Skip to Main Content
EyePartInnerEyePartCorner
player headshot
Pittsburgh • #35 • P

Braxton Ashcraft

player headshot

Schedule

Preseason
vs
ATL
Mon, Mar 23
L 5-2
Regular season
@
NYM
Thu, Mar 26
L 11-7
@
NYM
Sat, Mar 28
L 4-2 / 11
@
NYM
Sun, Mar 29
W 4-3 / 10
@
CIN
Mon, Mar 30
L 2-0
@
CIN
Tue, Mar 31
6:40 pm
RDTV
@
CIN
Wed, Apr 1
12:40 pm
RDTV
vs
BAL
Fri, Apr 3
4:12 pm
vs
BAL
Sat, Apr 4
4:05 pm
vs
BAL
Sun, Apr 5
1:35 pm
Full Schedule
default-cbs-image
Now Playing
Share Video
Link copied!
  • Image thumbnail
    1:51

    Finding Runs For Paul Skenes And The Pirates

  • Image thumbnail
    1:48

    Prospect Watch: Konnor Griffin Looks To Make Opening Day Roster

  • Image thumbnail
    1:10

    How Paul Skenes And Konnor Griffin Can Change The Culture Of The Pirates

  • Image thumbnail
    1:11

    Challenges Of Rushing A Teen To The Majors

  • Image thumbnail
    1:08

    Konnor Griffin: The Pirates Latest Phenom

  • Image thumbnail
    15:21

    Spring Training Believe It Or Not!

  • Image thumbnail
    0:47

    More Likely To Be Gone Over Summer - Skenes Or Skubal?

  • Image thumbnail
    9:31

    Top 5 Pitching Prospects for 2026 Redraft Leagues!

  • Image thumbnail
    0:57

    Pirates Make Strong Push for Kyle Schwarber, Phillies Still in Play

  • Image thumbnail
    1:37

    Teams Likely To Be Most Active This Offseason

  • Image thumbnail
    1:35

    Reds, Pirates Continue To Make Pushes For Kyle Schwarber

  • Image thumbnail
    1:51

    Assessing Paul Skenes' Future in Pittsburgh

  • Image thumbnail
    12:50

    Paul Skenes Joins CBS Sports HQ

  • Image thumbnail
    0:55

    Paul Skenes on New Giants Manager Tony Vitello: 'He'll Figure It Out Really Quick'

  • Image thumbnail
    0:36

    Paul Skenes: 'Exciting Time to be a Pittsburgh Pirate'

  • Image thumbnail
    1:19

    Paul Skenes Named NL Most Outstanding Pitcher

  • Image thumbnail
    0:59

    Paul Skenes Breaks Down World Series

  • Image thumbnail
    0:37

    Matchup To Watch: Paul Skenes Vs. Hunter Greene

  • Image thumbnail
    0:58

    Highlights: Cubs at Pirates (9/16)

  • Image thumbnail
    10:01

    Tarik Skubal Injury Update & More Prospect Promotions!

See All Videos
Player Outlook
Braxton Ashcraft made his big-league debut in late May and spent most of his time as a multi-inning reliever. He effectively limited runs, though his 97 mph fastball didn't immediately translate into a particularly impressive strikeout rate. However, Ashcraft's work across his final nine outings of the campaign - a stretch when he worked at least 4.0 innings five times - gives both the Pirates and fantasy managers reason to believe in his future as an impact starter. In that span, Ashcraft posted a 43:12 K:BB across 36.1 innings while also maintaining a 2.23 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. His pitch characteristics back up his small sample of success, as Ashcraft boasts three above-average pitches (sinker, slider, curveball) that he threw at least 20 percent of the time in his big-league debut. He can use his sinker to induce groundballs (50.3 percent groundball rate) early in the count, while his slider is his primary pitch to generate whiffs. The two major concerns for Ashcraft are his control, he ran walk rates north of 8.0 percent in both Triple-A and the majors last season, and his ability to work through opposing lineups multiple times after being handled very carefully by the Pirates in 2025. Pittsburgh dealt away some of its pitching depth early in the offseason, likely setting up Ashcraft with his most significant opportunity in the big leagues to begin 2026 and he could step forward to join Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler as a fixture in the Pirates' future.

Fantasy Stats

Year fpts
Fantasy Points
fpts/g
Fantasy Points per Game
r
Runs
hr
Home Runs
rbi
Runs Batted In
bb
Base on Balls (Walk)
sb
Stolen Bases
avg
Batting Average
2026 7.57.5 — — — — — .000
2025 142.55.5 — — — — — .000
2024 — — — — — — — .000
3y Avg. 142.55.5 — — — — — .000
Full Career Stats
Projections Powered by
Fantasy Performance by Week
75%
Roster
55%
Start

