The Pittsburgh Pirates announced the signing of three more draft picks on Thursday, led by Competitive Balance pick RHP Levi Sterling. They also signed 14th round outfielder Ian Farrow and 15th round third baseman Ethan Lege.
Sterling was drafted out of Notre Dame High School in California, and signed to the full slot value of $2,511,400 for the 37th overall pick. He’s a 6′ 5″, 202 pound right-hander, and still only 17, making him one of the youngest players in the draft. Despite the age, Sterling is advanced with his pitch mix.
He throws with loose, clean, repeatable action, currently sitting 89-92 MPH with his fastball, touching 94. His frame and mechanics give him a chance to add velocity in the future. He throws a mid-70s curveball that has a chance to be a plus offering, along with a changeup that could be above-average. He also has a slider that grades as average.
Sterling has the chance for plus control, commanding his fastball well, and locating it where he wants in the zone. He also throws the secondary stuff for strikes. There’s a lot of potential from the young right-hander, who will develop as a pitcher only for the first time. I had Sterling ranked as the number 18 prospect in my latest update to the system rankings.
Farrow and Lege are both college seniors who were expected to sign to have a shot at a pro career.
Farrow had an interesting college career. He started at Florida Gulf Coast University, where he set the school’s single-season home run record in 2022, hitting 21 homers. After that season, he played in the Cape Cod League, followed by a transfer to Miami. He hit well in Miami, batting .291/.385/.555 with seven homers. Farrow didn’t get much playing time, with 130 plate appearances. He then transferred back to FGCU for his senior season, batting .375/.504/.750 with 15 homers in 231 plate appearances.
Farrow has split between the corner outfield spots in his career, and will be an interesting bat to follow with good results from a smaller conference.
Lege transferred to Mississippi ahead of the 2023 season. His first year didn’t produce great numbers, but he did have good plate patience. His offense took a step forward in 2024, batting .323/.424/.645 with 13 homers in 191 plate appearances. He also walked 22 times and only struck out 16 times. He’s an outfielder who has also played second and third base. He spent most of 2023 at third base, and most of 2024 in left field.
The emergence of the bat from the fifth-year senior, and the advanced plate patience, are good trends heading into pro ball.
The Pirates have now signed ten of their picks. They still have $179,200 to spend on over-slot picks, with $879,225 available to spend without losing any future draft picks. The Draft Pick Signing Tracker has been updated with today’s moves.
