BRADENTON, Fla. – On the eve of the first full-squad workout at Pirate City, Jared Triolo didn’t know which position he would be playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates in spring training.
“I’m not sure,” Triolo said Sunday. “I’m just going to go where I’m instructed.”
The Pirates value Triolo’s versatility, given that he won a National League Gold Glove as a utility player in 2024. He had even better defensive metrics last season, when he started 44 games at shortstop, 30 at third base, 12 at first base and 10 at second base and was a Gold Glove finalist.
What Triolo wants more than anything is a chance to seize a starting job at one position. The Pirates appear willing to afford him that opportunity at third base, the most natural of the half-dozen positions he’s played in the minors and major leagues.
The Pirates addressed the right side of the infield with two All-Stars, signing free agent first baseman Ryan O’Hearn and acquiring second baseman Brandon Lowe. They also traded for outfielders Jhostynxon Garcia and Jake Mangum and signed All-Star designated hitter Marcell Ozuna. Shortstop appears to be a battle between former first-round picks Nick Gonzales and Konnor Griffin, baseball’s consensus top prospect.
“I feel like this year, more specifically, I can hone down on the left side of the infield,” Triolo said. “It kind of takes away two of the four spots I’ve been working.”
Despite reports of pursuing Eugenio Suarez in free agency and trade rumors involving Philadelphia’s Alec Bohm, Houston’s Isaac Paredes and Brett Baty or Mark Vientos of the New York Mets, the Pirates haven’t brought in anyone to replace Gold Glove winner Ke’Bryan Hayes at third base or compete with Triolo for the starting spot.
With Hayes no longer blocking his path after being traded to the NL Central rival Cincinnati Reds last July, Triolo wants to prove he can finally be a starter.
“Not like I’ve been waiting in line,” Triolo said, “but wherever there’s an opening, I’d like to see myself thrown into that spot.”
Regardless of where he plays, Triolo will have to replace a Gold Glove winner in Isiah Kiner-Falefa or Hayes. There will be a drop-off defensively, but it won’t be dramatic.
“The left side of the infield is a pretty valuable defensive position,” Triolo said, “and defense is important to winning games.”
With 16 DRS last season, Hayes proved to be MLB’s best defensive third baseman. Not only has Triolo served as an understudy to Hayes, but he watched intently how 10-time Gold Glove winner Nolan Arenado practiced the position while in town with the St. Louis Cardinals. It paid off, as Triolo had 7 DRS in 30 games at third base last year and has 13 DRS in 1,096 2/3 innings at the position over the past three seasons.
“He’s elite over there,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “He won a Gold Glove for a reason — being able to play all over the place — and he’s really well above average at a lot of different spots.”
Whether Triolo can hit for the position remains in question. He had a .227/.311/.356 slash line with 18 doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 24 RBIs in 107 games last season, which included a demotion to the minors in July when he was batting .158.
Upon returning to the Pirates in August, Triolo looked like a different player at the plate. Thanks to a scorching August, where he batted .315 with an .889 OPS, he hit .276/.353/.422 with 12 doubles, two triples, four homers and 14 RBIs over his final 52 games.
“Bat came along really strong at the end of last year and he seemed to get back to doing some things he did at the end of ’23, so really excited to see what he’s been able to do this offseason, too,” Kelly said, referring to Triolo’s .333 average and .968 OPS over the final two months of that season. “He came in (to camp) in great shape, his swing has looked pretty good, and we know he can play well above average defense and multiple spots, including third.”
Triolo believes that starting at shortstop only made him a better defender, despite compiling minus-2 DRS there each of the past two seasons. It was the most he’s played the position since high school and helped improve his footwork and lateral movement to get to the spot and quick-release throws from the side.
Now, Triolo believes it could pay dividends for him at third.
“That was good. Last year kind of solidified my confidence at every spot in the infield, especially shortstop,” Triolo said. “I feel like that was the hardest one because you have to move so much and be in every play. It gave me a lot of confidence to get myself ready defensively and show up swinging.”
