Since the calendar flipped to 2026, it has become a trend on social media to post flashbacks to 2016. Whether this is a family picture, a shot of a vacation you were on, or a snippet of a sporting event you went to, people are reminiscing about a year they cannot believe is ten years ago. This got me thinking: What happened to the Pirates’ top 10 prospects in 2016? This exercise was shocking – not one player remains with the organization, and multiple players have retired. So, where did they end up?
Number 1: Tyler Glasnow, SP
Sadly, it never really worked out for Tyler Glasnow in Pittsburgh. Built like a Greek god, the 6’8” righty with incredible stuff is a physical specimen. Yet, these tools were also the reason he did not pan out on the Bucs’ staff. Debuting in 2016, he struggled to find the zone, walking 5.8 batters per nine innings, and wasn’t missing enough bats to make that number worth it. After two and a half rough years in the majors, the Pirates shipped him off to the Rays in an absolute blockbuster trade – one that has become infamous. Glasnow was packaged with Austin Meadows (next on this list) and Shane Baz in exchange for Rays ace Chris Archer, who struggled with the Pirates and eventually ended up back on the Rays. Meanwhile, Glasnow broke out with Tampa Bay, posting a 3.20 ERA over 71 total starts for them, before getting traded to the Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season. With the Dodgers, Glasnow’s injury problems have continued, but when he’s been on the bump, he is still an All-Star-caliber pitcher, and one who has played a large role in their back-to-back championships.
Number 2: Austin Meadows, OF
Meadows, included in the same deal as Glasnow, had a little more success with the Bucs. Debuting in 2018, he immediately was a solid bat, hitting .292 with five homers in his first 49 games. However, he never got to reach his potential with the Pirates, as he was off to the Rays at the 2018 deadline. There, he immediately became a stud. Tallying 65 homers with a 125 OPS+ across parts of four seasons, the big lefty received MVP votes in two separate campaigns for the Rays. Sadly, this was the peak of his career. Meadows was traded to the Tigers for Isaac Paredes in 2022, who himself became an All-Star. It was at this time that Meadows started experiencing anxiety as a result of his physical injuries, so bad, in fact, that he was only able to play 42 games in his two seasons with the Tigers. His contract ran out after the 2023 season, and he hasn’t suited up for any sort of team since then. Perhaps the most tragic story on this list, Meadows will still be remembered for his fantastic 2019, when he mashed 33 homers to the tune of a .291 average.
Number 3: Josh Bell, 1B
Unlike the first two on this list, Josh Bell reached his peak with the Pirates, and at his best was one of the most feared hitters in the entire league. A hulking switch-hitter, Bell was immediately in the middle of the Pirates’ lineup after his second career at-bat, where he hit a grand slam out of PNC Park. The fireworks continued for him over the next few years, hitting 26 homers in 2017, winning MLB Player of the Month in May 2019, and 37 homers and an All-Star appearance that same year. Sadly, like many others, Bell had an odd 2020 COVID season, leading to him getting traded to the Nationals before 2021. He returned to dominance at the plate in Washington, popping 27 homers in 2021 and winning the Silver Slugger in 2022, even after getting dealt to the Padres at the deadline. Since then, it has been four teams in three years for Bell, with a fifth coming up in 2026 with the Twins. Despite being a journeyman at this point, he still finds a way to be productive, and will likely reach 200 career homers this season.
Number 4: Jameson Taillon, SP
It’s hard to think of a top prospect who overcame a more difficult road in his professional career than Jameson Taillon. After being ranked the 15th best prospect in the entirety of baseball before the 2013 season, the former No. 2 overall pick suffered a string of brutal injuries. Tommy John surgery caused him to miss the entire 2014 season, and after he recovered, a hernia surgery caused him to miss all of 2015 as well. Eventually making it to the majors in 2016, Taillon was great in his first half-season, putting up a robust 3.38 ERA. Sadly, before the 2017 season, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, which delayed the start of his season and never allowed him to get back on track. Unbelievably, he came back in 2018 stronger than ever, tossing two complete games and winning 14 decisions with an impressive 3.20 ERA. He never quite reached those heights again, but Taillon has still enjoyed solid seasons since with the Yankees and the Cubs (whom he remains with going into the final year of his contract), and has made a great living for himself and his family. He is slotted to be the ace of Team Canada for the 2026 WBC, where he will be one of the easiest players to cheer for in the entire tournament.
