Nineteen-year-old Seth Hernandez is already starting to look like one of the most important pitching prospects in the Pirates’ system, even though he’s still just getting going in the minors. Taken sixth overall in the 2025 MLB draft, the number 3 prospect has already put himself on the radar as another potential starter for the Pirates.
So far in 2026, Hernandez has been dominant, going 4-1 with a 1.51 ERA across eight starts. In 35.2 innings, he has struck out 62 batters, showing great swing-and-miss stuff.
For Pittsburgh, that matters because the Bucs aren’t trying to build one good rotation – they’re trying to build sustained pitching depth that can last multiple seasons.
Recently, the Pirates took another step forward in his development by promoting him from Single-A Bradenton to High-A Greensboro. This move shows how much he has adapted to professional hitters and how confident the Pirates are right now about him.
That’s all the more exciting given what the Pirates already have at the major league level. Paul Skenes is already one of the most dominant young pitchers in baseball, and Pittsburgh has him as the clear ace. If Hernandez develops the way the organization hopes, the idea of pairing him with Skenes at the top of the rotation becomes very dangerous for other teams. That kind of duo is something most teams never get, and it would instantly raise the ceiling of the entire roster.
Right now, Pittsburgh’s strength is clearly starting pitching, and that’s been the foundation of their early success. When a team has multiple arms who can miss bats and work deep into games, it could take pressure off the bullpen and give the team a chance to stay competitive every night. That’s very important for a young team still trying to have a consistent offense.
Of course, Hernandez is very young and still far from the majors, and pitching prospects always come with a risk. But the Pirates are in a position where they do not need him immediately; they just need him to keep developing.
If he develops well and Skenes keeps doing what he’s doing, Pittsburgh could be looking at one of the best rotations in baseball for many years.
