The Pittsburgh Pirates are leaving the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando with a better idea of their direction for the future.
Among the events taking place in Central Florida was the 2026 MLB Draft Lottery,
where the Pirates had the third-best odds for the No. 1 overall pick, but finished at No. 5. The Chicago White Sox finished where the Pirates wanted to be with the number one overall pick.
The Tampa Bay Rays slotted in at No. 2, while the Minnesota Twins followed at No. 3 and the San Francisco Giants will be on the clock at No. 4.
The Pirates adding another top five pick will improve their farm system, giving them another shot at landing a top prospect. Last year, the Pirates selected high school senior Seth Hernandez, who was committed to playing at Vanderbilt. However, he opted to sign with the Pirates when he was chosen with the No. 6 overall pick.
In 2024, the Pirates selected Konnor Griffin with the No. 9 overall pick. In his first full season with the Pirates organization, Griffin became one of the most exciting prospects in the league. He made it all the way to AA with the Altoona Curve and had some pretty good numbers to reflect that. Griffin had a .333 batting average with 21 home runs, 94 RBI and 65 stolen bases.
The hope is that the number five overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft will help complement Hernandez and Griffin as the rising young core of the organization.
