SAN DIEGO -- The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.
After enduring one of the worst three-year stretches in the history of the franchise, 2023 was set to be a step forward for the Pirates. Every veteran player Ben Cherington inherited in November of 2019 has departed via trade, free agency or another mean, and the roster consists of mostly young players that have been acquired over the past few years.
That group will seemingly get even younger next season. Of the 10 players Baseball America considers their top prospects, it's reasonable to think as many as seven of them will make the leap to the big leagues in 2023.