Sportsvival is updating the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Top 10 Prospects as of July 21, 2026, and this version removes players who have already reached the Major Leagues. That means names like Hunter Barco, Jhostynxon Garcia, Esmerlyn Valdez, Antwone Kelly, Rafael Flores, Khristian Curtis and Konnor Griffin are no longer on this list. The system still has plenty of talent, and the biggest mover is Murf Gray, who has forced his way way up the board with one of the loudest offensive seasons in the organization.
Updated Top 10 List
Rank Player Pos. Current Team/Level 2026 Stats
1 Seth Hernandez RHP Greensboro, High-A 6-1, 2.54 ERA, 17 G, 17 GS, 71.0 IP, 113 SO, 1.08 WHIP
2 Edward Florentino OF/1B Greensboro, High-A 237 AB, 59 R, 54 H, 17 HR, 50 RBI, 6 SB, .228 AVG, .361 OBP, .846 OPS
3 Murf Gray 3B Altoona, Double-A 328 AB, 68 R, 106 H, 25 HR, 75 RBI, 3 SB, .323 AVG, .405 OBP, 1.015 OPS
4 Derek Curiel OF 2026 Draft Pick, LSU LSU: .353 AVG, 82 H, 64 R, 13 SB; .975 career OPS at LSU
5 Wyatt Sanford SS Greensboro, High-A 178 AB, 50 R, 51 H, 10 HR, 28 RBI, 21 SB, .287 AVG, .425 OBP, .964 OPS
6 Termarr Johnson 2B/SS Indianapolis, Triple-A 279 AB, 39 R, 56 H, 6 HR, 31 RBI, 20 SB, .201 AVG, .331 OBP, .643 OPS
7 Levi Sterling RHP Greensboro, High-A 4-4, 4.56 ERA, 16 G, 16 GS, 73.0 IP, 78 SO, 1.19 WHIP
8 Easton Carmichael C Greensboro, High A 305 AB, 48 R, 95 H, 16 HR, 63 RBI, 11 SB, .311 AVG, .355 OBP, .883 OPS
9 Sammy Stafura SS Greensboro, High-A 192 AB, 40 R, 53 H, 16 HR, 47 RBI, 17 SB, .276 AVG, .370 OBP, .943 OPS
10 Johan De Los Santos SS/IF Bradenton, Single-A 158 AB, 51 R, 47 H, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 36 SB, .297 AVG, .401 OBP, .831 OPS
1. Seth Hernandez, RHP
Team: Greensboro Grasshoppers, High-A
2026 Stats: 6-1, 2.54 ERA, 17 G, 17 GS, 71.0 IP, 113 SO, 1.08 WHIP
Hernandez stays at No. 1 because the stuff is still special. The ERA has climbed from his dominant May start, but the strikeout total is ridiculous, and a 20-year-old arm missing bats like this in High-A gives the Pirates a potential future front-line starter.
2. Edward Florentino, OF/1B
Team: Greensboro Grasshoppers, High-A
2026 Stats: 237 AB, 59 R, 54 H, 17 HR, 50 RBI, 6 SB, .228 AVG, .361 OBP, .846 OPS
Florentino’s batting average has dipped, but the power is real. Seventeen home runs from a 19-year-old left-handed bat is still big-time production, and his ability to get on base keeps him high on this list.
3. Murf Gray, 3B
Team: Altoona Curve, Double-A
2026 Stats: 328 AB, 68 R, 106 H, 25 HR, 75 RBI, 3 SB, .323 AVG, .405 OBP, 1.015 OPS
Gray is the big mover. There is no way to keep him near the bottom anymore with numbers like this. A third baseman hitting over .320 with 25 home runs and a 1.015 OPS has to be treated like one of the top bats in the entire Pirates system.
4. Derek Curiel, OF
Team: 2026 Draft Pick, LSU
2026 Stats: LSU: .353 AVG, 82 H, 64 R, 13 SB; .975 career OPS at LSU
Curiel jumps into the top five right away after the Pirates selected him No. 5 overall in the 2026 MLB Draft. He brings a polished college bat, center-field ability and a strong track record at LSU, where he led the team in batting average, runs and hits in 2026.
5. Wyatt Sanford, SS
Team: Greensboro Grasshoppers, High-A
2026 Stats: 178 AB, 50 R, 51 H, 10 HR, 28 RBI, 21 SB, .287 AVG, .425 OBP, .964 OPS
Sanford has done a little bit of everything. He is getting on base, showing power, running the bases and giving Pittsburgh another athletic shortstop prospect with real helium.
6. Termarr Johnson, 2B/SS
Team: Indianapolis Indians, Triple-A
2026 Stats: 279 AB, 39 R, 56 H, 6 HR, 31 RBI, 20 SB, .201 AVG, .331 OBP, .643 OPS
Johnson’s season has not been pretty from an average standpoint, but he is still young, still drawing walks and still using his speed. The bat needs to come around, but the talent and pedigree keep him in the top 10.
7. Levi Sterling, RHP
Team: Greensboro Grasshoppers, High-A
2026 Stats: 4-4, 4.56 ERA, 16 G, 16 GS, 73.0 IP, 78 SO, 1.19 WHIP
Sterling has had some ups and downs, but the WHIP and strikeout total show why he remains a strong pitching prospect. He is still young, still starting, and still has enough stuff to project as a future big-league arm.
8. Easton Carmichael, C
Team: Greensboro Grasshoppers, High-A
2026 Stats: 305 AB, 48 R, 95 H, 16 HR, 63 RBI, 11 SB, .311 AVG, .355 OBP, .883 OPS
Carmichael deserves the bump because catchers who hit like this are hard to find. The average, power and RBI production make him one of the most interesting offensive catchers in the system.
9. Sammy Stafura, SS
Team: Greensboro Grasshoppers, High-A
2026 Stats: 192 AB, 40 R, 53 H, 16 HR, 47 RBI, 17 SB, .276 AVG, .370 OBP, .943 OPS
Stafura has turned himself into a real name to watch. The combination of 16 homers and 17 stolen bases gives him one of the better power-speed profiles among Pirates infield prospects.
10. Johan De Los Santos, SS/IF
Team: Bradenton Marauders, Single-A
2026 Stats: 158 AB, 51 R, 47 H, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 36 SB, .297 AVG, .401 OBP, .831 OPS
De Los Santos cracks the list because of the speed and on-base ability. Thirty-six stolen bases with a .401 OBP is a dangerous combination, and at the lower levels, that kind of athletic profile is worth following closely.
Final Thoughts
The biggest change from May to July is that several Pirates prospects have already reached the big leagues, so this list now focuses on the next group coming behind them. Seth Hernandez still looks like the top arm, Edward Florentino still brings big left-handed power, and Murf Gray has become impossible to ignore. Gray’s rise is the story of this update, because his bat has been one of the loudest in the Pirates’ entire farm system.
For Sportsvival, this updated top 10 shows that even after promotions to Pittsburgh, the Pirates still have a system with power, speed, athleticism and pitching upside. The next wave may not all arrive at once, but there are still plenty of names here that Pirates fans should be watching the rest of the summer.