Pirates Opening Day Roster Predictions Ahead of Grapefruit League Play (+)
Baseball is back! The Pittsburgh Pirates begin their Grapefruit League slate on Saturday with a trip to Fort Meyers to face the Minnesota Twins.
It’s just over a month until the regular season commences when they head across the state to Miami for an opening day matchup against the Marlins.
With over a month left, some players have their places already set on the Pirates’ initial roster, barring anything unforeseen happening. Still, there is much to be sorted out between now and then.
For now, here is the Pirates’ initial opening day roster prediction ahead of their Grapefruit League opener.
Catcher: Henry Davis
I still believe there is a very real possibility Davis begins the season in Triple-A Indianapolis. Both general manager Ben Cherington and manager Derek Shelton have cited his minimal catching experience as a professional. However, Davis looked really good from what I saw while I was in Bradenton. I think he forces their hand.
First Base: Rowdy Tellez
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed Tellez to a one-year contract as a free agent in the winter. There’s no reason to believe he won’t be the primary guy there. A platoon is the likeliest course of action.
Second Base: Liover Peguero
The second base competition is one of the bigger storylines this spring. There are four primary candidates in the mix; Peguero, Nick Gonzales, Jared Triolo and Ji Hwan Bae. For now, my gut tells me Peguero has the edge, but there is a lot to be settled.
Shortstop: Oneil Cruz
Cruz says he’s feeling 100% and he should be back manning shortstop after missing the majority of last season. He’ll give the Pirates’ lineup a big boost.
Third Base: Ke’Bryan Hayes
Hayes is one of the no-doubters. He will look to defend his first-career Gold Glove and build upon the step forward he showed at the plate in 2023.
Left Field: Bryan Reynolds
As is the case with Hayes, Reynolds is also a lock. He’s been the Pirates’ most consistent producer since his first full-season in 2021. He returned to left field last season and the metrics show he was a much better defender there than in center.
Center Field: Jack Suwinski
Suwinski is better suited for a corner spot, but he’s the best option the Pirates have in center. The Pirates will rely on Suwinski to continue to provide power and on-base ability and hope to see more consistency.
Right Field: Joshua Palacios/Edward Olivares
I’m not trying to take the easy way out here, but a true platoon between Palacios and Olivares feels like the most sensible option as things currently stand. Unless one totally separates himself this spring, that is.
Designated Hitter: Andrew McCutchen
Cutch is back for another season. He’s going to primarily serve as the club’s designated hitter but could spend some time in the outfield here and there. McCutchen needs one more home run for 300 in his career.
Bench: Yasmani Grandal, Connor Joe, Jared Triolo, Palacios/Olivares
Grandal was brought in to catch and be a veteran presence to an overall young team. Joe will likely platoon with Tellez and spend some time in right field. The Pirates like Triolo’s versatility and his excellent defensive skills.
Starting Rotation: Mitch Keller, Martín Pérez, Marco Gonzales, Roansy Contreras, Bailey Falter
The newly-extended Keller has already been announced as the Pittsburgh Pirates opening day starter and will be followed by the two offseason additions in Pérez and Gonzales. The final two spots are still up for grabs. Contreras is out of options and looked pretty good in his early showings in Bradenton. I wanted to go with Luis Ortiz over Falter, but Falter is out of options. If he makes the initial roster, his leash as a starter might be short.
Bullpen: David Bednar, Aroldis Chapman, Colin Holderman, Carmen Mlodzinski, Ryan Borucki, Dauri Moreta, Kyle Nicolas, Josh Fleming
Bednar and Chapman give the Pirates one of the more formidable duos in baseball. Holderman, Mlodzinski, Borucki and Moreta all impressed last year. The final two spots seem more open than the rest. Nicolas has some really good stuff if he can put it all together. Fleming can be a bulk guy or an opener if they ever were to need one.
Colin Selby and Jose Hernandez were also considered, but both have the ability to be optioned to the minor leagues.