Number 5: Reese McGuire, C
McGuire, while never getting a chance to debut with the Pirates, has carved out a solid career as a backup catcher for a number of organizations. While unfortunately best known for a less-than-inspiring off-the-field incident, McGuire is a steady glove behind the dish who knows how to handle a staff. He is one of the better framers in the league, and was featured on a 2025 Cubs team that got countless surprising moments from their catching unit. He remains a free agent as of now, but will surely get another gig as Spring Training approaches.
Number 6: Harold Ramirez, IF
If you were not a Pirates fan in the mid-2010s, it is likely that you never knew Ramirez was part of the Pirates organization, much less one of their top prospects. Funnily enough, included in the same trade as Reese McGuire to the Blue Jays, Ramirez was actually made a minor league free agent just two years later. He proceeded to bounce around waivers for a few years before ending up on the 2022 Rays, where his biggest career accomplishments started to happen. Ramirez, after never finding big league success, suddenly had back-to-back seasons where he hit .300 at the major league level. It wasn’t a small sample size either—he played over 120 games in both seasons. This was pretty much the end of his major league career, as he now finds himself playing in foreign leagues, but he will always be able to hang his hat on being a top contributor for two playoff teams.
Number 7: Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B
Hayes was a top-10 Pirates prospect from 2016 to 2021, and it’s no surprise why. The son of former Pirate Charlie Hayes, Ke’Bryan is a professional ballplayer who got off to an extremely hot start in the majors. Hitting .376 in his first major league action in 2020, Hayes shot up prospect lists to become one of the best prospects in baseball. This was because he was already perhaps the best defensive player in the entire MLB, and if he could hit, he had MVP-level potential. Bob Nutting green-lit a contract extension right away, which at the time was the largest in Pirates history. While he lived up to the billing with the glove (already 206th all-time in defensive runs saved) Hayes’ bat never reached its full potential, and the Bucs eventually traded him to the Reds at the 2025 deadline for Sammy Stafura and Taylor Rodgers (who was immediately flipped). Hayes is still under 30 years old and could turn it around, but for now looks to be a defensive specialist for the rest of his career.
Number 8: Elias Diaz, C
If you polled any casual MLB or Pirates fan and asked them which one of the players on this list won an All-Star Game MVP, Elias Diaz would probably be the most unlikely answer so far. Yet, here we are, and Diaz was your 2023 MLB All-Star MVP as the lone representative of the Colorado Rockies. After five partial years as the Pirates backup catcher, Diaz made his way to the Rockies in 2020, and his production immediately jumped at Coors Field. 2021 was probably his best season, with 18 homers and 2.2 WAR, but 2023 was the year he earned the nod to the Midsummer Classic. In the game, he hit the only home run for the winning NL squad, giving him the MVP almost by default. Since this unlikely event, Diaz spent a couple of seasons in the Padres’ catching rotation, and is currently a free agent. While he might not get a major league deal this offseason, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Diaz get another chance as a backup at some point in 2026.
Number 9: Cole Tucker, SS
It never really clicked for Cole Tucker in the MLB, but if you asked him, he would probably say he’s just fine with the way it worked out. In 2020, Tucker began dating former Disney star Vanessa Hudgens, and they have since married, with one kid and another on the way. He has also found some success appearing in various pieces of content for Jomboy Media, and has amassed an Instagram following that is just below half of some official team pages. As for his baseball career, he made the big leagues, got some run to show off his physical tools, and maybe had the best hair in the entire league. He retired in early 2025, and told everyone to look out for his future career in broadcasting.
Number 10: Alen Hanson, 2B
Similar to Tucker, Hanson was a toolsy switch-hitter that never put it together for a full season. However, unlike Tucker, he was able to put together a stretch that at least one fanbase can remember. After bouncing around some minor league organizations, Hanson finally got some run in 2018 with the Giants, and made some splashes. In about half a season of work, he hit eight homers, stole seven bases, and posted a stellar .252 average. He was then a key part of a trade package to the Blue Jays for Kevin Pillar, and while this was basically the last note of his major league career, he continues to play in Mexican leagues and even suits up for the French national team.
