With the 22nd overall selection in the 2016 MLB Draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected Will Craig, an ACC product from Wake Forest. Craig, a junior, was selected as a third baseman, but he's also listed as a pitcher on the university's athletic website. “I would love to thank all the Wake Forest coaches and staff members who helped me get where I am today,” Craig said in a statement. “Without them, I wouldn't be able to enjoy today nearly as much. I want to thank my teammates for being there ... Read More
Draft preview: Pirates’ draft philosophy has changed under GM Huntington
In 2011, the Pittsburgh Pirates broke the MLB first-year player draft. They spent a record $11.9 million on that year's class, including $8 million on top pick Gerrit Cole and $5 million on second-round pick Josh Bell. The year before, they spent close to $9 million on top picks Jameson Taillon and Stetson Allie. Pedro Alvarez got $6 million in 2008. Basically, the Pirates spent so much the MLB had to cap how much teams can spend on draft picks. Pittsburgh still aimed high the ... Read More
Pitt baseball’s potential first-round pick T.J. Zeuch ready for MLB journey
Dan Marino, Tony Dorsett, Tyler Boyd, Steven Adams, Larry Fitzgerald DeJuan Blair … Allen Lachowicz? When you think of notable Pitt athletes, Lachowicz isn’t the first to come to mind. Drafted by the Texas Rangers with the 24th pick in the 1981 MLB Draft, Lachowicz is the last Pitt baseball player to be selected in the first round of baseball's draft. If all goes well, that could change Thursday with Pitt pitcher T.J. Zeuch. Zeuch, a 6-foot 7-inch 225-pound, 20-year-old junior ... Read More
Pirates’ Taillon can finally justify high selection
It might not have been on the level of Daniel Moskos over Matt Wieters. Still, the Pittsburgh Pirates drafting pitcher Jameson Taillon over shortstop Manny Machado in the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft created a heated dialogue, if not heavy scrutiny. The debate was understandable. Baseball America rated Taillon as its second-best prospect, with Machado right after him. At shortstop, the Pirates had the ever-forgettable Ronny Cedeno starting at the time. No one in the system appeared ... Read More
Pirates come to terms with first-rounder Ke’Bryan Hayes
The Pittsburgh Pirates have come to terms on a contract with first-round draft pick Ke'Bryan Hayes, according to a report by CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman. Ke'Bryan Hayes, a 3b like father charlie, agreed to $1,855,000 #pirates slot deal. No. 32 pick. @TheHoChen 1st w/agreement— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) June 16, 2015 Hayes, a third baseman, was selected by the Pirates with the 32nd overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft. Hayes was the second player drafted by the Pirates after shortstop ... Read More
Pirates go college-heavy in first 10 rounds of MLB Draft
The Pittsburgh Pirates came into the 2015 MLB Draft with a clear objective; In the first three rounds Pittsburgh selected four fielders, three of which being infielders. After selecting short stop Kevin Newman and third basemen Ke’Bryan Hayes, the Pirates looked to continue filling the holes on the left part of the infield and add on to their pitching depth. Round 2, Pick 62: Kevin Kramer, SS, UCLA (CA) The Pittsburgh Pirates entered the day looking for the best options that satisfied the ... Read More
Pirates take ‘best player available’ approach
You can call it the year of the shortstop as the Pirates drafted shortstops Kevin Newman and Kevin Kramer, while also drafting third basemen Ke'Bryan Hayes. "It's a good year for shortstops and it's been a good year for middle-of-the-diamond players," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said. "Each Draft has strengths. Each Draft has challenges. This just happened to be a good year for middle-of-the-diamond players." Newman got the call two minutes before the selection was made and ... Read More
Why MLB Draft is unique
The Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft is probably the most complex draft process out of the big four American sports leagues. The best players eligible do not always get drafted in the first or second round. Sometimes they do not get drafted at all. Others may get drafted, but won’t sign with the team that picked them. So why is that? One word can explain that – signability. In the NFL, for example, a team signs the players they draft within a matter of weeks of them ... Read More
Pirates draft INF Ke’Bryan Hayes with 32nd pick
The Pittsburgh Pirates, with their 32nd pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, selected third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes. The 18-year-old native of Tomball, Tx., and graduate of Concordia Lutheran High School, the pick was received as compensation from the Toronto Blue Jays after they signed Russell Martin to a 5-year $82 million contract. The son of former big league outfielder has intangibles that could one day translate into MLB production, but the Pirates will need to work on his conditioning and ... Read More
Pirates select SS Kevin Newman in first round
With the 19th pick of the 2015 MLB Draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected short stop Kevin Newman from the University of Arizona. The 20-year-old may not be well known for his power, but his raw ability to hit the ball, discipline, base running and defensive play makes up for all of that. The Poway, California native stands 6 feet high and is weighs 175 pounds. Newman shows great potential in the batter’s box, on the base paths, as well as on defense. He is also the only player who has back to ... Read More