Pirates pick smooth defensive prep shortstop Wyatt Sanford in 2nd round

The Pittsburgh Pirates chose another prep shortstop in Wyatt Sanford of Independence, Texas, with the No. 47 overall pick in the second round of the MLB Draft on Sunday.

The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Sanford, a Texas A&M recruit, is ranked the No. 35 prospect by MLB.com and No. 42 by Baseball America. Sanford is a gap-to-gap hitter who impressed the Pirates in the World Wood Bat Association world championships and is considered a defender versatile enough to play anywhere on the diamond.

Pirates amateur scouting director Justin Horowitz called Sanford a “really athletic shortstop” that the team is “super-really excited about” because of his left-handed bat and ability to make a lot of contact.

“He’s still projectable. He added a lot of strength going into the winter and into the spring, starting to show a little bit more power,” Horowitz said. “Defensively, he’s really smooth on the dirt. Really believe he’s going to handle shortstop at the next level, for sure. And he can run a little bit too. Lastly off the field as well, A-plus character with this one as well. Just a kid, given a chance to talk to him a little bit ago, he’s super-excited and super-pumped and ready to get to work already.”

The Pirates also drafted prep prospects with their first two picks, taking shortstop Konnor Griffin of Jackson Prep in Florence, Miss., No. 9 overall in the first round and right-handed pitcher Levi Sterling of Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif., at No. 37 in the Competitive Balance A round.

Sanford’s father, Chance, was an infielder who was twice drafted by the Pirates, who selected him in the 10th round in 1991 and 27th round in 1992 out of San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Calif. Chance Sanford played 14 games for the Pirates in 1998, batting .143 (4 for 28) with a double, triple and three RBIs.