Moss has spent most of his baseball career flying under the radar. After playing sparingly over two years at Seton Hall, he transferred to Division II St. Leo University in Florida and hit .340 with an 1.107 OPS in his final season there. He cemented his unofficial title as the "Mayor of the Appalachian League" and earned Player of the Year honors by posting a 1.254 OPS there in 2024, his third summer in the wood-bat MLB-run collegiate league. That led to a contract with the Royals as a nondrafted free agent. Moss was in the middle of his first pro season when the Pirates acquired him from Kansas City at the 2025 Trade Deadline in the Bailey Falter deal.
A right-handed first baseman, Moss absolutely raked in the Pirates organization post-trade, hitting .339 with a .993 OPS over 30 games with High-A Greensboro. He's always shown excellent contact quality, but he could be poised to take another step forward as he registered high-end max exit velocities all spring. When that's combined with good bat-to-ball skills, solid plate discipline and decent chase rates, Moss has the chance to add up to a solid overall hitter.
Moss has below-average speed but is an excellent baserunner, with his instincts allowing him to swipe 17 bags last year. He's worked hard to become a capable defender at first, but his bat will always be his calling card. For him to have the chance to be a big league regular, he'll have to get to more power, but if he doesn't, it won't be from lack of effort. Moss plays with a chip on his shoulder and gets praise for his work ethic and leadership characteristics as he enters his age-22 season.
