The Pittsburgh Pirates have now signed 19 of their 21 picks from the 2023 draft, after adding eight players over the last two days. The headline of the group is Comp B pick Zander Mueth, who signed for a $1.8 million over-slot deal. They also added their 11th and 12th rounders to over-slot deals.
COMP B ROUND: ZANDER MUETH, RHP, PREP
Zander Mueth signed for $1.8 million, which was almost $700k over-slot. He’s a big pitcher with a fastball that gets up to 97 already, along with two offspeed pitches that are average to above-average. The Pirates have a long tradition of loading up on projectable prep pitchers who they can develop. They’ve had a good track record in this department for over a decade. Mueth now joins a lot of exciting young arms in the lower levels. He’s had control issues, so expect him to get some initial work in the Complex League, with a chance to move to Single-A by the end of 2024.
11TH ROUND: MAGDIEL COTTO, LHP, KENTUCKY
Cotto had a 6.00 ERA in 18 innings of relief with Kentucky, along with 26 strikeouts and nine walks. He’s teammates with eighth round right-hander Austin Strickland. He played last summer in the Cape Cod League, ranking as the 19th best prospect and putting up some impressive numbers. His control of his fastball was better in the Cape Cod, but slipped when he returned to Kentucky this year. His fastball averages 93 and gets up to 97. He throws a hard, tight slider in the mid-80s and a mid-to-upper 80s tumbling changeup. Baseball America rated him the number 267 overall prospect. The Pirates added him for $50,000 over-slot.
12TH ROUND: KHRISTIAN CURTIS, RHP, ARIZONA STATE
Curtis was rated the 126th best prospect in this draft by Baseball America, with a 45/Extreme upside. He’s a big pitcher with a 93-94 MPH fastball that gets up to 97. His slider is firm, in the mid-to-upper 80s, with late bite and grades as an average pitch. His changeup is low-80s with above-average potential. He also has a below-average curveball and fringe-average control. Curtis posted a 7.03 ERA in 64 innings this year, striking out 58 and walking 35. He has very little time on the mound. He was a two-sport player in high school, as a pitching prospect and a basketball player. He didn’t pitch for Texas A&M in 2021, and only started five games in 2022 before a season-ending injury. His work in 2023 was more experience than his previous two college years, and perhaps more than his time in high school. The Pirates added him for $350,000 over-slot, and the sixth biggest bonus of their draft.
19TH ROUND: TYLER KENNEDY, RHP, JUCO
Kennedy transferred to Florida SouthWestern State College from the University of Pittsburgh in 2022. He was a starter this year, where he had a 4.99 ERA in 48.2 innings, with a 59:27 K/BB ratio. He followed that up by playing for Williamsport in the MLB Draft League this summer. His fastball averaged 94-95 MPH, touching 97 in the league. He paired that with an upper 80s changeup and a sharp slider at 77-81 MPH.
9TH ROUND: DANNY CARRION, RHP, UC DAVIS
Carrion had a 2.45 ERA in 29.1 innings of relief this past year. He also pitched in the Cape Cod League, making six appearances as a late inning reliever. He had a 3.72 ERA in 9.2 innings, with a 16:6 K/BB ratio. His bonus is unannounced at the moment, although he was a college senior who is expected to be under slot.
15TH ROUND: JOHN LOPEZ, C, PUERTO RICAN BASEBALL ACADEMY
Earlier this year, the Pirates added to their scouting department in Puerto Rico. That’s apparently worked out with the addition of Lopez, the first player the Pirates drafted out of Puerto Rico since Nelson Jorge in the 7th round in 2014. He grades well defensively, with good grades for receiving, blocking, an arm that can throw 90 MPH, and excellent release times. Offensively, he grades with fringe-to-average hitting, below-average power, and below-average running.
16TH ROUND: JUSTIN MIKNIS, C, KENT STATE
Miknis is a college senior who hit .318/.398/.502 with eight homers in 233 at-bats with Kent State this year. The numbers during his freshman and sophomore year were similar, with a power bump after his freshman year. He has easy pull side power from the left side of the plate. Miknis was drafted as a catcher, but has also played first, second, and third. He played in the Cape Cod league the last two summers. He had a 15% caught stealing rate this year (2-for-13). Prior to his time at Kent State, he went to DuBois Central Catholic High in PA, and played for the Allegheny Pirates.
20TH ROUND: PEYTON STUMBO, RHP, NEVADA
Stumbo was a started for Nevada this year, with a 6.10 ERA in 59 innings of work. He struck out 53 and walked 32. His fastball has some arm side tail and a lot of downward action. The pitch moves a lot, and could be average or better. He can spin a curveball that backdoors lefties and gets inside on right-handers.
BONUS MONEY
The bonus for 9th rounder Carrion is still unannounced, with a $184,500 slot price. That deal should be under-slot. Without any savings from that deal, and after the over-slot deals to Mueth, Cotto, and Curtis, the Pirates have a little under $300,000 for over-slot deals. They could extend this to a little over $1 million without losing a draft pick.
The remaining unsigned players are 17th rounder Daniel Cuvet and 18th rounder Kalae Harrison.
Cuvet is a prep third baseman with a commitment to Miami. Harrison is a shortstop who was drafted as a junior out of NC State.
Harrison batted .313/.436/.426 in 195 at-bats with NC State last year. He shows excellent plate patience, with more walks (37) than strikeouts (28). His power is extra bases from a line drive stroke. An average hit tool and below-average running round out his offense. He grades as an average fielder up the middle, with good movement and glove work. His arm is fringe, which would move him to second base long-term.
Cuvet was rated the 177th best prospect by Baseball America, and 223rd by MLB Pipeline. His carrying tool is his plus power. The Pirates drafted him as a third baseman, but scouts feel he will move to first base long-term. He’d be more likely to command the over-slot money remaining. That’s about $1.25 million, without any savings from Carrion.
