For years under Ben Cherington, the Pirates have acted like every good prospect was a treasure chest that needed to stay buried. That made sense when the club was still digging out of a rebuild. It makes a lot less sense now.
Pittsburgh has a major-league group that can chase a playoff spot, a young core worth building around and a farm system that still has real depth even after players like Konnor Griffin moved on. That changes the math.
At some point, prospects stop being just long-term hope and start becoming trade chips. And right now, three names are pushing their way into that conversation: Termarr Johnson, Sammy Stafura and Lonnie White Jr.
Johnson is still the headliner, even though 2026 has been a rough ride so far. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft is MLB Pipeline’s No.
6 Pirates prospect, but he’s hitting only .198 with a .634 OPS at Triple-A Indianapolis. Even so, he has worked enough walks to post a .327 on-base percentage and has added 20 stolen bases.
That kind of line usually doesn’t scream “trade bait,” but the Pirates also have to look at the bigger picture. Since Johnson was drafted, the organization has added a lot more position-player depth, and he no longer looks like a player they have to protect at all costs. He may be a case of selling low in a strict sense, but his path to Pittsburgh is less clear than it once was.
There are signs he’s at least making the timing more interesting. Johnson had three doubles in his first three games after the All-Star break, which briefly nudged his average back above .200. He’s batting .240 in July, and his name still carries enough weight that he could headline the right deal.
Stafura, meanwhile, is the prospect who may be helping himself the most. Acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in last year’s Ke’Bryan Hayes trade, the shortstop has taken off in 2026. Through Wednesday, he’s hitting .286 with a .379 OBP, a .961 OPS, 16 home runs and 19 stolen bases at High-A Greensboro.
MLB Pipeline has Stafura ranked No. 10 in the Pirates’ system, and the appeal is obvious. He brings speed, defense and power that has suddenly shown up in a big way. With Griffin standing in the way of his future at shortstop in Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future, Stafura has become the kind of prospect another club could see as a real prize.
Lonnie White Jr. has probably done the most to rebuild his value this season. The 2021 competitive-balance pick has spent much of his pro career fighting through injuries and inconsistency, but this year he’s finally putting it together.
White is batting .269 with a .373 OBP, a .900 OPS, 18 homers and 16 stolen bases while reaching Double-A Altoona. That surge has moved him back into MLB Pipeline’s Pirates Top 30 at No.
The Pirates do not need to trade prospects just to say they made a move. But they also can’t keep stockpiling every talented minor leaguer while expecting the big-league club to win without enough help.
Johnson, Stafura and White all have upside, and all three sit in a crowded future picture that also includes Griffin, Nick Gonzales and the newly acquired Jacob Gonzalez. If Pittsburgh is serious about contending, it has to get comfortable turning some of that upside into help for right now.
In Other News...
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Pirates Suddenly Linked To A Center Field Move That Changes Things
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Varshos reputation is built on the glove, not the bat, and that is part of what makes the idea intriguing for Pittsburgh. He has long been viewed as one of the better defensive center fielders in the game, but his offense has lagged this season, leaving the Pirates with a classic deadline question: how much value do they place on run prevention if it means adding a player whose production at the plate has been uneven? [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Roster Shakeup Just Pushed A Veteran Arm To The Brink
The Pirates made a catcher move Friday that rippled into the pitching staff, selecting the contract of Shawn Ross and putting Rafael Flores on the seven-day concussion-related injured list. Ross is getting his first shot in the majors, a notable step for a player the club is bringing up to help behind the plate as it manages the position group.
Jos Urquidy was the arm caught in the squeeze, a reminder of how crowded Pittsburghs pitching picture has become. Even with solid work at Triple-A, the right-hander no longer had an easy path to a roster spot with the Pirates leaning on a deep mix of starters, long-relief options and upper-level depth. [Read more 🡒]