Connor Wietgrefe has put himself right in the mix for the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 2027 picture, and the left-hander’s climb has been steady enough to make him one of the more intriguing arms in the system.
He finished 2026 at Double-A Altoona, but the real momentum came after his promotion to Triple-A Indianapolis on June 25. That’s where Wietgrefe sharpened his case, posting a 6-5 record in 15 starts with a 3.08 ERA over 84.2 innings. He struck out 65 and walked 27, while holding hitters to a .224 batting average and a 1.16 WHIP.
The Pirates have a shortage of left-handed starting pitching depth in the pipeline, and Wietgrefe looks like the next southpaw who could get a real shot if he keeps trending this way. He’ll be 25 next June, and that age, along with the way he has handled each level, gives him a chance to move quickly if he opens 2027 strong.
Wietgrefe doesn’t win with power. His four-seam fastball sits at 91.3 mph, and his sinker is at 90.6 mph.
What he does have is a mix that plays up: four-seam fastball, slider, cutter, changeup and sinker, plus the command to keep hitters uncomfortable. His lower arm slot and extension help disguise everything, and the result is a pitcher who works efficiently, limits walks and gets weak contact.
The numbers back that up. With Triple-A Indianapolis, he posted a 7.8% walk rate and a 2.87 BB/9, with his walk rate landing in the 76th percentile. He also ranked in the 97th percentile for both his .277 weighted on-base average and his .276 expected weighted on-base average.
Workload has been part of the story, too. Wietgrefe led all Pirates minor leaguers with 151.0 innings pitched, which was 27 more than the next pitcher in the system. He also delivered nine starts of six innings or more with Indianapolis, one more sign that the Pirates have been able to lean on him for length.
The organization drafted Wietgrefe in the seventh round in 2024 out of Minnesota and signed him for $247,500. He had a strong junior season with the Golden Gophers that year, going 8-4 in 13 starts and 15 games with a 2.77 ERA over 78 innings, along with 74 strikeouts and 26 walks.
His pro track has moved in clear steps. After four starts with Single-A Bradenton in 2024, he spent most of 2025 at High-A Greensboro, where he went 6-4 in 24 starts with a 3.17 ERA over 108.0 innings, 93 strikeouts, 25 walks, a .223 BAA and a 1.05 WHIP.
In 2026, he started at Altoona and went 4-1 in 13 starts and 14 games, posting a 3.51 ERA over 66.2 innings with 69 strikeouts and 25 walks, plus a .243 BAA and a 1.28 WHIP. He then took another step forward in Indianapolis.
Wietgrefe also had a pair of standout outings down the stretch, allowing one hit over eight innings with six strikeouts against Toledo on July 12 and then throwing six no-hit innings against Gwinnett in his final start on Sept. 17.
If he keeps building on that mix of command, pitchability and endurance, the Pirates have a left-handed starter who could force his way into the conversation next season.
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