Pirates A to Z: Examining the team's 40-man roster

During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z: an alphabetical, player-by-player look at the 40-man roster, from outfielder Miguel Andujar to pitcher Bryse Wilson. This story will be updated daily through the offseason.

Miguel Andujar

Miguel Andujar is intent on proving that his rookie season wasn’t a fluke, and believes that having a chance to be in the lineup on an everyday basis could help his cause.

Read more: Miguel Andujar hoping to tap back into power potential with Pirates

Ji Hwan Bae

Ji Hwan Bae spent most of his minor league career as a middle infielder, but his speed in center intrigues the Pirates.

Read more: Ji Hwan Bae showed off speed, paving way for possible move to center field

David Bednar

The Pirates go into next season knowing they have someone they can count on to close out tight games in David Bednar.

Read more: David Bednar developed into hometown hero, All-Star and, finally, a closer

JT Brubaker

The Pirates have JT Brubaker pegged as part of their rotation, though there is an emphasis on him staying healthy and providing more consistency.

Read more: JT Brubaker focuses on forward steps taken in 1st full season in majors

Mike Burrows

One of the top pitchers in the Pirates’ farm system, Mike Burrows is working to expand his repertoire.

Read more: After rising through system, Mike Burrows only a step away from majors

Rodolfo Castro

More important, Rodolfo Castro showed that he could be a future double-play partner for Oneil Cruz at second base.

Read more: Rodolfo Castro improved play after lessons with demotion, call-up incidents

Ji-Man Choi

If healthy, Ji-Man Choi should be the frontrunner for the starting job at first base. He started 92 games there for the Rays last season and has a career .994 fielding percentage despite limited range.

Read more: After struggling in 2nd half, trade gives Ji-Man Choi chance to start at 1B

Roansy Contreras

What pitcher Roansy Contreras learned, sometimes the hard way, was the need to complement his four-seamer with breaking pitches.

Read more: After starting in relief, Roansy Contreras relieved to finish season as starter

Wil Crowe

Wil Crowe handled about every situation imaginable, morphing from multi-inning reliever to bullpen bridge to pitching in high-leverage situations.

Read more: Wil Crowe became bullpen’s bulldog before wearing down late in season

Oneil Cruz

The biggest question with Oneil Cruz is his defense. Despite his ability to make spectacular stops and throws, he committed 17 errors in 363 chances at shortstop and had a .953 fielding percentage.

Read more: Oneil Cruz broke Statcast records, set sights on improving at shortstop

Chase De Jong

Chase De Jong developed into not only a reliable reliever but a bullpen leader who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, whether it was absorbing blame for a blown save or serving notice of his dissatisfaction after the Pirates lost their 100th game for the second consecutive season.

Read more: Chase De Jong embraced grinder role in relief, became bullpen leader

Yerry De Los Santos

Yerry De Los Santos started his season with a no-hitter but ended it on the injured list. In between, the right-handed reliever made his major-league debut and showed he could handle a high-leverage role.

Read more: Yerry De Los Santos showed he could handle high-leverage relief situations

Ke’Bryan Hayes

The Pirates might need Ke’Bryan Hayes to be more front and center this season, given their turnover and his status as their highest-paid player. What they need more than anything is his improvement at the plate.

Read more: Ke’Bryan Hayes proved to be an elite defender, now must improve at plate

Austin Hedges

Catcher Austin Hedges has the fourth-most runs saved (41) since Baseball Savant started tracking the statistic in 2015.

Read more: Austin Hedges adds elite defense, hopes to mentor catching prospects

Jose Hernandez

Jose Hernandez didn’t rank among the Dodgers’ top 30 prospects but raised eyebrows by touching triple digits on his four-seam fastball last summer and pairing it with a slider that drew a 60% whiff rate.

Read more: Selected in Rule 5 Draft, lefty reliever Jose Hernandez brings heat to bullpen

Colin Holderman

Reliever Colin Holderman didn’t give up a home run in the majors and allowed only two in the minors, both at Triple-A Syracuse, but his control issues were alarming.

