Top 10 Pirates Prospects Update: Jones Shines in Bigs, Jebb Taps Into Power

This is one in a weekly update on the top 10 Pittsburgh Pirates prospects.

Another week of minor league baseball is in the books.

Jared Jones, the lone Pirates’ top 10 prospect in the big leagues, had the best outing of his young career. Down on the farm, Mitch Jebb belted his first three home runs of the season.

Full updates on the top 10:

1. RHP Paul Skenes (Triple-A Indianapolis)

• Weekly stats: 0-0, 1.74 ERA, 10.1 innings, two runs, seven hits, three walks, 11 strikeouts, two starts/two appearances
• 2024 stats: 0-0, 0.99 ERA, 27.1 innings, four runs (three earned), 17 hits, eight walks, 45 strikeouts, seven appearances/seven starts

Skenes continued to check of his boxes and pitched on four days rest for the first time since being drafted. As good as he’s been this season, Skenes might not have to keep his phone close by just yet. Pirates manager Derek Shelton said the Pirates’ top prospect is scheduled to pitch in Indianapolis this week. Time will tell.

2. INF Termarr Johnson (High-A Greensboro)

• Weekly stats: .235/.435/.235, 4 for 17, two RBIs, one steal, five games
• 2024 stats: .188/.388/.263, 15 for 80, one double, one triple, one home run, 10 RBIs, four steals, 24 games

Johnson is starting to trend upwards after a sluggish start to his 2024 campaign. The 19-year-old continues to get on base at an excellent rate and he’s putting the ball in play more than he was early in the year.

3. RHP Jared Jones (Pittsburgh Pirates)

• Weekly stats: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, seven innings, no runs, one hit, no walks, 10 strikeouts, one appearance/one start
• 2024 stats: 2-3, 2.63 ERA, 41 innings, 12 runs, 27 hits, five walks, 52 strikeouts, seven appearances/seven starts

In what has been an ideal start to his career, Jones delivered his best start of the season in the Pirates’ win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday evening. Jones is certainly in the running for National League Rookie of the Year.

4. LHP Anthony Solometo (Double-A Altoona)

• Weekly stats: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, three innings, no runs, three hits, three walks, five strikeouts, one appearance/one start
• 2024 stats: 0-1, 5.06 ERA, 16 innings, nine runs, 15 hits, 11 walks, 14 strikeouts, five appearances/five starts

Solometo had to navigate some traffic but delivered a scoreless outing and struck out a season-high five batters. His efforts helped Altoona snap a 15-game losing streak.

5. RHP Bubba Chandler (Double-A Altoona)

• Weekly stats: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, three innings, no runs, one hit, one walk, three strikeouts, one appearance
• 2024 stats: 1-1, 3.10 ERA, 20.1 innings, seven runs, 14 hits, 10 walks, 23 strikeouts, six appearances/five starts

Chandler piggy-backed off of Solometo and matched his teammate’s three-scoreless innings. Chandler continues to impress this season.

6. RHP Thomas Harrington (Double-A Altoona)

• HAS YET TO PITCH THIS SEASON (7-DAY IL – RIGHT SHOULDER) 

Harrington still has yet to make his season debut as he deals with a shoulder injury.

7. RHP Braxton Ashcraft (Double-A Altoona)

• Weekly stats: 0-1, 6.00 ERA, six innings, six runs (four earned), eight hits, no walks, five strikeouts, one appearance/one start
• 2024 stats: 0-2, 6.64 ERA, 20.1 innings, 17 runs (15 earned), two walks, 17 strikeouts, five appearances/four starts

The early-season struggles for Ashcraft continued in his lone start of the week. Opponents are hitting .307 against the Pirates’ prospect this season.

8. INF Mitch Jebb (High-A Greensboro)

• Weekly stats: .286/.286/.762, 6 for 21, one double, three home runs, six RBIs, one steal, five games
• 2024 stats: .242/.303/.363, 22 for 91, two doubles, three home runs, 13 RBIs, five steals, 22 games

After showing barely any power leading up to this week, Jebb did his best Barry Bonds impression and recorded four extra-base hits including three home runs.

9. INF Tsung-Che Cheng (Double-A Altoona)

• Weekly stats: .333/.400/.722, 6 for 18, one double, two home runs, seven RBIs, six games
• 2024 stats: .203/.359/.338, 15 for 74, one double, three home runs, 12 RBIs, four steals, 22 games

Cheng finally broke out of his slump with an excellent week at the plate. The Pirates’ prospect hit and showed off his power stroke for the Curve.

10. INF Jack Brannigan (High-A Greensboro)

• Weekly stats: .091/.167/.318, 2 for 22, one triple, one home run, two RBIs, one steal, five games
• 2024 stats: .207/.330/.437, 18 for 87, three doubles, one triple, five home runs, 10 RBIs, four steals, 22 games

Brannigan started off the season hot but went cold at the plate last week. The silver lining his he continues to show improved power with both of his hits going for extra bases.