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Pirates Year in Review 2026: Looking Back at Braxton Ashcraft's Season
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- Pirates Year in Review 2026: Looking Back at Braxton Ashcraft's Season
Pirates Year in Review 2026: Looking Back at Braxton Ashcraft's Season originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh . Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
It took a long path through the minor leagues, including Tommy John surgery, but in 2026, the Pirates finally reaped the benefits of drafting Braxton Ashcraft in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft.
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Ashcraft spent five years in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut in 2025, primarily coming out of the bullpen.
But in 2026, he didn't just become a full-time starter — he was one of the better pitchers in the National League.
Here's a look back at Ashcraft's breakout 2026 season for the Pirates, becoming an All-Star.
MORE: Looking back at Oneil Cruz's 2026 season for Pirates
Pirates Year in Review 2026: Braxton Ashcraft
Ashcraft faced a ton of adversity to reach his 2026 breakout season.
Coming out of high school in Texas, he was a second-round pick to the Pirates in 2018. But after logging a 5.77 ERA in Low-A, he also underwent surgery on his left shoulder and a torn meniscus, missed time to the canceled 2020 season, came back in 2021 before needing Tommy John surgery, then spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons ramping back up to a high level.
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It was a worthwhile wait in the end, though. Last season, Ashcraft looked strong over 26 appearances and eight starts for Pittsburgh, and he took it to the next level in 2026.
From his first All-Star nod to a complete game and 173 strikeouts, Ashcraft fully emerged as a top arm behind Paul Skenes in the Pirates' rotation, which became a strength.
Now 27 years old, the Pirates are certainly happy with where Ashcraft is at, blossoming into one of the best starters in the NL after years of injury issues. While his season came to an early end in September as the Pirates grew more cautious with his workload, he was arguably the most reliable pitcher on the roster.
Braxton Ashcraft's most memorable moment
For a pitcher who had undergone multiple surgeries in the minor leagues and totaled under 70 MLB innings in 2025, it was even more of an accomplishment to pitch a complete game for the Pirates in August.
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Already on pace to take on a career-high workload, Ashcraft dominated against the Marlins on Aug. 13, needing just 85 pitches to beat Miami while striking out 10 batters.
Braxton Ashcraft stats for 2026 season
| Starts |
IP |
ERA |
WHIP |
K |
BB |
K/9 |
bWAR |
fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 |
165.1 |
3.65 |
1.09 |
173 |
35 |
9.4 |
3.5 |
3.5 |
Ashcraft ranked among the NL leaders in wins (5th), strikeouts (13th) and WHIP (6th), a true breakout campaign as he was named to his first All-Star Game in July.
Looking ahead to 2027, the hope is that he can trend closer to the 200-inning threshold as he gets further removed from his major surgeries in the minor leagues. Ashcraft looks like he can be one of the top strikeout pitchers in baseball if he stays on the mound for a full season.
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The Pirates came into 2026 knowing they had one ace in Skenes. They may have another on their hands if Ashcraft can improve in any fashion again next season.
