The 2014 MLB draft was not the greatest for the Pirates. There was some great talent in the draft like Carlos Rodon, Kyle Schwarber, Aaron Nola, Trea Turner, and Matt Chapman but the Pirates did not land any of those guys.

Round 1

To start off the draft, the Pirates selected shortstop Cole Tucker with the 24th overall pick. Tucker has not lived up to expectations, as he had played 4 seasons with the Pirates with a career .211 AVG and a -2.1 WAR. Tucker is currently in AAA with the Rockies and is batting .328 in 180 at bats.

Competitive Balance A

In the 2014 draft, the Pirates had two competitive balance picks. With the first one, they took Connor Joe. Joe is in his fourth major league season and has played for three different teams. He made his debut with the Giants in 2019, and played for the Rockies in 2021 and 2022. Then in the offseason, the Rockies traded Joe back to the team who drafted him, the Pirates. This season Joe is hitting .242 with a 0.3 WAR and has a career.246 batting average and a 2.6 career WAR.

Round 2

In the second round, the Pirates selected Mitch Keller. Keller is currently in his fifth year with the Pirates and was an all star this year. Keller has had some struggles in the past but since the 2022 season, he has been lights out in the Pirates rotation. Keller is the Pirates ace and most likely will be in future seasons.

Competitive Balance B

With the Pirates second competitive balance pick, they took Trey Supak. Supak only played with the Pirates until 2015, and only played in the rookie league. Supak then played for the Brewers from 2016 to 2019 and made it up to AAA in 2019. Then due to COVID 19 there was no minor league play in 2020 and he did not play in 2021 either. In 2022 he signed a contract with the Oakland Athletics and is currently playing in AAA with the team.

Round 3

In the third round, the Pirates selected Jordan Luplow. Luplow is in his seventh year in the majors and is playing for his fifth different team, the Blue Jays. This season, Luplow only has 9 at bats but is batting .222 but in his career he is batting .213 with a 2.2 WAR.

Round 4

Taylor Gushue was the fourth round pick by the Pirates. Gushue played for the Pirates until 2016, then played for the Nationals from 2017 to 2019. In 2021 he played with the Cubs and made his major league debut. He had four at bats, and struck out three times and did not record a hit. In 2022 he signed back with the Nationals and he has not played yet in 2023.

Round 5

Michael Suchy was the fifth round pick, and he did not do much in his career. He played with the Pirates until 2017 and made it up to AA and in 2018 and 2019 he played for a team in the Canadian-American Association.

Round 6

In the sixth round, the Pirates took Tyler Eppler. Eppler played with the Pirates until 2018 making it up to AAA. In 2019 Eppler played overseas and in 2021 he signed a minor league contract with the Nationals and played in AAA. In 2022 he ended up going back to play overseas, and he is currently playing overseas.

Round 7

In the seventh round the Pirate took Nelson Jorge. Jorge played in the organization until 2017 but never made it past rookie ball.

Round 8

In the eighth round the Pirates selected Austin Coley. Coley played in the organization until 2019 and made it up to AAA in 2018.

Round 9

Kevin Krause was the ninth round pick, and he played in the organization until 2018. He made it up to AA with the team and played on Independent League teams ever since.

Round 10

In the tenth round the Pirates selected Alex McRae. McRae played 4 years in the majors, 2 years with the Pirates and 2 years with the White Sox. McRae played 17 games in the majors and had a 7.34 ERA with a -0.9 WAR.

Round 11

Gage Hinsz was the eleventh round pick, and he played in the organization until 2017. After battling with injuries he played in a winter league in 2018 and in the American Association in 2021. 

Round 12

Tyler Filliben was the twelfth round pick and he played in the organization until 2016. He made it up to Single A.

Round 13

In the thirteenth round, the Pirates selected Frank Duncan. Duncan played for the Pirates until 2016 and made it up to AAA. He then went on to play for the Diamondbacks in 2017, and made it up to AAA. In 2018 he played for the Rockies and Dodgers. Then in 2021, he signed back with the Rockies after playing in the Independent League in 2019. He played in the Rockies system until 2022 and is currently playing in a league in Mexico.

Round 14

Chase Simpson was the fourteenth round pick and played for the organization until 2017. From 2018 to 2022 he has played for different Independent League teams.

Round 15

Eric Dorsch was the fifteenth round pick but only played until 2015. He made it up to Single A.

