Pirates prepared to build 'sustainable winner' through '25 Draft

KANSAS CITY -- This isn’t Justin Horowitz’s first rodeo running the Pirates’ Draft room, but it is the first time the director of amateur scouting has been at the helm for the entire Draft process. It’s a year-long journey, evidenced by Horowitz making a trip out to San Diego last August to check out a showcase of high school players.

Plenty can change in a year, and for Horowitz, that extra time has yielded only good things.

“The biggest thing is just my extreme level of confidence and comfort with our scouting group, and the relationships that I’ve been able to build with our crew,” Horowitz said in a phone interview. “Knowing a little bit more about how our guys evaluate and the information we have, and all the resources and the tools that we’re using. … Just a lot stronger relationships and understanding of what’s going on and [how that] flows into the Draft process, which is a massive amount of information.”

It’s not fair to assess a Draft class after just one year, but there’s plenty of reasons to feel good about Pittsburgh’s 2024 haul.

Some late-round picks have already been flipped for Major League contributors Chase Shugart and Enmanuel Valdez. First-round selection Konnor Griffin was a bit of a gamble because he was more raw than some of the other top prospects last year, but it could have a huge payoff, with the shortstop/center fielder rising to MLB Pipeline’s No. 13 overall prospect. Single-A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro are filled with last year’s Draft picks, many of whom are having solid first full seasons in pro ball.

It was a talent infusion the Pirates’ farm system needed to have after graduating many of their top prospects in recent years. Needless to say, they could use another one this year, especially since they have a lottery pick.

The Pirates will select sixth overall in this year’s MLB Draft, which will be held in Atlanta across two days on July 13-14. The M.O. remains the same as always: select the best player possible and get what the Pirates feel is the best overall class possible.

• Day 1 picks: 6, 50, 73 and 82
• Bonus pool allotment: $14,088,400, ninth most in MLB
• Last year’s top pick: Konnor Griffin, SS/CF, pick No. 9 ... In a year of well-regarded collegiate bats, the Pirates took the best prep player on the board, and he has been outstanding so far. Currently the Pirates’ No. 2 prospect, Griffin has already risen to High-A Greensboro, hitting .330 with a .929 OPS, 13 home runs and 40 stolen bases in his first 74 Minor League games across two levels.
• Breakout 2024 pick: Will Taylor, OF, pick No. 145 ... Taylor was one of the top Draft prospects in 2021, but opted to be a two-sport athlete at Clemson. A torn ACL playing football hurt his stock, but he’s hitting like a highly touted prospect again, batting .290 with an .849 OPS in 51 games between Single-A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro.

That extends beyond immediate need at the Major League level or just following what the perceived strength of a Draft class is. This year appears to be a strong year for collegiate pitchers in particular. The Pirates have had plenty of success developing pitching in recent years, but that doesn’t guarantee they’re taking a college arm first.

Last year is a perfect example of why they aren’t just going to follow the trends. Everyone was raving about the college hitters in that class, and the Pirates went with Griffin, a high school player. Griffin is far from a finished product, but he has the potential to be great -- and is flying through the Minor Leagues.

“Our goal is to have a sustainable winner here in Pittsburgh at the Major League level, and to be able to do that, you have to build as much impact and depth at every position that we possibly can,” Horowitz said. “… The best way to do that is always to draft who we think is the best player available to make the most impact over time with the organization.”

Getting to that destination has evolved, especially with the technology boom in recent years. Pitch data, batted ball data, mechanical deep dives, medical information and analysis are more often taken into consideration from one side, in addition to what the scouts and development department see in these prospects.

“That’s a little more art than science sometimes, but it’s a fun challenge and something we embrace here with the Pirates,” Horowitz said.

This year will present new challenges by being a two-day process instead of three, so that “art” might have to go outside the usual lines. Horowitz welcomes the challenge.

“The draft is a grind,” Horowitz said. “It is a mental, physical, emotional beast, especially for a lot of the people who are involved in the leadership of organizations. There’s a lot going on. It’s a pressure-filled environment. You’re making a ton of phone calls. You have to make decisions in the moment. Preparation is key, so we’re doing everything that we can to be as prepared as possible.”