If there is a strength of this Pirates Draft, it’s that they were able to acquire a wide net of talented players that extended to the later rounds.

“I think some of the things we prioritized were athleticism, chance for impact talent up and down the board and high character individuals, too -- guys that our scouts were excited about not only from a work ethic standpoint, but high character off the field as well,” amateur scouting director Justin Horowitz said. “Guys that have a good chance to impact the city of Pittsburgh in a positive way."

While the players picked Sunday will draw the most attention early in their careers, it’s usually the Day 2 or 3 picks that can deepen a farm system and provide hidden gems. Here are four players worth watching:

Fourth round: SS Eddie Rynders, Wisconsin Lutheran HS (Wis.)

Rynders was the fourth prep player the Pirates selected in this class, and one whose trajectory definitely looks up. His bat has noticeably improved over the past year, so while MLB Pipeline gave his bat a 45 grade and power a 50, it could continue to trend up. Especially the power, where he could generate more pop as he continues to fill out his 6-foot-2 frame.

• Pirates select 'incredible athlete' Griffin with No. 9 pick

“[He’s] a kid that was a riser for us throughout the spring, someone who continued to perform and make a name for himself as we got closer to the Draft,” Horowitz said. “Because of all his hard work, we were in a great spot to select him.”

Seventh round: LHP Connor Wietgrefe, Minnesota

Wietgrefe has a low arm slot and can get sweep with his breaking ball while flashing a 55-grade changeup. That translated to an 8-4 record with a 2.77 ERA and 74 strikeouts over 78 innings this year, earning him an All-Big Ten first-team selection.

• Pirates target upside, collegians with Day 2 picks

Wietgrefe did it all with a sinker that, according to league sources, doesn’t impress. A change to a four-seamer could potentially help him break out, as one opined.

“We’re not going to force anything on Connor right away,” Horowitz said about changing his seam orientation. “We just want to get to know him, see what he’s comfortable with and see what he thinks are the best paths forward.”

Even as a sinkerballer, there are things the Pirates like about Wietgrefe, including his deceptiveness and ability to pound the strike zone.

10th round: C Derek Berg, West Point

Berg’s pick comes with an additional wrinkle since he has a service contract to fulfill, but that can be done after his playing career is complete. Horowitz is confident that he will get on the field soon.

Berg excelled with the bat, hitting a team-high 15 home runs while reaching base in his final 28 games at the collegiate level, earning Patriot League first-team honors with intriguing peripherals. Just as intriguing is his defense, where he flashed the leather as a catcher, first baseman and second baseman.

“We view him primarily as a catcher but also believe he's athletic enough and instinctual enough and hardworking enough to learn other positions if necessary,” Horowitz said. “But definitely view him, and drafted him, as a catcher.”

20th round: RHP Taylor Penn, Woodford County HS (Ky.)

The fifth and final prep player selected, Penn was the Pirates’ last pick, and it’s not unusual for them to roll the dice on a high school player with a Day 3 guy to see if they can get them to forgo college and enter pro ball. Penn certainly fits the bill as a projectable young arm, being named the Gatorade 2023-2024 Player of the Year in the state of Kentucky. He recorded a 0.43 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 49 innings his senior year, and his fastball can get into the 90s with a lot of room to grow.

The question becomes: Can the Pirates convince him to forgo his commitment to Western Kentucky?

“Every player we take we have a conversation with [about signing],” general manager Ben Cherington said. “We know going into it what the expectations are. In some cases, it's very clear. In other cases, we know it will require more conversations. That's probably the case with Taylor. He's a talented young man. We're looking forward to getting to know him better here."