Read more: Colin Holderman an exciting addition to bullpen before being shut down

Connor Joe

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said he was attracted to Connor Joe’s combination of “on-base ability, low strikeouts and defensive versatility.”

Read more: Connor Joe’s career comes full circle with return to team that drafted him

Mitch Keller

Pitcher Mitch Keller led Pirates pitchers in games started, innings pitched and walks, and ranked second in strikeouts. And he couldn’t wait to work on getting better.

Read more: Mitch Keller reinvented his pitch repertoire, delivered breakthrough season

Max Kranick

Pitcher Max Kranick’s past gives the Pirates hope for the future as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

Read more: Max Kranick’s season started with sore forearm, ended with Tommy John surgery

Tucupita Marcano

What Tucupita Marcano has going for him are his youth — he just turned 23 in mid-September — speed and versatility.

Read more: Tucupita Marcano showed speed, versatility in 3 stints in majors

Cal Mitchell

The Pirates challenged Cal Mitchell to be more consistent at the plate, imploring upon him the need as a corner outfielder to be a hitter.

Read more: Cal Mitchell played with a chip on his shoulder, broke up no-hit bid

Dauri Moreta

The Pirates had to be impressed by Dauri Moreta’s past, as he was the Reds’ 2021 minor league pitcher of the year after going 6-0 with a 1.02 ERA, eight saves and 58 strikeouts and nine walks in 53 innings between Double-A and Triple-A.

Read more: Acquiring Dauri Moreta in trade adds swing-and-miss element to bullpen

Luis Ortiz

Four starts serve as a small sample size, but Luis Ortiz’s performance made a strong case to join the starting rotation next season.

Read more: Luis Ortiz made dazzling debut, strong case for spot in starting rotation

Johan Oviedo

As much as Johan Oviedo considers his time as a reliever “a really good experience” because it taught him to get ahead in counts quicker and focus on quick results, he made it clear that he wants to be a starter.

Read more: Johan Oviedo finished strong after transition from reliever to starter

Liover Peguero

Even though his major league debut was but a cameo, the Pirates love the positive energy Liover Peguero brings to the clubhouse. Pirates GM Ben Cherington has called him a “bright part of our future” and “an important player for the long term.”

Read more: Liover Peguero’s major league debut was but a cameo but an important one

Yohan Ramirez

Yohan Ramirez spent the majority of the season with a pair of playoff teams, yet was appreciative of both for what he learned along the way. And he is just as excited about his opportunity with the Pirates, who liked the value his sinker-slider combination adds to the bullpen.

Read more: Yohan Ramirez was exciting addition to bullpen with sinker-slider combo

Bryan Reynolds

Despite leading the Pirates in most major offensive categories, Bryan Reynolds endured an oblique injury, a stint on the covid-IL and a slump to suffer a statistical regression from his All-Star season of 2021.

Read more: Bryan Reynolds recovers from slow start to be best player, requests trade

Endy Rodriguez

Endy Rodriguez sees himself as a catcher first and foremost but is open and willing to play wherever the Pirates want and need him.

Read more: Outstanding season has turned Endy Rodriguez into club’s hottest prospect

Carlos Santana

Veteran first baseman Carlos Santana is receptive to providing experience and leadership, promising to bring positive energy to the Pirates, as well as another power bat that can lengthen the lineup and provide stability.

Read more: Carlos Santana targeted to fulfill needs at 1B/DH, provide veteran leadership

Colin Selby

With a four-pitch repertoire with a slider ranked the best in the Pirates’ system by Baseball America, Colin Selby is on track to join the bullpen next season.

Read more: Colin Selby’s swing-and-miss action could be boost to bullpen

Canaan Smith-Njigba

It’s a good sign that Canaan Smith-Njigba remained with the Pirates during his injury rehabilitation, as he promised to soak up as much as he could from his major league teammates.

