On this edition of the Pirates Prospect Update, we take a look at Double-A pitcher Braxton Ashcraft and how he shot up the MLB’s radar following high school.
Born in Waco Texas, Ashcraft was a multi-talented athlete growing up. Always a strong pitcher in baseball, he really started appearing on draft boards after focusing full time on the sport in high school, and foregoing any plans to play wide receiver for the football team. With the newfound dedication to the sport, Major League teams were rating him very highly in the amateur draft, and the Pirates took him in the second round in 2018, where he appeared in five games.