Pittsburgh Pirates fans should have a focus on the 2026 draft. The Bucs have the fifth overall selection this year. Baseball America has already released their early-season mock draft for 2026. There is plenty of college talent at the top of this year’s draft, and they have the Pirates doubling down on their best strength: young pitching. As of right now, Baseball America pins UC Santa Barbara right-hander Jackson Flora to the Pirates.

Flora is mowing down college batters
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos right-handed pitcher Jackson Flora (2) pitches during the game against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.

Flora has pitched both as a starter and a reliever throughout college. During his freshman season, he worked as a swing-man, making four starts in 23 appearances. The right-hander worked as a SP more frequently in 2025. He pitched 75 innings in 13 games (11 starts), working to a 3.60 ERA, 27.8% strikeout percentage, and 5.5% walk rate. He also allowed only seven home runs for a 0.84 HR/9 ratio.

Flora has pitched 24 innings during the 2026 season thus far. He has only allowed four earned runs on 17 hits (one home run) and seven free passes. Flora has had no trouble striking out opponents. He has gotten 28 batters to go down on strike three. Overall, he has a 7.1% BB% and a 28.3% K% in his first four outings of 2026.

Scouting reports love Flora

Flora is a hard-throwing starter, already averaging around 97 MPH. On top of that, he throws the pitch with 20 inches of induced vertical break, and from a low arm slot. Flora can also hit triple-digits with his fastball. It is a potential plus-plus offering. Flora has two breaking pitches. One is a mid- to upper-80s slider, and the other is a low-80s sweeper. Both offerings look like above-average pitches. Flora is also utilizing two new pitches. He is now using a curveball and a kick-change. Flora has a higher-effort delivery, but has no problems throwing strikes.

 

Jackson Flora is electric.

100 mph
99 mph
98 mph pic.twitter.com/WQEsWLZNYE

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) February 14, 2026

Some fans may scoff at the idea of the Pirates drafting another pitcher with their first-round pick. They took Seth Hernandez sixth overall last year. He joins a farm system that already has plenty of young, talented hurlers. Not to mention, most of the Pirates’ Major League rotation is under control for multiple more seasons. However, finding and developing young pitchers is one of the Pirates’ greatest strengths right now. Leaning into it would not be the worst idea.

Flora and prospect rankings

Flora is ranked as Baseball America’s 4th best draft prospect. The only ones who surpass him are Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, and Cameron Flukey. BA also states that the Pirates have been among the more risk-tolerant teams in recent years. They currently have Cholowsky going first overall to the Chicago White Sox, with Emerson going to the Rays, Justin LeBron to the Twins, and Jacob Lombard to the Giants being selected before Flora to the Pirates.

Obviously, there is still a lot of time between now and the 2026 MLB Draft. There is still an entire college season and high school season, along with summer leagues to play out. Rankings could look a lot different by July. Flora may improve his stock enough to be drafted even earlier than the fifth overall selection, or someone else improves so much that they surpass him in rankings.

(Top Image Credit: Matt Bush/Special to the Clarion Ledger /

USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)