Jason Delay #55

Jason Thomas Delay...Is a 2013 graduate of Northview High School in Johns Creek, Ga...Played four years (2014-17) at Vanderbilt, where he was a teammate of Dansby Swanson, Walker Buehler and current Bucco Bryan Reynolds in 2014...Has been close friends with Bryan Reynolds since college and was a groomsman in Reynolds' wedding in 2018...Completed his MBA in Economics from Johns Hopkins following the 2022 season...Was selected by San Francisco in the 11th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft, but did not sign...Became the highest drafted catcher from Vanderbilt since Scotti Madison was selected in the third round of the 1980 draft...Was the first Commodore picked by the Pirates since Pedro Alvarez was drafted second overall in 2008...Became the 17th member of the Vanderbilt 2014 College World Series National Championship team to be drafted.

2023

Made the first Opening Day roster of his career...Made a total of 68 appearances (53 starts) behind the plate with Pittsburgh...Made his first start on 4/3 at Boston and connected off Kutter Crawford for his second Major League home run (his lone homer in 2023)...Hit safely in four straight games from 4/13-23 (6-for-14, .429)...Hit .390 (16-for-41) with four doubles, a triple, homer, eight RBI and a 1.045 OPS in 14 games during the month of April...Delivered a game-tying double with two outs in the ninth inning on 6/24 at Miami...Went 2-for-10 in six games in July before being optioned to Indianapolis on 7/17...Had a career-high three doubles on 7/30 vs. Louisville; the 18th Indianapolis Indian to do so at Victory Field...Hit .357 (10-for-28) with four doubles, five RBI and a .919 OPS in eight Triple-A games before being recalled on 8/1...Produced a .313 (10-for-32) average and six RBI in 10 games with the Pirates during the month of August.

2022

Attended Spring Training as a non-roster invitee…Began season with Indianapolis and was the Opening Day starting catcher...Produced a .313 (10-for-32) average in 11 games during the month of May...Was on the Major League Taxi Squad for the series in Atlanta from 6/6-12...Was selected to the big league roster when Duane Underwood Jr. was placed on the COVID-IL on 6/13...Made his Major League debut as the starting catcher in game one of a doubleheader on 6/14 at St. Louis and went 0-for-2 with a walk...Walked in his first big league plate appearance; the first Pirates player to draw a walk in his Major League debut since Pedro Alvarez on June 16, 2010, vs. Chicago (AL) and the first to do so in his first ML plate appearance since Tony Alvarez on Sept. 4, 2002, at Atlanta...Was optioned back to Indianapolis between games of the doubleheader on 6/14 (remained in St. Louis on the Taxi Squad)...Returned to Indianapolis and went 2-for-18 in six games from 6/19-25...Was recalled to the Taxi Squad on 6/27 in Washington...Was activated on 7/5 when Tyler Heineman went on the Paternity List...Recorded his first Major League hit and RBI with a double off Mike Minor on 7/7 at Cincinnati (game 1); also threw out Tommy Pham attempting to steal second base in the game...Threw out Andrew McCutchen trying to steal second base on 7/8 for his second caught stealing of the season....Connected off Miami’s Braxton Garrett for his first Major League home run on 7/22 at PNC Park…Led the Pirates in appearances (57) and starts (49) behind the plate.

2020

Spent season at Pittsburgh’s alternate training site in Altoona.

2019

Spent entire season with Double-A Altoona, where he was selected to the Eastern League mid-season All-Star team...Set minor league career highs in home runs, RBI and OPS...Made 66 starts behind the plate and threw out 17 of the 71 baserunners attempting to steal against him (24%)...Hit .489 (23-for-47) with four home runs and 16 RBI while hitting safely in 11 of his 13 games from 4/23 thru 5/19...Produced a .339 (20-for-59) batting average in 16 games during the month of May...Picked up his second career triple on 5/4 at Richmond...Swiped his lone base (third career) on 6/26 at Richmond...Homered twice and collected a minor league career-high five RBI on 8/21 vs. Hartford.