The 2026 MLB draft is just under a week away, and Pittsburgh has the fifth pick in the draft. The big question is what position should the Pirates address ?
The position I would love to see the Bucs address is catcher. Henry Davis just isn’t working anymore and he is starting to turn into a bust. Endy Rodriguez has been playing pretty well but there are some catchers that I think have a lot of potential.
Vahn Lackey from Georgia Tech isn’t just the top catching prospect he is also one of the top prospects
in the entire draft. Lackey had a .397 batting average, 87 hits, 20 home runs and 78 RBIs. It has been a while since Pittsburgh has had a catcher who can hit for serious power and Lackey brings that to the table.
Another catcher to look at is Ryder Helfrick from Arkansas. Taking Helfrick with the fifth overall pick could be a stretch but he is an excellent defender with some power. Helfrick had a .283 batting average, 64 hits, 18 home runs and 53 RBIs.
Another position that the Pirates could look at is in the outfield. The Pirates do have some outfielders in their farm system now but Pittsburgh should build that depth and there are some good players with a lot of potential.
Eric Booth Jr from Oak groove high school in Hattiesburg Mississippi is a prospect I really like. Booth is incredibly athletic with a serious upside to him.
Pittsburgh could take pitcher Jackson Flora here who a lot of people like but I think the upside of Booth is really exciting. I also think there is more of a need for a bat than an arm at this point.
The Pirates can go in a bunch of different directions come July 11th. Catcher is the position that I think should be addressed the most, especially with the catching prospects that are available.
Comment below what position you think the pirates should address at the draft.