Fantasy News

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Six strong innings Monday

    Rotowire
    Ashcraft (0-1) took the loss Monday against the Reds, allowing two runs on four hits and four walks in six innings. He struck out three. The right-hander was saddled with a tough-luck loss, logging a quality start in his season debut. The four walks allowed matched a career high for Ashcraft, but it was still a fine showing overall at hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park. Ashcraft's next start is scheduled to come over the weekend at home versus the Orioles, and he'll be trying to reach the 90-pitch mark after tossing 87 pitches Monday.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Three clean innings

    Rotowire
    Ashcraft threw three scoreless innings while walking one, allowing one hit and striking out two in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros. Ashcraft entered the spring with a presumed spot in Pittsburgh's rotation, and his work through two exhibition starts seems to have confirmed that. He ramped up to three innings and 38 pitches Saturday, and he's now allowed just one earned run with a 3:1 K:BB across five total frames.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Looks locked into rotation

    Rotowire
    Ashcraft is expected to start the 2026 season in the starting rotation, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports. The Pirates' rotation was crowded to begin the offseason, but they've since traded away both Mike Burrows and Johan Oviedo. That should lock Ashcraft into a starting role, particularly while Jared Jones (elbow) is sidelined. While there hasn't been any official word from the team, Stumpf also suggests that Ashcraft is likely to set a career high in innings after completing 118 frames between Triple-A and the big leagues in 2025.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Falters late vs. Reds

    Rotowire
    Ashcraft (4-4) took the loss Thursday against Cincinnati, allowing two runs on eight hits and a walk over 4.1 innings. He struck out five. Ashcraft was sharp early, holding the Reds scoreless through his first four innings, but he stumbled in the fifth, allowing a pair of runs after giving up four straight hits to open the frame. While it didn't end on a high note, Ashcraft had a strong rookie campaign as a swingman in Pittsburgh, posting a 2.71 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 71:24 K:BB across 69.2 innings. He'll likely be in the mix to claim a rotation spot in 2026.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Suffers third loss

    Rotowire
    Ashcraft (4-3) took the loss Monday against the Cubs, conceding three runs on six hits and two walks over four innings. He struck out four. The rookie right-hander stumbled in this 70-pitch outing, as he coughed up a career-worst six hits. Ashcraft strolled through two scoreless frames before faltering in the third, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk. In 62.1 big-league innings, the 25-year-old has produced a 2.74 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 60:23 while bouncing between various roles as a starter and reliever. Given that Ashcraft has already tossed a career-high 110.2 frames across all levels this season, the Pirates will likely limit his usage down the stretch.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Dazzles in combined shutout

    Rotowire
    Ashcraft (4-2) picked up the win in Friday's 9-0 rout of the Rockies, allowing one hit and one walk over five scoreless innings. He struck out six. Making his third straight start, Ashcraft delivered the best performance of his young career as he combined with fellow rookie Bubba Chandler on the shutout. Ashcraft racked up 14 swinging strikes on only 65 pitches (47 total strikes) as he set a new personal best in Ks, and since moving into the rotation the 25-year-old righty has a 1.35 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and 15:2 K:BB over 13.1 innings. He'll look to keep rolling in his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road next week in St. Louis.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Drawing another start

    Rotowire
    Ashcraft is slated to start Friday's game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports. After making his previous nine appearances out of the bullpen, Ashcraft picked up his second MLB start this past weekend against the Reds as a replacement in the rotation for Johan Oviedo, who was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. Though he was limited to 56 pitches in his outing versus Cincinnnati, Ashcraft was effective during his time on the mound, striking out five while allowing five baserunners over 3.1 innings. He'll be rewarded with a second turn through the rotation this weekend, and Ashcraft could push his pitch count up to the 65-to-80 range now that he's on a starter's schedule. Whether Ashcraft will be stick around in the rotation for the rest of the season is still unclear; Friday marks the first day that prospects who are called up for the first time in 2025 won't be able to exceed 45 days of service time, which will keep them eligible for 2026 Rookie of the Year Award consideration. With that in mind, prized pitching prospect Bubba Chandler could soon get called up from Triple-A to make his MLB debut, and Ashcraft may move back to the bullpen to accommodate him.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Starting Saturday

    Rotowire
    Pirates manager Don Kelly said that Ashcraft will start Saturday's game against the Reds, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports. Ashcraft will be making his second start of the season after posting a 3.24 ERA and 1.38 WHIP across 33.1 innings with the Pirates while primarily serving as a middle reliever. The 25-year-old righty had been starting at Triple-A Indianapolis before being called up in late May, but since then, he's maxed out at three innings at the big-league level on three occasions. Additionally, Ashcraft will be taking the mound on three days' rest, so the Pirates are unlikely to let the right-hander work deep enough into Saturday's start to qualify for a win. With a strong showing against the Reds, Ashcraft could stick around in the rotation on a more permanent basis.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Earns win in relief