Round 16

In the sixteenth round the Pirates selected Sam Street. Street played in the organization until 2018, and played in Australia and in the American Association until 2022.

Round 17

In the seventeenth round the Pirates selected Michael Clemens. Clemens played rookie ball for the Pirates in 2014 but then never played professional baseball again.

Round 18

The Pirates eighteenth round pick was Erik Lunde. Lunde played until 2016 and made it up to High A.

Round 19

Carl Anderson was the Pirates nineteenth round pick and he played until 2016. He made it up to Low A with the Pirates in 2014.

Round 20

John Sever was the 20th round pick and he played until 2015. He made it up to Single A.

Round 21

In the 21st round the pirates took Eric Thomas. Thomas played until 2015 and didn’t make it past rookie ball.

Round 22

Eric Karch was the Pirates 22nd round pick and he played with them until 2016. He made it up to Single A with the Pirates in 2016 then went to the Angels and played with them until 2017 which he made it up to AA. He then played in the independent league in 2018 and 2019 and has not played professional baseball since.

Round 23

Zach Warren was taken in the 23rd round by the Pirates but did not sign. He ended up getting drafted by the Phillies in 2017 and played for them until 2022. He is now playing in the Atlantic League.

Round 24

The Pirates selected Denis Karas in the 24th round but he did not sign. He ended up getting drafted by the Marlins in 2017 and played with them until 2018. He made it up to Single A.

Round 25

Erik Forgione was the 25th round pick for the Pirates and played until 2016. He made it up to Low A.

Round 26

In the 26th round the Pirates selected Jerrick Suiter. Suiter played in the organization until 2019 and made it to AAA in 2018. In 2021 he played 3 games in the Rookie league with the Cubs and hasn’t played since.

Round 27

In the 27th round the Pirates selected Jess Amedee. Amedee played in the organization until 2018 and made it up to High A. Also in 2018 he played in the Frontier League.

Round 28

Nicholas Neumann was the Pirates 28th round pick. He played in the Pirates organization until 2016 and played in the Marlins organization in 2017. He made it up to High A in 2016 and 2017.

Round 29

Zachary Lucas was the 29th round pick by the Pirates but never played a game pass college.

Round 30

David Andriese was the 30th round pick by the Pirates and played in the organization until 2015. He made it up to Low A.

Round 31

In the 31st round the Pirates selected Luis Paula. Paula played in the organization until 2016 and made it to Low A. He played in the American Association from 2017 to 2018.

Round 32

The 32nd round pick by the Pirates was Montana DuRapau. DuRapau made it to the major leagues in 2019 and played 14 games with the Pirates. In 17.1 innings he had a 9.35 ERA and a -0.8 WAR. Then in 2021, DuRapau played in AA with the Athletics.

Round 33

In the 33rd round the Pirates selected Zach Lewis. Lewis never played a game in the Pirates organization but he played 3 years in the White Sox organization and made it up to High A.

Round 34

Colin Welmon was the Pirates 34th round Pick but did not sign. He ended up getting drafted the next year by the Rockies in the 8th round. He played with them until 2017 and made it up to High A.

Round 35

Chris Eades was the 35th round pick but he never played a game in the Pirates organization.

Round 36

Palmer Betts was the 36th round pick and he played in the organization until 2015 but never made it past rookie ball. In 2016 he signed with the Diamondbacks and made it to Low A. In 2016 he also played in the American Association but didn’t play again after that year.

Round 37

Bryant Holtmann was the 37th round pick but didn’t sign with the Pirates. In 2015 he got drafted by the Diamondbacks and played with them until 2016. He never made it past rookie ball.

Round 38

In the 38th round the Pirates selected Paul DeJong. DeJong did not sign with the Pirates and then got drafted by the Cardinals the next year. DeJong is now playing his 7th year in the majors with the Cardinals and has a career .233 batting average and a 14.3 career WAR. 

Round 39

Daniel Keating was the 39th round pick but did not play a game after college.

Round 40

Tyler Brown was the 40th round pick but didn’t sign. He ended up getting drafted by the Giants in 2015 and played for them until 2018, making it up to AAA in 2017. He also played in the Canadian-American Association in 2018 and hasn’t played since. 

Conclusion

This was not a great draft for the Pirates as only 7 guys that they signed made it to the majors and only 4 of them are having decent careers. Their first round pick in Cole Tucker was a bust and the best pick in the draft was Mitch Keller. If I was to give this draft a grade I would give it a D+.

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