Mitch Jebb’s late-season surge has given the Pirates something worth watching as September nears, and the outfield prospect is making a case for one of the club’s extra roster spots.
MLB expands active rosters from 26 to 28 in September, allowing teams to add a position player and a pitcher. If Pittsburgh decides to use that opening on Jebb, it would be a chance to see whether his recent power binge is real or just a hot stretch.
Jebb was the 42nd overall pick in the second round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Michigan State, and he arrived with a clear profile: a left-handed contact hitter who could move around the diamond and run, but didn’t bring much pop. He hit just seven home runs in three years at Michigan State, and that light-power track followed him early in his pro career, with seven total homers across his first three seasons in the system. That included none in 2025 with Double-A Altoona and six at High-A Greensboro in 2024.
This season has changed the conversation. After offseason work and some adjustments, Jebb has started to show power that wasn’t really part of the original scouting pitch. He has seven home runs in 33 games with Triple-A Indianapolis, matching the total he had before reaching Triple-A in 288 other games.
The breakthrough started to show on April 23 against St. Paul, when he launched his first two homers of the season. Both came off the bat at more than 101 mph and traveled around 400 feet, and he drove in four runs in a 6-1 win.
Then came a major setback. Jebb fractured his thumb, needed surgery and missed nearly three months, sitting out from April 26 to July 24.
Once he returned, he picked up right where he left off. In that stretch, he posted a .269/.350/.472 line for an .822 OPS, with 20 hits in 108 at-bats, a double, three triples, five homers, 14 RBI and 13 walks against 26 strikeouts.
He homered in each of his first two games back, going deep against Lehigh Valley on July 24 and July 26. After that, the power went quiet for almost a month, but he has homered in three straight games now, with two blasts against Louisville on Aug. 23 and another against Columbus on Aug. 26.
For a player known more for contact, speed and versatility, that kind of pop changes the equation. Jebb has mostly played center field over the last two seasons, but Pittsburgh could also look at him at shortstop or second base if it wants to see how he fits in the middle infield.
The timing matters, too. Jebb is first-time eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this offseason, and MLB teams will be paying attention in December, assuming a Rule 5 Draft takes place with the potential lockout looming. The Pirates can sidestep that by putting him on the 40-man roster now, or they can give him a September look and see whether he belongs on the major league roster, or at least close to it, heading into 2027.
There’s still no guarantee he gets that chance, but if Pittsburgh keeps slipping in the National League Wild Card race, Jebb becomes an increasingly sensible player to evaluate. His profile already fit the mold of a Jake Mangum style-player - versatile, fast and built around contact - but the added power could be what makes him stand out.
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