hit a home run yet, but has a 14.8% walk rate. Rembert has displayed good plate discipline, with a called-and-swinging strike rate of just 26.3%. He also has a contact rate of 78.4%. So far, Rembert has only taken the field as a second baseman, but has experience in the outfield corners in college.
Bryson Moore
The next Pirates draft pick to have already made their pro debut is right-hander Bryson Moore. The Pirates selected Moore in the seventh round out of Florida State. Moore finished off his 2026 season with a 3.86 ERA, a 22.9% strikeout percentage, and an 8.8% walk rate over 67.2 innings pitched. Moore has only started two games so far at Bradenton, pitching four innings, allowing three earned runs, two free passes, and also striking out eight. Moore has thrown 59 pitches in his two outings thus far, topping out at 94.7 MPH.
Alex Overbay
Alex Overbay was the Pirates’ eighth-round pick, and their next pick after Moore. Son of one-time Pirates’ first baseman Lyle Overbay, Alex attended Arizona State, where he pitched 42 innings in a swingman-type role. He had a 5.79 ERA, 12.9% walk rate, and 1.98 WHIP, but also a 23.8% strike rate. The right-hander has only thrown 3.2 innings out of Bradenton’s bullpen, striking out five batters, but also walking four and allowing two earned runs.
Tre Phelps
Many saw Pirates’ ninth-round pick Tre Phelps as one of the team’s biggest draft steals. The University of Georgia corner infielder/outfielder had an impressive college career, and slashed .343/.468/.628 with 19 home runs over 312 plate appearances in 2026. Phelps walked at a 7.7% clip and struck out at a 15.1% rate. Overall, he had a 143 wRC+ and entered the 2026 draft class as a consensus top 130 draft prospect by both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America.
Phelps has also played in 11 games at Bradenton, like Rembert, but hasn’t gotten off to a hot start. He is hitting .158/.377/.263, but with a .341 wOBA, and 92 wRC+. However, bad luck has played a role in Phelp’s struggles. He has a .185 batting average on balls in play and a 13.2% walk rate. He is also making contact at a solid 76.5% rate. So far, Phelps has only manned the hot corner, but played first base and both left and right field in college.
Nate Helman
The Pirates drafted Nate Helman in the 17th round. The right-hander attended Kennesaw State, where he had a 5.81 ERA, with a 10.6% walk rate, and 28.4% strikeout percentage. Helman worked as both a starter and reliever, appearing in 17 games, with two starts, and tallying 31 innings pitched. Helman made his debut recently on August 26, tossing 1.1 innings out of the Marauders’ bullpen. He struck out two batters as well, topping out at 94.6 MPH.
