The Pittsburgh Pirates have officially announced the signing of three more draft picks: Third baseman Garret Forrester (3rd round), right-handed pitcher Austin Strickland (8th), and second baseman Charles McAdoo (13th). Jim Callis also announced the signing of 14th rounder Garrett McMillan, which is one of two deals not announced by the team so far.
3rd Round: GARRET FORRESTER, 3B
Forrester has an above-average contact rate, making contact 79% of the time in 2023. He’s got an advanced approach with a quick bat that stays through the zone for a long time. He’s got average power potential, which might impact him if he moves to first base. Defensively, he profiles as a first baseman long-term. The Pirates signed him to an under-slot deal in the third round.
3rd-rder Garret Forrester signs w/@Pirates for $775k (pick 73 value = $990,300). @BeaverBaseball 1B, good swing decisions, untapped power potential, has strong arm & will get shot at playing 3B. @MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/q4EDqN8yNO
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 18, 2023
8th Round: AUSTIN STRICKLAND, RHP
Strickland worked mostly as a reliever with Kentucky, posting a 5.04 ERA in 55.1 innings of work, while striking out 58 and walking 20. He throws a fastball that grades above-average at 93-94, touching 97, with the makings of a slurve breaking pitch and above-average control. He performed well in the Cape Cod League last summer.
13th Round: CHARLES MCADOO, 2B
McAdoo was rated the 342nd best prospect by Baseball America, after hitting .325/.409/.543 in 234 at-bats with San Jose State. This was the second season in a row where he had impressive offensive numbers. He also hit well with a wood bat in the Northwood League last summer. He showed great plate patience (15.2% strikeout rate, 11.9% walk rate), and hit 22 homers combined the last two years. McAdoo profiles as a second baseman or left fielder, due to an average arm and slightly below-average athleticism.
14th Round: GARRETT MCMILLAN, RHP
McMillan is a college senior, and was teammates with Pirates sixth round pick Hunter Furtado at Alabama. McMillan pitched out of the rotation this year, with a 4.89 ERA in 42.1 innings, along with a 36:17 K/BB ratio. He works in the low-90s with his fastball, getting arm-side run from a three-quarters delivery. He also throws a 12-to-6 curveball, which is his best offspeed pitch, and a changeup that offers about 10-12 MPH difference from the fastball. He missed time early in the 2023 season with a muscle strain in his shoulder, but pitched the rest of the season. The Pirates gave him the maximum deal for a post-11th rounder without tapping into the bonus pool.
14th-rder Garrett McMillan signs w/@Pirates for $150k. @AlabamaBSB RHP, changeup is his best pitch, throws strikes. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 17, 2023
