Pittsburgh Pirates Draft Polls

With the MLB draft just hours away, we conclude our pre-draft coverage by summarizing fan voting by looking at who the Pirates Breakdown writers and you think the Pittsburgh Pirates should draft.

On Tuesday, six years to the day since drafting him number two overall, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced Jameson Taillon would be making his major league debut. Yesterday, he provided the club with a quality start. Today, three young men will hear their names called, who could one day make the same trip Taillon made this week.

I asked the other writers to tell me who they think the Pirates should target, as well as sending out Twitter polls to get your opinions. Thank you for all the responses. The potential choices were based on a combination of best available players and future needs, addressed in our draft primer, so let’s recap what everyone had to say.

22nd Overall:

Pirates Breakdown – Kyle Muller

In a close contest, the Jesuit College Prep standout and Gatorade National Player of the Year award winner Kyle Muller would be the top choice of our staff. Taylor Trammell and William Benson were the other two top choices. The Pirates have been trending away from picking pitchers early, especially prep pitchers, in recent years, but Muller, who has been in the conversation for best prep pitcher in America, would be worth the pick. The only question is whether the Dallas native will still be around when the Pirates pick. Look for Benson and Trammell to be a safety pick if the Pirates top choices go early.

Twitter Polls – Taylor Trammell

I think Alex Kirilloff is the best prep outfielder available in this year’s draft, but if there were to be a close second, it would be Taylor Trammell. Trammell was never expected to be available when the Pirates pick tonight when I did the first round profiles a month ago. Kirilloff was projected at 22 at the time. Kirilloff has since swapped places with Trammell. Kirilloff projects as a future All-Star, falling just shy of Bryce Harper or Mike Trout level comparisons, but Trammell could be a star in his own right. He projects to be on the same level as Starling Marte for his ceiling and Justin Upton for his floor.

41st Overall:

Pirates Breakdown – T-Alex Speas and Carter Kieboom

The staff couldn’t decide between a pair of Georgia high school players in Speas and Kieboom. Speas is highly touted for his velocity, throwing 86 as a 14-year-old, but his obvious talent could be as raw as any pitcher expected to go in the first two rounds. I didn’t pull any punches in my analysis of him for our draft profiles. Kieboom is a clear five-tool prospect. Even with the infield depth the Pirates have, it could be a matter of taking the best available player in his case. Plus, can you imagine Greg Brown calling this kid’s home runs? In a year where the consensus is take position players early, Pirates should heed that advice.

Twitter Polls – Carter Kieboom

While we couldn’t decide who to pick here, clearly, you could. Check out the last paragraph for his profile or the link in the same paragraph if you want to know why he was so highly regarded by everyone.

68th Overall:

Pirates Breakdown – Ben Bowden

The Vanderbilt University reliever has the potential to be a starter in the right system, but a rough season as a starter could force teams to look at him exclusively as a reliever. With so many good pitchers available early this year, Bowden could fall to the Pirates in the second round. If a team thinks they can turn him into an effective starter, he could go early in the second round. In a year where the Pirates could look to quickly turn a weakness into a strength, adding one of the highest regarded college relievers in the draft certainly wouldn’t be a bad start.

Twitter Polls – Cooper Johnson

If you picked him because he’s the highest regarded prep catching prospect since 2011, who could blame you? He is the best defensive catcher in the draft, and the team that drafts him will believe they can develop his bat enough to make him an everyday catcher. The Pirates have struggled developing catchers in recent years, despite having several high ceiling prospects at the position. Johnson could be the next Yadier Molina, if his skills at the plate can someday match those scouts have seen behind the plate.