Baseball position player prospects are graded on five main tools: hit, power, fielding, arm, and speed/run abilities. These tools are graded on the 20-80 scale, where 20 is the lowest, 80 is the highest, and 50 is considered average. The Pittsburgh Pirates definitely have some interesting names throughout their system; however, based on the five tools, which ones excel the most in each tool?
Hit
Derek Curiel
The Pirates’ 2026 first-round pick, Derek Curiel, showed off an impressive hit tool throughout college. He batted nearly .350 (.349) while only striking out at a 16.6% clip. Curiel’s hit tool receives rave reviews from any prospect site out there. All three of Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and FanGraphs give him a 60-grade. Curiel projects out as average or better in all other tools, except for his power. However, if his hit tool is anywhere as good as it looks to be, a fringy power hitter with a high batting average and good center field defense will more than suffice.
Power
Tony Blanco Jr.
The Pirates have two first base prospects with light tower power: Tony Blanco Jr. and Jared Jones. Ultimately, Blanco Jr. gets the edge here because of his impressive power output. The 2021-2022 international free agent signee has spent most of the 2026 season at High-A Greensboro, batting .260/.352/.606 with a 130 wRC+. He already has 23 home runs in just 270 plate appearances, and an isolated slugging percentage approaching .350 at .343. He has the highest ISO among High-A batters with at least 250 plate appearances by far. Chicago White Sox top prospect Caleb Bonemer has the second-highest mark at .318. Blanco Jr. stands at a hulking 6’7”, 243 lbs. Baseball America gives him the ever-so-rare 80-grade for his power, the highest mark any player can get. The question is if Blanco Jr. will make enough contact for his power to matter. He has struck out 28.3% of the time at Greensboro with a contact percentage of just 64.5%.
Fielding
Aiden Ruiz
Another 2026 draft pick with a high-end tool is Aiden Ruiz. The Pirates took Ruiz in the second round, and he was their second pick after Curiel. Ruiz’s fielding is the best part of his game. He was considered one of, if not the best defensive infielder of the 2026 draft class. Both Baseball America and FanGraphs project his fielding as a future 70-grade item. MLB Pipeline puts it at a 65. Ruiz also has above-average arm strength and is a good enough runner to stick at shortstop long term. The only area in which Ruiz projects as below-average is power, but at just 19, there’s definitely a chance for him to add some pop.
Arm
Murf Gray
Murf Gray has had an impressive 2026 breakout season, becoming a top 100 prospect on a few sites, and looking like the long-term answer at third base for the Pirates. Although his bat is his main calling card, he has a powerful arm that allows him to make any deep throw from third base. Gray receives a 60-grade for his arm strength by BA, Pipeline, and FanGraphs. If Gray’s bat lives up anywhere near current expectations, and he makes even slight improvements to his overall game, he’ll be a key middle-of-the-order threat for the Bucs for years to come, and we should expect to see some impressive throws from deep in the hole from him as well.
Speed/Run
Johan De Los Santos
The Pirates signed Johan De Los Santos in the 2024-2025 offseason. The infielder immediately became one of the best speedsters in the Pirates’ system. De Los Santos has now had back-to-back seasons with 30+ stolen bases, despite 2026 being just his age-17 campaign and playing fewer than 55 games in both years. Both FanGraphs and MLB Pipeline give him a 60-grade for his running abilities, and MLB Pipeline gives him a 55.
