Consider some of the talent to come out of the Pirates system in the last decade or so...
Starling Marte
Andrew McCutchen
Tyler Glasnow (who was dominating for Tampa before he got hurt last season)
Bryan Reynolds
Josh Bell
Kevin Newman (who may be unknown but just put up an .800 OPS in just first full year)
Gerrit Cole
Jameson Taillon
And they drafted Jordan Luplow who is now a very promising player for the Indians.
This franchise isn't bad at identifying talent. But they just refuse to spend.
(That Mark Appel draft pick in 2012 was a massive screw up though...even if Appel was a beast in college...there were a ton of concerns that he had peaked...even then)