Potential targets for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2024 MLB Draft

The MLB draft is this weekend, and the Pittsburgh Pirates will select ninth in the first round. The top of the first half will be dominated by hitters including Charlie Condon of Georgia, Travis Bazzana of Oregon State, J.J. Wetherholt of West Virginia, and Florida’s Jac Caglianone. Those four hitters should be off the board before the Pirates step to the podium but there is still plenty of talent for the Pirates to pick from. 

The Pirates have a lot of depth in the organization when it comes to pitching, and they also have their share of prospects in the middle infield. However, outfield and first base are two positions that the Pirates are lacking and they have a chance to potentially bring in some talent at both positions. Here is a look at three players who have been rumored to be selected by Pittsburgh or right around where the Pirates select. 

IF/OF Konnor Griffin, Jackson Prep School (Florence,MS)

Konnor Griffin is a SS/OF from Mississippi. The LSU commit is playing his high school ball at Jackson Prep, and has drawn massive buzz from scouts with his all around skill set. Griffin reclassified out of the 2025 draft class as he was dominating his competition. This means he will have just turned 18 before draft night which is a rare and impressive detail. Griffin was named the 2024 Gatorade National Player of the Year in Mississippi.

Griffin has a ton of features that have scouts salivating over his high ceiling. He has a physical and mature frame especially for his age. Offensively, he has a ton of bat speed and creates pop which could turn into 60-grade power moving forward. He has a solid approach and hits the ball hard all over the field. 

On the defensive side, Griffin has plus speed which makes him very rangy in the outfield and helps at shortstop as well.

Griffin's main concerns are his inconsistency and lack of experience. His offensive game has been up and down with some streaks of swing and miss throughout his high school years. He is also lacking experience because he is so young, but with the potential and high ceiling of his game, this will not be a huge issue.

He may just need some extra time in AAA before becoming truly ready for the majors.

Konnor Griffin is the best high school player in this draft class, and has one of the highest ceilings of anyone in 2024. Scouts are excited for his power and his well-rounded physical profile. He has the physicality, strength, and speed to do anything asked of him on the field which is why he is a for sure top 10 selection this year out of high school. 

OF James Tibbs III, Florida State

Tibbs attended Pope High School in Georgia. He earned first team All-State honors as a sophomore and senior, and helped lead Pope to the 2018 Georgia AAAAAA state championship and a runner-up finish in 2019. He chose to join Florida State following his high school career.

Tibbs made a great first impression as a freshman, slashing .300/.411/.553 (average, on base percentage, slugging) with 10 home runs, 13 doubles, and 32 RBI. He was named Second-Team Freshman All-American by Perfect Game.

Last season as a sophomore, Tibbs went .338/.471/.682, hitting 17 home runs, 14 doubles, and driving in 43 RBI. He was team leader in average, home runs, RBI, on base percentage, slugging, and walks. This season, Tibbs hit .363 and set a career high with 28 home runs and 95 RBI for the Seminoles. 

Tibbs is a well-rounded and complete player. His bat-to-ball skills are among the top in the class. He hits for a good average, but also has a fantastic approach in the box, drawing walks at a high clip, and is a very tough to strike out. His on-base upside is extremely high. 

Tibbs has a short, quick swing which has allowed him to turn around fastballs and hit the high velocity with great efficiency to all fields. Defensively, Tibbs has an above average arm from the outfield which will bode well for him in the corner positions.

Tibbs is a solid athlete with a thick and powerful lower half, but this limits his straight line speed. For this reason, he will likely fit the profile of a corner outfielder in pro ball, and maybe can play first base as well. His range is limited in the field, but he gets good reads and has a good arm which will keep him out of a DH role.

Tibbs is a solid corner outfielder with an above average arm in the field. At the plate, his skillset is about as complete as they come, and has been improving with every year of college ball. He had a breakout season in 2024 in terms of power and has launched himself into top 10 discussions.

OF Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M

Montgomery attended Madison Central High School in Mississippi. In high school, he was a 2-time All-State team selection, Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year in 2021, and helped guide the team to a state title as a senior. He chose to join Stanford following his high school career.

As a freshman at Stanford, Montgomery had an instant impact, batting .296 with .596 slugging, 18 home runs and 57 RBI. He made 15 pitching appearances and posted a 5.96 ERA.

Last year as a sophomore at Stanford, Montgomery was one of the best two way players in the country, batting .364 with .611 slugging, 17 home runs and 61 RBI. He had 10 pitching appearances and struck out 19 batters in just 14 innings of work.

Montgomery transferred to Texas A&M following last season. He had an excellent season, hitting .322 with 27 homeruns and 85 RBI before suffering a broken ankle while sliding into home against Oregon on June 8th.

Montgomery hits from both sides of the plate, with consistent performance from each. He has improved his swing from the right side over the past couple years, and has also cut down his swing and miss rates. Defensively, he is athletic enough to play all outfield positions, but will likely end up as a right fielder due to his absolute cannon of an arm.

Montgomery has cut down on his swings and misses, and is a fastball killer, but struggles at times with hitting the off-speed pitch. This inconsistency should go away over time as he improves his pitch recognition. His strong arm will likely be put to better use in the outfield than on the mound at the next level. He will likely not pitch much this season for A&M and will focus on his future as a position player. He most likely won’t play this season at all because of his ankle injury but still may only be two years away from breaking into the majors.

Montgomery is a versatile outfield prospect with athleticism to play any outfield position. He is a capable switch hitter with quick, compact swings from both sides of the plate. He has top 10 pick potential that could have been a top 5 pick if not for his ankle injury.