On the same day that the Pittsburgh Pirates signed their first round pick Konnor Griffin, the team announced two more signings from their 2024 MLB draft class. The Pirates also added 11th round LHP Jacob Bimbi and 17th round outfielder Andrew Patrick.
Bimbi was drafted as a college senior out of Western Kentucky. He spent one year there, with a 6.09 ERA in 54.2 innings, along with a 71:25 K/BB ratio. He transferred from Tennessee, where he pitched 15 games in the bullpen in 2023, with a 5.27 ERA and a 22:9 K/BB. He had Tommy John surgery in July 2020, and didn’t get much time on the mound prior to his role this year. He throws a fastball, curveball, changeup, and slider. He was hitting 94 MPH after the surgery. The Pirates are getting a pitcher with velocity and a four pitch mix, without a lot of development time in college ball.
Patrick had his best season as a sophomore with Wright State in 2023, batting .326 with 20 homers and 31 stolen bases. He didn’t repeat that success in 2024, batting .244/.373/.488 with eight homers and 17 stolen bases in 154 plate appearances. Patrick had an injury at the start of the season, and that could have held him back. He still showed promising speed on the bases, with some power, and decent plate patience. He played in the MLB Draft League after the season, batting .259 with a .771 OPS. He played most of his time in center field, but has also played the corner outfield spots, third base, and some time at shortstop. If he can return to his 2023 hitting, prior to the injury, he’ll be an interesting bat to follow. That would mostly involve improving his contact skills to go with the power and speed. Patrick was rated as the 284th best prospect in the draft by Baseball America.
The Pirates have now signed 19 of 21 picks from their draft class. They have until 5:00 PM EST tomorrow to sign any remaining picks. The two remaining un-signed picks are 16th round RHP Brian Curley from VCU and 20th round RHP Taylor Penn from Woodford County High school. Curley is a college sophomore and Penn has a commitment to Western Kentucky. The Pirates don’t have much remaining in their bonus pool, so unless either player is looking to turn pro, they’ll be difficult signs at this point with the leverage they have to re-enter the draft in future years.
The Draft Pick Signing tracker has been updated with today’s moves.
