Pirates Position Group Breakdown: Enough Offense to Compensate for Outfield Defense?
Based off the current roster constructing, the three starters for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the outfield are known, but the positioning is somewhat up in the air.
Oneil Cruz will man center field, his second full season as an outfielder after converting from shortstop at the end of the 2024 season. Cruz seems determined to have a better showing — both offensively and defensively — than he did last season.
Cruz began the 2025 season hot and finished with a National League-leading 38 stolen bases and a team-high 21 home runs. But the lows spanned longer than the highs and he finished the year with a .200/298/.378 batting line and a horrid .102 batting average and .400 OPS against lefties.
Things weren’t any better for Cruz in the field. Despite possessing elite foot speed and a cannon for an arm, he committed 11 errors and had minus-14 defensive runs saved. Improvement in both facets would go a long way for the ’26 Pirates.
Cruz, on one side, will be flanked by Bryan Reynolds, who switched to right field from left last season but could convert back given Ryan O’Hearn’s experience.
After an All-Star campaign in 2024, Reynolds regressed last season and had his worst output since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Reynolds hit .245 with a .720 OPS, 38 doubles, three triples, 16 home runs and 73 RBI.
While some may question whether Reynolds, who recently turned 31, is past his prime, he had a strong second half. In 63 games after the All-Star break, he slashed .276/.364/.453 with 21 doubles, one triple, six home runs and 27 RBI.
O’Hearn joined the Pirates as their first multi-year free agent signing in nearly a decade after inking a two-year contract worth $29 million. The 32-year-old was an All-Star last season with the Baltimore Orioles and ended the season with the San Diego Padres after a deadline deal. Combined between the two teams, he finished with a .281/.366/.437 batting line with 21 doubles, a triple, 17 home runs and 63 RBI.
O’Hearn has spent the bulk of his career at first base but has played 121 games in the outfield — 101 in right and 20 in left. He hasn’t graded well in right, but given the dimensions of PNC Park’s spacious left field, moving Reynolds back to left and playing O’Hearn in front of the Clemente Wall might be the most logical option.
Given three suspect defenders comprising the Pirates’ outfield, the role of newly-acquired Jake Mangum could be important. Mangum joined Pittsburgh from the Tampa Bay Rays in the Brandon Lowe deal in December.
Mangum, who made his MLB debut as a 29-year-old last season, hit .296 and stole 27 bases and played all three outfield positions. He combined for a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage and three defensive runs saved and could be a late-game defensive replacement if he makes the roster out of spring.
One player desperate to prove himself this spring is Jack Suwinski, who will either make the club out of camp with a strong performance or be cut from the roster since he’s out of minor-league options.
The 27-year-old has yet to come close to replicating his 2023 performance, when he led the team with 26 home runs and a .793 OPS. Combined between the last two seasons, Suwinski carries a futile .169/.271/.297 batting line with 12 home runs in 147 games.
A player worth monitoring will be 23-year-old outfielder Jhostynxon García, who was acquired in the offseason from the Boston Red Sox. García made his MLB debut last season and slashed .271/.334/.498 with 18 home runs and 58 RBI in 81 games with Triple-A Worcester.
Billy Cook and Esmerlyn Valdez (who was added to the 40-man roster this offseason), will serve as minor-league depth to start the year.
A starting outfield consisting of Cruz, Reynolds and O’Hearn looks good enough on paper, especially if the first two can have bounce-back seasons at the plate. But defense will be a concern all year long.
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