The Pittsburgh Pirates have taken at least one high school pitcher within the first five rounds of the draft since Ben Cherington took over as their general manager. Jared Jones in 2020, Bubba Chandler and Anthony Solometo in 2021, Michael Kennedy in 2022, Zander Mueth in 2023, Levi Sterling in 2024, and Seth Hernandez in 2025, the list is abundant. One of the most interesting high school hurlers that will go early in this year's draft is right-hander Joseph Contreras. He should be an option for the Pirates in the second round.
Contreras has had about as good a showcase as any high schooler could ever ask for. The young right-hander pitched for Team Brazil during this year's World Baseball Classic, and while he only pitched in two games, he made the most of it. One of those appearances was against Team USA's formidable line-up, where he induced a ground ball double play off the bat from three-time MVP, New York Yankees' superstar, Aaron Judge.
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Contreras throws hard for a high school hurler who just turned 18 in early May. He sits at 92-95 MPH, and topped out at 98 MPH during the WBC. The right-hander also averaged out at 96 while pitching for Brazil, although his only appearances were out of the bullpen. At 6'4", 195-LBS, there is potential for more velocity.
Contreras' fastball is far from his only pitch that looks like an above-average offering. His upper-70s/low-80s forkball is his best pitch, one that MLB Pipeline projects as a plus offering. Both his low-80s slider and change-up project as above-average offerings as well. His control is the worst part of his game. He is a lanky pitcher with arm mechanics similar to those of Pirates prospect Carlson Reed. However, at just 18, his control isn't a massive concern.
Contreras ranks as a top 60 prospect in the draft. MLB Pipeline ranks him at 57th, while Baseball America ranks him at 55. His age and already impressive velocity, with some projectability left, make him a very high-upside arm. He'll likely go late in the first round or early in the second round, based on how he looks now. Luckily, the Pirates have a handful of picks in that range.
After the fifth pick of the draft, the Bucs will select 34th overall with their competitive balance round A pick. They'll also have the seventh pick in the second round, which is also the 44th overall selection. The Bucs will then pick 51st overall, the 14th pick of the second round, given to them for failing to sign 2025 second-rounder Angel Cervantes last year. That gives the Pirates plenty of potential opportunity to draft Joseph Contreras.
