Pirates finalize Opening Day roster

MIAMI – For the second year in a row, the Pirates will play in Miami on Opening Day. It’s not exactly the same team as a year ago, though.

Of the 26 players on the roster, only 11 were in Miami for Opening Day a year ago (and of those 11, three are probably going to start at different positions than they did in 2024). It’s a different look than the team we saw in March of 2024.

Here’s how the roster breaks down:

Catcher (2): Joey Bart, Endy Rodríguez
Bart was arguably the Pirates’ best hitter this spring, solidifying why he’s catcher 1 on the depth chart. Rodríguez also had a terrific showing at the plate this spring, which led to him beating out Henry Davis for the other catching job (though he may moonlight at first base too).

First baseman (1): Jared Triolo
It may be first base by committee until Spencer Horwitz returns, but for now, look at Triolo (the reigning Gold Glover for utilitymen) and Rodríguez as fill-ins at the position.

Second baseman (1): Nick Gonzales
No young hitter took a bigger step forward from 2023 to '24 than Gonzales. The Pirates would love for him to find another gear in 2025 and establish himself as a middle-of-the-order bat and RBI machine.

Shortstop (1): Isiah Kiner-Falefa
Kiner-Falefa has been worth 28 defensive runs saved in his career at shortstop. The Pirates are going to be relying on his glove again at a premium defensive position.

Third baseman (1): Ke'Bryan Hayes
Hayes’ back is in a better spot now than it was for a large portion of 2024. There’s a lot riding on him being able to stay off the injured list, and a new two-handed swing should help.

Outfielders (3): Bryan Reynolds, Oneil Cruz, Tommy Pham
Reynolds was an All-Star a year ago, and the Pirates will be counting on him to again be a cornerstone of this lineup. Cruz had a 20-20 season in 2024, and now that he’s another year removed from his 2023 ankle injury, expectations are high for him. Pham was brought in in part to add a veteran voice to the clubhouse, but they’ll need him to also provide quality at-bats.

Designated hitter (1): Andrew McCutchen
McCutchen is entering his third year in his second stint with the Pirates and will again be one of the mainstays in this lineup.

Bench (3): Adam Frazier, Ji Hwan Bae, Jack Suwinski
Frazier will be a utility infielder, while Suwinski and Bae round out a very left-handed bench. Bae is viewed as just an outfielder right now, so don’t expect him to play any second base. Suwinski had a strong Spring Training as he works to put a disappointing 2024 season in the rearview mirror.

Starting pitchers (5): Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, Andrew Heaney, Bailey Falter, Carmen Mlodzinski
The Pirates avoided the worst possible news for Jared Jones’ elbow injury, but they’re still going to be without one-third of their three-headed rotation monster for several months. Skenes and Keller are still here, and Falter and Heaney provide nice depth. Johan Oviedo is still on the mend from his Tommy John procedure and lat injury, but he should be back midseason, too. Mlodzinski is the wild card of this rotation, earning his first spot in a Major League rotation after serving as a reliever his first two years in the bigs. If he struggles, it’s fair to wonder how much runway he has before the Pirates look to their Minor League options, like top prospects Bubba Chandler and Thomas Harrington.

Relief pitchers (8): David Bednar, Colin Holderman, Dennis Santana, Caleb Ferguson, Joey Wentz, Justin Lawrence, Tim Mayza, Ryan Borucki
It’s a very different looking group from a year ago, with Bednar, Holderman and Borucki being the only holdovers from the 2024 Opening Day team. Bednar has not yet officially been named the team’s closer, but he’ll get looks in leverage spots, alongside Holderman and Santana. The Pirates have four lefties this year, with Ferguson and Wentz being able to go multiple innings. Borucki looked sharp this spring after being sidelined for most of 2024, and Mayza is looking to bounce back to his '23 form. Lawrence was a mid-spring waiver pickup, with the Pirates once again banking on him looking more like his '23 self.