Pittsburg, PA

Pirates’ Farm System Drops In ESPN’s Rankings

Published

10 months ago

February 2, 2025

Pirates’ Farm System Drops In ESPN’s Rankings

With Paul Skenes and Jared Jones announcing their presence in the big leagues last season, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ farm system took a bit of a hit in ESPN’s rankings.

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel ranked the Pirates’ farm system as the 20th best in baseball, citing the loss of Skenes. He also noted that the Pirates’ top prospect, right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler, could eventually give Pittsburgh another star alongside Skenes and center fielder Oneil Cruz. Pittsburgh was 14th in ESPN’s rankings last season.

“The whole organization has a different feel after the emergence of Paul Skenes,” McDaniel writes. “Oneil Cruz might be the only other potential star on the big league roster, but that’s two more than some teams have, and Bubba Chandler could make it a trio by the middle of 2025. Konnor Griffin is arguably the prospect with the highest variance in the top 100, so he certainly could turn into a superstar; however, this system is in a brief down cycle as the big league team is full of the last couple of years of graduates. Pittsburgh might have to now start to balance competing in the short term and long term, a welcome change after six straight losing seasons.”

Pittsburgh was last among teams in the National League Central. The Milwaukee Brewers were 8th, while the Chicago Cubs weren’t far behind at No. 10. The Cincinnati Reds were ranked 13th and the St. Louis Cardinals landed at 19th.

The Pirates had four players in ESPN’s top 100 rankings; Chandler, second baseman Termarr Johnson, shortstop Konnor Griffin and right-handed pitcher Braxton Ashcraft. Of the players ranked between 101 and 200, right-handed pitcher Thomas Harrington was 162nd and shortstop Jack Brannigan was 193rd.

On the heels of back-to-back 76-86 seasons and being a franchise that rarely spends money in free agency, the Pirates need their top prospects to eventually make an impact when they arrive in the big leagues. If they can’t then Pittsburgh could continue to struggle as it looks for its first playoff appearance since 2015.

Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates

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Winter storm to usher in up to 5 inches of snow in Pittsburgh

Published

3 hours ago

December 13, 2025

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Winter storm to usher in up to 5 inches of snow in Pittsburgh

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Pittsburg, PA

Pennsylvania hunter charged after nearly shooting person, police say

Published

15 hours ago

December 13, 2025

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Pennsylvania hunter charged after nearly shooting person, police say

Updated on: December 12, 2025 / 7:12 PM EST
/ CBS Pittsburgh

A hunter in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, was charged after nearly shooting a person, according to police.

Karen Gaus, 42, was arrested and charged with recklessly endangering another person and disorderly conduct in connection with the incident, officials said.

The Susquehanna Regional Police Department said in a news release that officers responded to Beattys Tollgate Road in East Donegal Township on Nov. 29 for a hunting complaint. Police said a homeowner was outside their residence when they heard multiple gunshots and a bullet passing by.

Officers began investigating and found Gaus nearby, who admitted that she was hunting and fired two shots at a deer in the direction of the victim’s home, according to the news release.

Gaus, according to court documents, is awaiting her preliminary hearing, which is scheduled for Jan. 12, 2026.

Pennsylvania’s firearms deer season ends on Saturday. It opened on Nov. 29 and included two Sundays: Nov. 30 and Dec. 7. Earlier this summer, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a bill that reversed what state lawmakers called the “outdated” ban on Sunday hunting.

Before the firearms deer season began, the Game Commission said it expected more than 500,000 hunters would be out and about.

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Giants release former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

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Giants release former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver

The New York Giants have released former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud, the team announced. McCloud was on their practice squad.

McCloud was released from the Atlanta Falcons earlier this season after being sent home by head coach Raheem Morris in a mysterious exit.

“I sent him home,” Morris said. “Excused absence — home. Working through some things right now that are private with my young man, and we’ll figure those things out as we go.”

The former Falcons wide receiver room has gone through ups and downs. They fired wide receivers coach Ike Hilliward in Week 3, a coach that McCloud is close with from his time with the Steelers. Hilliard coached McCloud for two seasons.

Morris said that McCloud’s issues have nothing to do with the fact that Hilliard was fired.

“This is between Ray-Ray, the organization and us and dealing with those things,” Morris said. “Nothing to do with that. It is just more a football thing and what we got to get straightened out.”

The former Steelers wide receiver is a valuable slot receiver who can also be a key cog on returns, but has floated around the NFL over the years trying to find a long-term home.

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