Do the Pirates have reinforcements coming along the Pipeline?

One of Ben Cherington’s missions when he took over as General Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019 has been restocking the farm system with quality young talent. So far, it’s looking like he’s accomplished that goal.

Now that the Pirates are entering their self-proclaimed competitive stretch, those young players could find themselves contributing to the club’s long-term success.

The only question is: who will that be?

Some of the obvious choices are Termarr Johnson, Bubba Chandler, Anthony Solometo, and Thomas Harrington, all of whom round out the Pirates’ top five organizational prospects. Johnson and Solometo, however, are struggling in Greensboro and Altoona, respectively.

Johnson started the year batting under .200 but has gained some momentum after hitting safely in five of his last six games. Solometo is 0-3 with a 6.23 ERA this season with the Curve and lasted only two innings after giving up a pair of earned runs to Portland on Saturday.

Chandler and Harrington, on the other hand, are showing promising signs with the Curve in Double-A. Chandler fired five innings of one-run ball during Tuesday’s game against Richmond. Harrington, who is still working off a torn rotator cuff suffered in the spring, is showing tremendous strides in four games at Double-A this season, striking out 17 hitters and walking only one.

The Pirates could get some help farther down the pipeline too.

Hunter Barco, the Pirates’ 2nd-round pick in 2022, is off to a great start with High-A Greensboro at 2-1 with a 2.55 ERA in 42.1 innings. While his velocity tops out around 92-93 miles per hour, his fastball acts more like a sinker, which could benefit him in the long term.

One prospect who could be an underrated piece of the Pirates’ future is outfielder Charles McAdoo, who is the team’s No. 30 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. The 22-year-old is often featured in my weekly Pirates Farm Report and with good reason.

In 46 games with Greensboro this season, McAdoo is slashing .329/.400/.529 with six home runs and 37 RBI, making him one of, if not, the highest performing prospect in the system right now.

Given the Pirates’ outfield depth is limited in the minor leagues, McAdoo could breeze through the system and join the Pirates within the next few years, if his consistency continues.

Another reinforcement could be on the way from the Florida Complex League. That being Tony Blanco Jr.

The 6’6” international signee in 2022 is tearing his way through the FCL and could be the a big part of the future if all holds well. He’s hitting .340 with a 1.035 OPS in 14 games and displays tremendous power, almost Oneil Cruz-like.

MLB Pipeline also points out Blanco’s agility as he was signed as an outfielder, but he quickly caught on to first base last season, which could make him an easy candidate given the shallow depth at both positions.

In short, the Pirates do have reinforcements on the rise but it will likely take time for them to get here.