Coming up through high school and college, a lot of players hit and pitch, usually choosing one path or another when they reach the pro ranks.
The Pittsburgh Pirates already have one two-way prospect trying to break that trend in Bubba Chandler. They picked up another in the 2022 draft that has the potential to play both sides of the game.
Jack Brannigan was the team’s third round pick this past draft out of Notre Dame. Primarily a third baseman (less than 25 innings on the mound), he was announced as a two-way player.
After signing, Brannigan played in 26 games for the Bradenton Marauders (after a quick stop in the FCL), slashing .211/.330/.337 with three home runs, 14 RBI and a wRC+ of 98. He had a really strong line drive rate (23.1%), which would have ranked among the system’s best over the course of a full season.
After just two games in the FCL, Brannigan was promoted to Bradenton and got off to a scorching start. He picked up hits in eight of his first nine Single-A games, collecting four extra-base hits and a wRC+ of 182.
Jack Brannigan with a nice play charging the ball. Quick transition. Strong throw #LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/iLzC1WOg4x
— Anthony Murphy (@__Murphy88) August 31, 2022
He struggled after that, slashing .145/.285/.210 (55 wRC+) in his final 17 games of the season. Baseball America did grade him as a ‘plus-plus’ runner. He wasn’t the best base stealer, although he did steal six bags on nine attempts.
Brannigan is another interesting player to watch during the 2023 season. The Pirates drafted him as a two-way player, although he would rather focus on hitting as opposed to pitching. He put up a decent barrel rate (6%) and exit velocity numbers (85.2), and had a 76.5% contact rate.
Many believe he has a brighter future on the mound, however, with two potential plus pitches, including a fastball that can reach the upper 90s. Baseball America saw his ‘best-case’ as a gold glove caliber third baseman, which could be thanks to his ‘70’-grade arm he flashed briefly in Bradenton.
The Pirates were able to make it work with Chandler last year, although he was more willing of the two-way path than Brannigan apparently is. They drafted Brannigan as a two-way player, so we will probably see him do both to start. Finding a way to make it work with him in the field, and on the mound, will be harder to maintain than what they did with Chandler.
Brannigan is an intriguing prospect on either side, but the Pirates probably want to get more of a look of him on the mound before they make their final decision.
Highlight of the Day
Pirates Prospects Daily
By Tim Williams
Ethan Hullihen is working on a new feature to create a Glossary of transaction details on the site. His first installment is a look at how Optional and Outright Assignments work.
Pirates Business: How Do Optional and Outright Assignments Work?
Wilbur Miller looked at the Pirates’ 2019 draft, which is led by Quinn Priester, but has a lot of other interesting prospects still around.
WTM: The Pirates’ Quirky 2019 Draft
Bubba Chandler was a highlight of the 2021 draft, and Anthony Murphy looked at the progress and potential he showed during his debut season.
Bubba Chandler Showed Progress and Potential In His Debut Season
Song of the Day
Pirates Prospects Weekly
Ethan Hullihen is working on a new feature to create a Glossary of transaction details on the site. His first installment is a look at how Optional and Outright Assignments work.
Pirates Business: How Do Optional and Outright Assignments Work?
Wilbur Miller looked at the Pirates’ 2019 draft, which is led by Quinn Priester, but has a lot of other interesting prospects still around.
WTM: The Pirates’ Quirky 2019 Draft
Bubba Chandler was a highlight of the 2021 draft, and Anthony Murphy looked at the progress and potential he showed during his debut season.
Bubba Chandler Showed Progress and Potential In His Debut Season
Anthony began writing over 10 years ago, starting a personal blog to cover the 2011 MLB draft, where the Pirates selected first overall. After bouncing around many websites covering hockey, he refocused his attention to baseball, his first love when it comes to sports. He eventually found himself here at Pirates Prospects in late 2021, where he covers the team’s four full season minor league affiliates.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
Brannigan has more of a traditional path as a MLB 3B than Triolo. Brannigan will hit 15-25 HR with a .250-.280/.300-.320/.390-.420 slash line. While playing a gold glove caliber 3B.
I watched him a lot in college and wanted the Pirates to draft him. He’s one of those super “fun to watch” players. I was thinking the 4th round but getting Michael Kennedy in the 4th round(with the 1M signing bonus) made taking him in the 3rd round ok.
Imo, his pitching upside is just slightly above his upside as a hitter and fielder. But not as much as a gap as Bubba Chandler’s. Bubba has that classic pitchers frame and body type you look for. Branningan, not so much. He’s 6’0(at best; I would say he shorter than that) and built like a brick sh*t house. He’s not as loose and athletic.
The 100mph FB and good feel for a change up is intriguing though.
Weird that he doesn’t look built like he was at ND in those highlights posted. I mean look at his neck in this picture and highlights from ND. He was jacked.
https://youtu.be/8zpBR0ZslbY
Convince this man to stay on the mound asap
I always thought he was taken to high for his bat, but he does have a power arm.
He has a lot to prove with the bat. I want to see what he can do on the rubber.
Love these pieces Murph is doing.
FYI, this is happening on mlbtr right now – a live chat with Chad Hermansen – I wonder if anyone will ask him if he can still walk on water?
https://live.jotcast.com/chat/live-chat-with-former-mlb-outfielder-chad-hermansen-14949.html
Just mentioned that on the Top 3 prospects article.
Got to give him credit, he addressed it pretty head on. Of course he puts all the blame on the MLB hitting coach. Who was that in 1999?
Lloyd. Hard to believe he still blames someone else. Maybe that was his issue? Couldn’t accept HIS own issues? And who did he blame on all those other teams?
lots of scrappy dudes coming out of that draft
That plus plus runner still blows my mind lol
Why did not let him pitch? Or did I miss something?
Similar to Chandler, they didn’t let him throw his first year after a college season (HS in Chandler’s case).
They have said they like Brannigan a little better at 3B. I think there’s universal agreement that Chandler’s greatest potential is on the mound.
Great point! Thx!
If 3B is his best position, I would recommend that he look very strongly at the option of being a RP. Unless traded, he will play behind Ke’Bryan Hayes or Jared Triolo at 3B for the Pirates, and they are not that much older than him.
In HS and Travel Ball his listing was as a Pitcher with two solid pitches – FB and Slider. Another David Bednar?
and most scouts listed him as a RP prior to the draft.