The projections going into the draft were for the Pirates to take a player under slot value first overall, and then use the saved money to spread out on high-upside high school players over their next couple picks.
If they are able to pull that off, they could emerge with their best draft class in years. If nothing else, this one features the most top draft prospects in recent memory.
Each of the Pirates’ first four picks was ranked in Baseball America’s top 32 prospects ahead of the draft.
After selecting Henry Davis (No. 4 overall according to Baseball America) Sunday, the Pirates started Monday’s selections by taking Anthony Solometo (No. 28) with the No. 37 pick, their first of two second-round selections they had. They followed by taking outfielder Lonnie White Jr. (No. 32) with their Competitive Balance Round B pick, and then right-hander Bubba Chandler (No. 20) with their first selection in the third round.
Davis was at the top of the Pirates’ draft board, but those potential savings put them in position to emerge with what is essentially the equivalent of four first-round picks.
“I think the first four players we took today out of the high school group -- Solometo, White, Chandler, [fourth-round selection Owen] Kellington -- those are guys that we had targeted that we really liked,” general manager Ben Cherington said. “Didn’t know obviously how the board would fall, but really excited to get all of them. And we them all rated pretty highly on our board.”
While the Pirates have not completed any deals, Cherington said, “we took those guys with a level of confidence and optimism that we can reach an agreement.” The Pirates' bonus pool this year is $14,394,000, and they can spend another 5% without facing a penalty, putting their potential limit at about $15.1 million.
Tom VanHaaren, a college football reporter for ESPN, reported that Chandler told him he is planning to sign with the Pirates.
You read that right, football. Chandler, a two-sport athlete, is committed to play quarterback for Clemson in the fall. White is a Penn State recruit as a wide receiver.
“It’s probably less about trying to sell baseball and more just finding out just how important baseball is to those guys, and we feel like the guys we took really want to play baseball and want to be Pirates,” Cherington said. “Now we’ll do everything we can to make them Pirates.”
White was graded by FanGraphs as having the second-best run tool out of all players in this draft. Baseball America was also bullish on his bat, giving him plus marks in hit ability and power. Hit .395 with 11 doubles, one triple, five home runs, 25 RBI and 26 stolen bases as a senior at Malvern Preparatory School in Pennsylvania.
Solometo was recently clocked at the New Balance Future Stars Series as throwing 94-97 mph, with the frame – 6’5”, 218 lbs. – and a plus slider to support it. He went 5-0 with a 0.21 ERA, 64 strikeouts and just five walks in 32 2/3 innings as a senior at Bishop Eustace Preparatory School in New Jersey.
Chandler, in addition to being a quarterback, is also a shortstop and was the most scouted by some as a two-way player. While Cherington emphasized that Chandler has high upside as a pitcher, they will explore, at least initially, him playing the infield as well.
“He is legitimately talented on both sides, so we want to look at that,” Cherington said.
As a pitcher, Chandler currently sits at 88-91 mph with room to grow. He also has a plus changeup. He went 8-1 with a 1.25 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 44 2/e innings while setting a school record in the playoffs with a 17-strikeout performance during his senior season at North Oconee High School in Georgia. He also hit .411 with 12 doubles, eight home runs, 35 RBI and 41 runs scored.
While many of the Pirates remaining day two picks were college players – many of whom are expected to sign at or below slot value to make sure their top four picks get signed – the high school class is what stole the show. Cherington had hinted to DK Pittsburgh Sports in June that it could be a prep-heavy class, saying that unlike college players, high school players did not have their schedule significantly impacted because of the COVID-19 pandemic. There were still showcases and for many, a full season.
Additionally, with the draft pushed back a month, the Pirates were able to meet with high school players again before the draft, something that was a rarity in the past. Cherington met personally with White, and members of the organization had private meetings with the other high schoolers they took.
It also gave them an extra month to grow.
“I think particularly a younger player, weeks and months mean a lot in a younger players life, and so I think the more we can see, the better,” Cherington said. “In all of those cases, we saw real improvement as the spring went on and even in the last couple of weeks leading up to the Draft.”
The depth of this high school class also provided opportunities for some players to fall to later rounds than their talent would suggest. And the Pirates were one of the few teams who had the bonus pool space to potentially pull something like this off.
“You don’t know exactly how it’s going to fall and who’s going to be there with what pick,” Cherington said. “We have a group of high school position players and pitchers that we really liked. The four we took were amongst that group. So we’re really happy about that, the way it did fall.”
ALL OF THE DAY 2 PICKS
• Round 2, Pick 37: LHP Anthony Solometo, Bishop Eustace Prep School (NJ)
• Competitive Balance Round B, Pick 64: OF Lonnie White Jr., Malvern Prep School (PA)
• Round 3, Pick 72: RHP Bubba Chandler, North Oconee High School (GA)
• Round 4, Pick 102: RHP Owen Kellington, U-32 High School (VT)
Kelllington got over 90% of his outs his senior year via strikeout, and was ranked as the top-rated prospect in Vermont. Baseball America had him as their No. 386 prospect.
"Kellington, from a smaller area, doesn’t get scouted as much in Vermont, but a guy we had identified and really liked the starter trait," Cherington said.
• Round 5, Pick 133: 3B Jackson Glenn, Dallas Baptist University
Was named an All-American by five publications in 2021. Led the team in batting average (.366) with 19 doubles and 21 home runs in his senior season. Was No. 449 on Baseball America's list.
• Round 6, Pick 163: SS Mike Jarvis, San Diego State University
Hit .367 with five runs and 32 RBIs in 46 games as a red-shirt senior.
• Round 7, Pick 193: C Wyatt Hendrie, San Diego State University
Hit .379 with 12 doubles, nine home runs and 57 RBIs as a red-shirt sophomore. Was No. 270 on Baseball America's list.
• Round 8, Pick 223: RHP Sean Sullivan, University of California
Went 4-5 with a 3.68 ERA over 78 1/3 innings as Cal's number two starter. Was a 2021 All-Pac 12 honorable mention. Was rated as the No. 138 prospect by Baseball America.
• Round 9, Pick 253: OF Luke Brown, University of Louisville
Hit .3240 with 13 doubles, 20 RBI and 17 stolen bases. Was selected by the Yankees in the 25th round in the 2019 draft.
• Round 10, Pick 283: RHP Justin Meis, Eastern Michigan University
Graduated from Bethel Park High School outside of Pittsburgh. Went 4-6 with a 4.64 ERA over 73 2/3 innings, striking out 81.
