MLB Pipeline recently released their first top 100 prospect list of 2026, and the Pittsburgh Pirates are well represented. Their recent rankings list five Pirates prospects, with four among the top 50. Unsurprisingly, Konnor Griffin is the number one prospect, not just in the Pirates' system, but across all of baseball.
Griffin was the Pirates' first round pick in 2024, and he skyrocketed prospect boards in his first pro season. He slashed .333/.415/.527 with a .437 wOBA, and 165 wRC+ in 563 plate appearances. Griffin slugged 21 home runs while swiping an impressive 65 bases. He struck out just 21.7% of the time, while drawing a free pass at an 8.9% rate. None of his five tools projects as anything worse than a 60-grade, which means his worst tool is still a plus ability.
Flamethrowing right-hander Bubba Chandler comes in as the 11th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline. Chandler posted a 4.05 ERA with a 27.4% strikeout rate and 12% walk rate at Triple-A this year, but shone in his brief late-season MLB cameo. While he had a 4.04 ERA in 31.1 innings, he also struck out a quarter of opponents with a microscopic 3.2% free pass percentage. Chandler averaged a scorching 98.9 MPH with his four-seam fastball in the Major Leagues. Unsurprisingly, given its elite velocity and movement, MLB Pipeline gives a 70-grade. His slider (55) and his change-up (60) also grade out as above-average or better, and his curveball is also a usable pitch, as they pin it at an average 50. Even then, it induced a .196 xwOBA in MLB last year.
Another recent Pirates first-round pick appears on the top 100 list, that being Seth Hernandez. The high school right-hander was a consensus top-three draft prospect last year, and luckily fell to the Pirates with the sixth overall selection. Like Chandler, MLB Pipeline also grades Hernandez's high-90s four-seamer as a 70-grade pitch. He also has two secondary offerings, namely his high-spin 12-6 curveball and his change-up. Even his worst pitch, his slider, is still an above-average offering. On top of that, he projects to have above-average control.
The 50th-best prospect on MLB Pipeline's list is Edward Florentino. The young outfielder crushed the ball between the Florida Complex League and A-Ball Bradenton with a .290/.400/.548 triple-slash, and 159 wRC+ over 351 plate appearances. He showed off what Pipeline projects as plus power, with 16 home runs and a .259 ISO. He is also a patient batter, as he drew a walk 14% of the time. Pipeline also projects his running to be above-average, with the rest of his toolkit receiving a 50-grade.
The fifth Pirates prospect on Pipeline's new list is Hunter Barco. The left-hander was drafted by the Pirates in the second round of the 2022 draft, and put up a 2.81 ERA, with a 27.8% K%, and 11.8% walk rate in 99.1 innings between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis. He also tossed three scoreless innings in the Majors, striking out three and allowing no walks. Pipeline has both Barco's slider and splitter as above-average offerings, with his fastball coming in at average. While he didn't throw it in his brief look in MLB last year, he does occasionally throw a cutter, but it is only a 45-grade offering. He comes in at the back-end of MLB Pipeline's list at 96.
The Pirates are now tied with multiple other teams for the third most top 100 prospects by MLB Pipeline. Many of the top prospects listed here could make a significant impact in 2026. Chandler and Barco have already made their MLB debuts, and Griffin performed so well at Altoona that he may even open the year in the Major Leagues. Florentino and Hernandez may not make an impact this year, but they have enough talent that their MLB arrival could still be very soon.
