MLB Draft: Pirates load up on college pitchers with Day 2 picks taken on the North Shore (Pirates)

NOTRE DAME BASEBALL

Pirates' third-round pick Jack Brannigan is a two-way player out of Notre Dame.

After selecting a pair of college pitchers with two of their three picks on Day 1 of the MLB Draft, the Pirates dedicated five of their eight Day 2 selections to prospects who logged innings at the collegiate level.

Leading the way Monday was the selection of Jack Brannigan at 83rd overall. Brannigan, 21, is a two-way player out of Notre Dame, but was primarily their everyday third baseman this season, slashing .291/.360/.540 with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs in 57 games. The No. 168 prospect on Baseball America posted an .877 OPS over three seasons at Notre Dame, and stands a chance at becoming a major-league hitter with some development to his hit tool.

Brannigan did also log 14 2/3 innings in 11 appearances (one start), posting a 7.36 ERA and 1.64 WHIP. Baseball America gave Brannigan a 60-grade tool on his fastball, which sits 96-97 mph, and he also throws a plus-slider. However, his control needs to vastly improve if he stands a chance of sticking as a pitcher. Evidence of both the stuff and control issues were clear in this outing against Illinois on March 4:

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The Pirates added a prep arm in the fourth round, taking lefty Michael Kennedy 110th overall out of Troy High School in New York. Kennedy was named the 2022 New York Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year after posting a 6-0 record with a 0.60 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 35 innings while surrendering only 15 hits and eight walks. Kennedy also threw a 13-strikeout no-hitter in what would be his final high school start.

According to a report by our own Alex Stumpf, Kennedy has a plus-plus changeup and has a higher floor than ceiling.

In the fifth round, the Pirates took outfielder Tres Gonzalez 140th overall out of Georgia Tech. He was the No. 164 prospect on Baseball America after batting .339 with five homers and 57 RBIs in 60 games this season. Gonzalez posted a .442 on-base percentage over three college seasons and walked more than he struck out. He was also drafted by the Dodgers in the 37th round of the 2019 draft, but did not sign.

From rounds six through nine, the Pirates loaded up on college arms, beginning with a pair of righties: Derek Diamond at 170th overall out of Ole Miss and J.P. Massey at 200th overall out of Minnesota. The stat lines from Diamond and Massey leave a lot to be desired as both pitchers posted ERAs north of 6.50 last season. Both, however, have the potential to pitch better than their 2022 stats.

Diamond pitched good enough to look like a surefire pick in the first five rounds after a solid 2021 season, boasting a 92-97 mph fastball and low-80s plus-slider. His velocity dipped this year and the slider regressed. On par with the selections of Thomas Harrington, Hunter Marco and Kennedy to this point in the draft, Diamond's control might be his strongest tool. The upside from 2021 may have been enough for the Pirates to take him in the sixth round.

Massey has great size at 6'5", 205 pounds. Like Diamond, he also profiles as an arm with upside despite not putting up great numbers. Massey was named a top-10 Big Ten pitching prospect by DIBaseball prior to the 2022 season and was recognized as an Academic All-Big Ten in both 2020 and 2021. He is likely an under-slot candidate and was not ranked by MLB Pipeline or Baseball America.

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Lefty Cy Nielson was added with the 230th overall pick out of BYU, and could eventually be a candidate for the Pirates' bullpen by the time he's ready for the big leagues. His low-90s fastball won't blow anyone away, but he flashed impressive control in 2022, walking only seven batters while striking out 45 in 33 2/3 innings. Nielson was originally drafted by Cleveland in the 40th round of the 2019 draft, but did not sign.

The fourth and final college pitcher taken during this run was righty Mike Walsh at 260th overall out of Yale. Walsh made 11 starts this season, posting a 4-2 record with a 5.68 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 65 innings. The No. 498 prospect on Baseball America boasts good spin rates on his 92-93 mph fastball, sometimes hitting 2,800 rpm. He also throws a sweeping slider that is worthy of some attention.

The Pirates finally broke the run of collegiate pitchers by selecting outfielder Tanner Tredaway with the 290th pick out of Oklahoma. Tredaway slashed .370/.414/.549 with 18 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 66 RBIs in 68 games, and earned All-Big 12 second-team honors this season. He also took a 17-game hitting streak into Oklahoma's trip to the College World Series.

The draft will conclude Tuesday with the final 10 rounds. Coverage begins at 2 p.m.

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