Baseball America released its updated top 100 prospects list on Monday, including 2025 draft picks for the first time. The Pittsburgh Pirates are well represented at the top of the list, with three prospects inside the top-30.
Following the graduation of Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony, Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin became the new number one prospect in baseball. Griffin is currently with High-A Greensboro and has dominated the level. He’s hitting .323 with four home runs and 20 stolen bases over 33 games.
Starting pitcher Bubba Chandler is eighth on the list and much closer to debuting than Griffin. Chandler is with Triple-A Indianapolis and knocking on the door of the big leagues. He’s striking out 29.3% of the hitters he faces. His fastball is one of the best in the minors and will be one of the best in the majors when he arrives. He’s held his velocity throughout his starts despite averaging nearly 100 mph. If the Pirates trade from their rotation at the deadline, Chandler could be next in line for a spot.
Lastly, Seth Hernandez debuts at number 28 on the list. Hernandez was lured away from his commitment to Vanderbilt with a $7.25 million signing bonus. Like Chandler, he also uses a blistering fastball. He also has advanced breaking balls for his experience level. He’ll likely be developed as a pitcher, but he was a two-way star in high school, and some teams might be tempted to let him attempt to play both ways in the pros.
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