    Rotowire
    Ashcraft (2-0) was the pitcher of record in Saturday's 9-2 win over the Mets after allowing one earned run on five hits and no walks while striking out two across 2.2 innings of relief. After making a three-inning start in his first MLB start during Monday's win over the Brewers, Ashcraft shifted back to the bullpen this weekend. He entered Saturday's contest in the top of the second inning following a lengthy rain delay, relieving starter Bailey Falter. Ashcraft wasn't especially dominant Saturday and induced only five swinging strikes on his 52 pitches, but he largely worked his way out of trouble in both the third and fourth frames. The right-hander is likely to serve as a multi-inning reliever for Pittsburgh moving forward.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Goes three frames in first start

    Rotowire
    Ashcraft did not factor into the decision in Monday's 5-4 win at Milwaukee, allowing one hit and no walks over three scoreless innings with two strikeouts. The 25-year-old rookie made all seven of his previous appearances out of the bullpen, so he wasn't expected to go deep in this contest. Ashcraft managed to stymy the Brewers lineup across his 35 total pitches, 28 of which were strikes. Prior to being called up May 26, the right-hander had started 10 games for Triple-A Indianapolis, so it is possible that the Pirates are seeking to incorporate Ashcraft into the big league rotation. Through 14.2 total major-league innings, he has pitched to a 1.23 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 12:6 K:BB.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Three shutout innings in debut

    Rotowire
    Ashcraft allowed two hits and one walk while striking out one across three scoreless relief innings Monday against the Diamondbacks. Ashcraft was promoted to the majors Monday and immediately made his debut working out of the bullpen. He pitched with the Pirates down by five but managed a scoreless outing and preserved the team's bullpen. Ashcraft may remain in a long-relief role for the time being, but as one of the organization's best prospects, he should have a chance to enter the rotation at some point during the summer.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Reinstated from IL

    Rotowire
    Ashcraft (forearm) was reinstated from the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Indianapolis, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Ashcraft has been on the Triple-A IL since July 17 with lateral forearm tightness, but he threw a live batting practice earlier this week and has now been cleared to return. The 24-year-old has a combined 2.88 ERA in 72 innings across Double-A and Triple-A.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Recovering from forearm injury

    Rotowire
    Ashcraft's placement on Triple-A Indianapolis' 7-day injured list July 12 was the result of recurrent symptoms of lateral forearm tightness, MLB.com reports. After suffering the injury during his July 6 start for Indianapolis, Ashcraft met with Dr. Keith Meister, who had previously performed the right-hander's Tommy John surgery in 2021. Fortunately for Ashcraft, his latest forearm issue was confirmed to be muscle-related, so the expectation is that he'll be able to recover from the injury with rest and rehab. Ashcraft resumed playing catch in late July and is still hopeful to return to action before the end of the 2024 season.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Heads to Triple-A IL

    Rotowire
    Triple-A Indianapolis placed Ashcraft on its 7-day injured list July 6 with an unspecified injury. Ashcraft had previously been placed on Indianapolis' IL on June 28 before being activated July 6, but it's unclear if his latest injury is related to the previous one or a new concern. While the IL stints in quick succession certainly aren't ideal, Ashcraft has otherwise continued to excel when he's been able to take the mound. Over his last 10 outings between Indianapolis and Double-A Altoona, Aschraft has rung up a 1.39 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 59:10 K:BB in 51.2 innings.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Sent to minor-league camp

    Rotowire
    Pittsburgh optioned Ashcraft to minor-league camp Monday, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports. Ashcraft, 24, allowed two unearned runs with a 3:2 K:BB over 3.2 frames this spring. The right-hander pitched well after making it back from Tommy John surgery last season, holding a 2.39 ERA and 63:11 K:BB over 52.2 innings across three levels. He'll likely open the 2024 campaign at either Double-A Altoona or Triple-A indianapolis.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Joins 40-man roster

    Rotowire
    The Pirates selected Ashcraft to their 40-man roster Tuesday. Ashcraft spent time at Single-A, High-A and Double-A last season, logging a 2.39 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 63 strikeouts and 10 walks across 52.2 innings between the three levels. While Ashcraft's stats are certainly impressive across the board, the 24-year-old starter has yet to pitch more than 53 innings in a season.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Strong return season

    Rotowire
    Ashcraft finished the year on the development list at Double-A Altoona after logging a 1.35 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 23 strikeouts in 20 innings over eight appearances for the Curve. The 6-foot-5 righty finished the year with 52.2 innings across Single-A, High-A and Double-A before essentially getting shut down with the development-list placement Aug. 11. It was his first healthy season since undergoing Tommy John surgery in July 2021. Ashcraft will need to show he can handle a starter's workload over a full season, but he flashed a high ceiling and powerful arsenal in a successful 2023 campaign.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Undergoes Tommy John surgery

    Rotowire
    Ashcraft underwent Tommy John surgery last week, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Ashcraft last pitched for High-A Greensboro on July 21 and presumably suffered damage to his UCL in that outing. The procedure will end his 2021 campaign, and it will likely hold him out for most of 2022 as well. The right-hander posted a 5.35 ERA with a 41:12 K:BB across 10 starts with Greensboro this season.
    ... See More ... See Less
Show more Fantasy news

Recent Tweets