Breaking Down Every Pirates Pick From the 2026 MLB Draft

Breaking Down Every Pirates Pick From the 2026 MLB Draft

The Pittsburgh Pirates completed the 2026 MLB Draft with 21 selections, led by LSU outfielder Derek Curiel at No. 5 overall. Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo said it might be his favorite draft of the year, but what made Pittsburgh’s class stand out? Jim breaks down every selection, what each player does well, the biggest concern and what the Pirates appear to be betting on in development. The class began with contact, defense and strong offensive foundations in Curiel, Aiden Ruiz, Chris Rembert and Andruw Giles before shifting heavily toward pitching. We also discuss Jason DeCaro, Tre Phelps, Spencer Evans, Grant Govel, Malachi Washington and the rest of Pittsburgh’s 2026 draft class. Did the Pirates land one of the best classes in baseball, and which player outside Curiel are you most interested in following? Subscribe for more daily Pittsburgh Pirates coverage from North Shore Nine. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dennis Santana Is Running Out of Time With the Pirates

Dennis Santana was arguably the Pirates’ best reliever in 2025. This season, his command has disappeared, his walk rate has nearly doubled and his roster spot could become vulnerable as the trade deadline approaches. Alex Stumpf breaks down what has changed, whether a different pitch mix or mechanical adjustment could help and why rediscovering the old Dennis Santana would be nearly as valuable as adding another reliever through a trade. Read Alex’s work at Book Rule Bucs: https://bookrulebucs.substack.com/ North Shore Nine is presented by FanDuel. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Pirates Made All-Star Game History for the Wrong Reason

The Pirates are sending Paul Skenes and Braxton Ashcraft to the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, but neither pitcher will actually appear. Even worse, one of baseball’s highest-scoring offenses will not have a single position player representing it. Alex Stumpf breaks down the historic snub, why Bryan Reynolds and Brandon Lowe deserved serious consideration and why MLB may need to expand All-Star rosters to better recognize deserving hitters. Read Alex’s work at Book Rule Bucs: https://bookrulebucs.substack.com/ North Shore Nine is presented by FanDuel. Download our app! : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-shore-nine/id6771171000 : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.northshorenine.app Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ZY250XUYiS-yX7xOQCdLA/join Use Promo Code NS930 for 30% off your first order at https://www.defer.coffee Use Promo Code NORTHSHORENINE for $20 off your first order at https://www.seatgeek.com LIKE and SUBSCRIBE with NOTIFICATIONS ON if you enjoyed the show! NS9 MERCH: https://northshorenine.myshopify.com ►Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NorthShoreNine ►Website: https://www.northshorenine.com ►Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/northshorenine ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@northshorenine ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northshorenine ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshorenine ►Discord: https://discord.gg/3HVYPg544m #pittsburghpirates Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pirates Sweep Brewers and Make a Wild Card Statement

The Pittsburgh Pirates are heading into the All Star break at 50-47, three games above .500 and only two games out of the final National League Wild Card spot after sweeping the first place Milwaukee Brewers. Ryan and DiNardo break down a huge 4-2 stretch against the Braves and Brewers before reviewing the best, worst and most important developments from the first half of the season. They also look ahead to the second half, the upcoming series in Cleveland and what the Pirates’ position should mean ahead of the trade deadline. Subscribe to North Shore Nine for Pittsburgh Pirates coverage throughout the season. Download our app! : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-shore-nine/id6771171000 : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.northshorenine.app Use Promo Code NS930 for 30% off your first order at https://www.defer.coffee Use Promo Code NORTHSHORENINE for $20 off your first order at https://www.seatgeek.com LIKE and SUBSCRIBE with NOTIFICATIONS ON if you enjoyed the show! NS9 MERCH: https://northshorenine.myshopify.com ►Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NorthShoreNine ►Website: https://www.northshorenine.com ►Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/northshorenine ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@northshorenine ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northshorenine ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshorenine ►Discord: https://discord.gg/3HVYPg544m #pittsburghpirates Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Did the Pirates Play It Too Safe in the 2026 MLB Draft?

Alex Stumpf reviews the Pittsburgh Pirates’ complete 2026 MLB Draft class and explains why it feels underwhelming compared to the previous three years. He evaluates Derek Curiel at No. 5, identifies Spencer Evans and Trey Phelps as two picks he likes, raises concerns about Aiden Ruiz and Jason DeCaro, and looks at the difficult signings that could ultimately determine the success of this class. Read Alex’s work at Book Rule Bucs: https://bookrulebucs.substack.com/ Download our app! : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-shore-nine/id6771171000 : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.northshorenine.app Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ZY250XUYiS-yX7xOQCdLA/join Use Promo Code NS930 for 30% off your first order at https://www.defer.coffee Use Promo Code NORTHSHORENINE for $20 off your first order at https://www.seatgeek.com LIKE and SUBSCRIBE with NOTIFICATIONS ON if you enjoyed the show! NS9 MERCH: https://northshorenine.myshopify.com ►Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NorthShoreNine ►Website: https://www.northshorenine.com ►Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/northshorenine ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@northshorenine ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northshorenine ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshorenine ►Discord: https://discord.gg/3HVYPg544m #pittsburghpirates Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.