In the first episode of The Pretenders or Contenders show, we dove head first into the Pittsburgh Pirates. Discussion topics ranging from where the roster currently sits, the future of the franchise and what’s ahead for the Bucs comes back to one major step: the 2021 MLB Draft.

The Pirates hold the first overall selection in the upcoming draft, and scouting the best talent in college seems like one-stop shopping. Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker of the Vanderbilt Commodores sit atop everybody’s big board and for good reason, too.

Walking The Plank

In 2011, the last time Pittsburgh possessed the first overall draft selection, the Pirates chose a young pitcher out of UCLA by the name of Gerrit Cole. Cole became the talk of the town when he made his debut in 2013 and throughout his time with the Pirates which spanned 5 years.

In those 5 seasons, Cole had a 3.50 ERA, 1.217 WHIP, and a ERA+ of 112. He also made 3 postseason starts with the Pirates; two in 2013 with a 2.45 ERA and a 0.636 WHIP, and one in 2015 where he went just 5 innings and gave up 4 runs against the Cubs.

With free agency on the horizon in 2018, Pittsburgh dealt their star down south to the Astros, maximizing their potential haul.

Once again, the Pirates are on the clock, this time with Rocker and Leiter in the spotlight. In MLB.com’s Jim Callis’s most recent mock draft, the writer predicted Rocker as the first selection off the board. Kumar Rocker had a 3.25 ERA in 99.2 innings pitched with 114 strikeouts and a 1.094 WHIP. Following a lost season due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rocker’s not wasting any time in 2021, posting a 0.87 ERA and striking out 48 batters in five starts. His game is evolving, and his command could use some polishing, but his three-pitch punch consisting of a fastball, slider and change-up is professionally dominating stuff.

The Case For Jack Leiter

In the same rotation as Rocker, Jack Leiter’s making a strong push for the top spot in the draft. Two starts ago, Leiter was nearly perfect, tossing a no-hitter gem, then subsequently threw seven no-hit innings before his removal the next game. Sporting a 0.25 ERA and 59 strikeouts in only 36 innings pitched, his last name might ring a bell: Jack’s dad Al Leiter pitched nineteen seasons in Major League Baseball.

You likely can’t go wrong with either candidate at the top spot in the 2021 MLB Draft. That said, the required turn around in the organization for Pittsburgh is a necessary evil. If Rocker or Leiter is a building block for the future, the shift from losing to winning seems necessary as a quick one. If not, the Pirates could find themselves in a similar situation like the Gerrit Cole conundrum they created for themselves in 2018.