Three Players Pirates Should Add to Major League Roster (+)
Though the Pittsburgh Pirates aren’t completely eliminated, it’s tough to envision a scenario in which they wind up with a legitimate shot at the postseason in the season’s final stretch.
The Pirates recently snapped a 10-game losing streak that essentially axed any chances they had at returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Not long ago, the Pirates were 2.5 games out of a wild card spot. Now, they are are 8.5 games back while only three teams in the National League have worse records.
Given the current situation, the Pirates should already be looking towards next season, as has often been the case for the better part of the last 30 years.
The Pirates did some roster shuffling on Monday, with outfielder/first baseman Billy McKinney getting his contract selected from Triple-A Indianapolis. McKinney was having a solid season with Indianapolis, but he also doesn’t factor much into the Pirates’ future plans.
Instead, the next moves the Pirates make should focus on 2025 and beyond. There are three players who are deserving to get a look this year and have real chances to have big roles with next year’s team.
Henry Davis
We all know the story of Davis, the 2021 first-overall pick who has yet to find his footing in the big leagues. In 91 career games, Davis owns a .197/.292/.319 slash with eight home runs and 109 strikeouts in 357 plate appearances.
Dating back to his days as a prospect, there were always questions about his defense. Based off of his track record with Pittsburgh, there are now serious questions about his offense.
Both questions will need to be answered at some point, and the sooner the better. The Pirates need to know what they have in Davis. Is he a catcher? Could he handle first base? Is he a designated hitter? Will his bat even play enough to have to worry about where to play him?
He has nothing left to prove in the minor leagues. The sample size in the major leagues isn’t huge, but it’s not small either.
Getting a better idea of who Davis is heading into next season would be wise. And what better time to get him some at-bats than while designated hitter Andrew McCutchen is on the injured list?
Nick Yorke
The Pirates acquired Yorke from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for right-handed pitcher Quinn Priester one day before the trade deadline. Since joining the organization, Yorke has impressed.
His performance since joining the Pirates largely reflects what he was done throughout his minor-league career. The 22-year-old has a career slash of .279/.360/.437 in 387 games across four seasons.
Yorke was selected by Boston with the 17th in the pack in the 2020 draft — 10 spots after the Pirates took fellow infielder Nick Gonzales. As is the case with Gonzales, Yorke could potentially be the team’s starting second baseman, though the latter provides more versatility.
In addition to seeing time at his natural position, Yorke has gotten more reps at all three outfield spots this season, with the majority coming in left field. It’s a good thing, too, considering the lack of options the Pirates have in the outfield.
Bryan Reynolds has been far and away the Pirates’ top performer this season, even with poor defense. Outside of him, the other options on the 40-man roster have largely disappointed.
The concerns in the outfield bring us to our final player.
Billy Cook
Like Yorke, Cook was acquired before the deadline. Also like Yorke, Cook has been playing well since coming over, but even more so.
Cook was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitching prospect Patrick Reilly. Though that deal likely was overshadowed some by the other moves made, it shouldn’t be.
The 25-year-old has been a steady contributor offensively throughout his four-year minor-league career, but he’s really taken a step forward in 2024. On top of what he’s done at the plate, he’s a plus-runner and possesses a plus-arm.
Though he has experience all around the diamond, the overwhelming majority of Cook’s reps in the field with Indianapolis have come in the outfield. Circling back to the woes from Pirates’ outfielders this year, why not give him a look?
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