The Pittsburgh Pirates spent the second round of the 2026 MLB Draft adding two more infielders to a class already leaning heavily toward the dirt.
With the 44th overall pick, Pittsburgh selected prep shortstop Aiden Ruiz. Seven picks later, the Pirates went back to the infield and took Auburn second baseman Chris Rembert at No. 51.
The 44th pick was theirs by virtue of last season’s finish, while the 51st came as compensation after the Pirates were unable to sign right-hander Angel Cervantes in the 2025 MLB Draft, when he was taken 50th overall but remained committed to UCLA.
That pair of selections followed Pittsburgh’s first-round choice of LSU outfielder Derek Curiel at No. 5, giving the club two SEC picks in the draft. The Pirates also held the 34th overall pick in Competitive Balance Round A, but sent it to the Chicago White Sox with left-handed pitching prospect Jaden Woods in exchange for left-handed reliever Brandon Eisert and infield prospect Jacob Gonzalez.
Ruiz comes from The Stony Brook High School in Stony Brook, N.Y., and turned 19 on March 28. He is a switch-hitter and switch-thrower, though at shortstop he is expected to throw right-handed. His calling card is the glove, and evaluators have treated him like one of the best defensive prep shortstops in the class.
MLB Pipeline gave Ruiz a 60 grade for his arm and a 65 for his fielding, while Baseball America was even higher on the defense, assigning a 55 arm grade and a 70 fielding grade. He is not viewed as a power bat, but he projects as a contact hitter with decent speed, and Pittsburgh will be hoping it has landed the next standout defensive infielder.
Both major prospect outlets are high on him overall, too. MLB Pipeline ranks Ruiz 32nd and the sixth-best shortstop, while Baseball America has him 31st overall and also sixth among shortstops.
Ruiz is committed to Vanderbilt and could be eligible for the 2028 MLB Draft if he honors that commitment, since he is already 19.
Rembert brings a different kind of profile, but one the Pirates clearly value just as much. He hit .343/.399/.459 with an .858 OPS in 58 games as a sophomore at Auburn in 2026, piling up 80 hits, 13 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 46 RBI, 12 stolen bases and 19 walks against 39 strikeouts.
MLB Pipeline gave Rembert a 60 hit grade, and Baseball America pegged him at 55. Like Ruiz, he is not known for power. He was also a draft-eligible sophomore and turned 21 on July 5.
Defensively, he is seen as an average second baseman for now, though he could eventually wind up in left field. He also brings some above-average speed. MLB Pipeline ranks him 47th overall and third among second basemen, while Baseball America places him 49th overall and third at the position.
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