The Pittsburgh Pirates have selected Vanderbilt shortstop Ethan Paul in the ninth round of the 2019 draft. This is actually the second time in as many years that the Pirates drafted Paul. They took him last year in the 26th round, but he returned to school. He’s a college senior, so he’ll be signing this time, and likely for a well-below slot amount.
Paul made a big switch in the last year, moving from second base to shortstop. He profiles as a guy who will work better at second base, with Baseball America calling him an average defender there, although his ability to play shortstop could give him a shot at being a utility infielder.
Paul hit for a .327/.388/.525 line this year with eight homers in 223 at-bats. That was his best offensive season, but BA rates him below average on offense, giving him a 40 grade each for hitting, running, and power. He was rated 335th overall in their rankings, likely due to the higher floor, as he doesn’t seem to have a high upside.
