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Pirates All 40: Nick Yorke Could Have Important Role in 2025

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The Pittsburgh Pirates face the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Photos by Gretta Cohoon)

This is one in a series of stories breaking down members of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 40-man roster.



One of the many moves the Pittsburgh Pirates made at last year’s trade deadline was swapping former first-round draft picks with the Boston Red Sox. The Pirates sent right-hander Quinn Priester to Boston for infielder/outfielder Nick Yorke.

Yorke eventually made his big-league debut with the Pirates towards the end of the season and went 8 for 37 with a pair of home runs, five RBIs and two steals in 11 games.

The 22-year-old’s debut was a reward for an excellent showing with Triple-A Indianapolis after the Pirates landed him. In 40 games with the Indians, Yorke hit an astonishing .355 with a .938 OPS and 17 doubles in 40 games.

Yorke’s Triple-A performance carried over from his time with Boston’s Worcester affiliate, where he slashed .310/.408/.490 with eight doubles, six home runs, 19 RBIs and six stolen bases in 38 games.

There is plenty to like about Yorke with the bat in his hands. He’s considered to have solid hit and power tools and carries a lifetime .365 on-base percentage in his four-year minor-league career.

Additionally, in 123 minor-league games this past season, Yorke stole a career-high 21 bases after recording 18 steals in 2023.

Defensively, Yorke offers plenty of versatility. Given the Pirates’ obsession with having versatile players and an overall lack of hitting depth, Yorke could really factor into the equation in 2025.

Between his 11 games with the Pirates last season, Yorke appeared in games at second base, third base and in both corner outfield spots.

The overwhelming majority of Yorke’s professional career has come at second base, and he figures to enter spring training in competition with Nick Gonzales there on the the Opening Day roster.

But here we are in the middle of January and the Pirates still have a glaring hole in right field. Though they still likely bring in a player through free agency or trade, Yorke could see time out there in 2025.

Background

  • Yorke was drafted by the Red Sox with the 17th pick in 2020 out of Archbishop Mitty High School in California.
  • He represented the Red Sox in the 2023 Futures Game and has twice been named an organizational All-Star (2021, 2023).
  • Yorke is considered the Pirates’ sixth-best prospect on our top 30 list.
  • Career highlight: Yorke collected his first-career hit on Sep. 17 against the Cardinals and finished the game 3 for 4. The next game, he went 2 for 4 and recorded his first big-league RBI and run scored.
  • Contract status: Yorke is not yet eligible for arbitration.

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