Read more: After doubling in debut, Canaan Smith-Njigba suffered season-ending injury

Robert Stephenson

When Pirates general manager Ben Cherington emphasized the need to add more swing-and-miss to the bullpen in the offseason, he used Robert Stephenson as an example of a late addition who provided that.

Read more: Change of scenery, pitch usage helped Robert Stephenson find spot in bullpen

Jack Suwinski

The Pirates played nine rookies in the outfield last season, and Jack Suwinski should be the frontrunner among those returning for a starting spot in 2023.

Read more: Jack Suwinski made big jump, flashed home run power in rookie season

Travis Swaggerty

A natural center fielder, Swaggerty can play all three outfield positions and might have to find a spot in the corners with Bryan Reynolds in center.

Read more: Travis Swaggerty got his first major league hit, hopes it’s the ‘first of many’

Zach Thompson

With the Pirates returning Mitch Keller, JT Brubaker, Roansy Contreras, Johan Oviedo and Luis Ortiz and adding Vince Velasquez and possibly a left-handed starter, there might not be room in the rotation for Zach Thompson next season.

Read more: Zach Thompson showed versatility to be starter or long reliever

Jared Triolo

As elite as he is defensively, it makes sense that the Pirates wanted to try Jared Triolo at other positions after they locked up third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes to an eight-year, $70 million contract.

Read more: Already an elite defender at 3B, Jared Triolo showed versatility by playing CF

Duane Underwood Jr.

The Pirates love Duane Underwood Jr.’s stuff, given that he averages in the mid-90s mph on fastballs, has a 44.9% whiff rate on his changeup and a sinker that had a 28.2% rate as his putaway pitch.

Read more: After rough start, Duane Underwood Jr. brought versatility to bullpen

Vince Velasquez

While not very familiar with the Pirates’ roster, Vince Velasquez says he has embraced their motto of “the grit and the grind.”

Read more: After bouncing to bullpen, Vince Velasquez jumps at shot to be a starter again

Ryan Vilade

Ryan Vilade believes that if he can get his timing down, he can produce more extra-base hits, if not home runs, and become a run producer for the Pirates.

Read more: Claimed off waivers, Ryan Vilade seeks fresh start with opportunity in outfield

Bryse Wilson

While Bryse Wilson spent last spring fighting for a spot in the starting rotation, he will have to battle for a spot on the 26-man roster in 2023.

Read more: Searching for consistency, Bryse Wilson will have to battle for starting job

No longer with the Pirates

Jeremy Beasley

After dominating in the minors — he was 2-1 with a 1.89 ERA and 0.82 WHIP with a .153 batting average against in 38 innings over 19 appearances at Triple-A Buffalo — Jeremy Beasley hadn’t shown that his stuff could play at the major league level.

Read more: Acquired in August, reliever Jeremy Beasley aims to secure spot in bullpen

(Note: The Pirates released Beasley on Nov. 16.)

Manny Banuelos

After the trade-deadline deal that sent Jose Quintana and Chris Stratton to St. Louis, Manny Banuelos became one of the most veteran Spanish-speaking players on the team. Given his history, he hoped to help mentor his younger teammates through the ups and downs the game presents.

Read more: Lefty reliever Manny Banuelos hopes to finally find a home in bullpen

(Note: The Pirates designated Banuelos for assignment on Nov. 15 and he elected free agency three days later.)

Diego Castillo

Where the Pirates were pleasantly surprised by Diego Castillo’s power early in the season, his struggles against righties, breaking balls (.144 batting average) and low walk rate (4.9%) were concerns.

Read more: Diego Castillo was surprise of spring training, showed versatility as rookie

(Note: The Pirates designated Castillo for assignment on Dec. 20.)

Nick Mears

The Pirates’ use of Nick Mears in the eighth inning in both of his appearances was a good sign, given that they still are searching for a setup man for All-Star closer David Bednar.

Read more: Nick Mears recovered from elbow surgery to make late-season return

(Note: The Pirates designated Mears for assignment on Dec. 18).