20240316, The Pittsburgh Pirates Minor Leagues face the Baltimore Orioles at Pirate City, Bradenton, Florida (Photos by Harrison Barden)
The biggest storyline for the Pittsburgh Pirates this spring is whether or not top prospect Konnor Griffin will make the Opening Day roster as a 19-year-old.
Griffin, who was selected by the Pirates with the ninth pick of the 2024 draft, is the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball after hitting .333 with a .941 OPS, 21 home runs, 94 RBI and 65 stolen bases in 122 games across three minor-league levels in his first professional season last year.
Griffin has already appeared in two games this spring. He struck out twice in the Pirates Grapefruit League opener on Saturday. He then started at shortstop against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, and although he again had nothing to show for, was robbed of an infield single and recorded a pair of exit velocities north of 100 mph.
As things currently stand, it looks like Griffin or Nick Gonzales will start at short on Opening Day against the Mets in New York in just over a month. Jared Triolo would man third base beside one or the other.
If the Pirates opt for Gonzales, Griffin will likely start the year in Triple-A Indianapolis but might not have to wait long to make his big-league debut. But if Griffin does enough this spring, he’ll be the first teenager to suit up for Pittsburgh since Aramis Ramirez nearly 30 years ago.
In addition to Griffin, there are a few other battles for a spot on the Opening Day roster taking place this spring.
Final Spots in the Bullpen
Of the eight bullpen spots available on the Opening Day roster, five appear to be locks. Santana will serve as the primary closer with free agent signing Gregory Soto also getting some leverage opportunities. Isaac Mattson returns after a breakout 2025 season. Justin Lawrence was hurt most of last season but was really good when healthy. Carmen Mlodzinski — assuming he doesn’t begin the season as a starter — has been an effective reliever throughout his career.
The rest of the bullpen isn’t as set in stone. The Pirates LOVE Mason Montgomery and his electric left arm. Right now, I have him as a frontrunner to make the club out of spring, which would leave two open spots.
The main players competing for those spots will be right-handers Kyle Nicolas, Yohan RamÃrez, Brandan Bidios and Cam Sanders and lefty Evan Sisk. Of the bunch, my money is on Nicolas and RamÃrez, but I’m particularly interested to see how Bidois looks. And Sisk has the obvious advantage if another lefty is desired.
Final Bench Spot
The final bench spot could only matter if Griffin does not crack the Opening Day roster. If he does, the bench should consist of Gonzales, Nick Yorke, Jake Mangum and whoever is not catching that day.
But if Gonzales starts at short, the Pirates will have an opening for the 13th position player on the roster. They could anyway depending on how Yorke looks this spring.
The main players for the final bench spot — under the assumption that Gonzales starts at short and Yorke earns a spot — will come down to Jhostynxon GarcÃa, Enmanuel Valdez, Billy Cook and Endy RodrÃguez. Of the bunch, Valdez seems the most logical given his versatility, but Cook provides some of that too. RodrÃguez and GarcÃa are probably best served getting everyday reps in Triple-A until they are needed. There are a few others, too, on the peripherals.
But again, this could very well be moot if Griffin makes the club.
5th Starter
The Pirates starting rotation will very likely have Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler in the top four spots, but who will round out the group is to be determined.
It could be José Urquidy, who was brought in as a free agent and has plenty of big-league experience under his belt. Fellow veteran right-hander Mike Clevinger is also in the mix as a non-roster invitee.
The Pirates said Mlodzinski will be stretched out as a starter again, even though I remain adamant they should continue to use him in the bullpen. A pair of prospects with some pedigree in Hunter Barco and Thomas Harrigton will also do their best.
It’s possible the Pirates bring another veteran into the mix, though the available options on the free agent market are scarce.
But the starting rotation once again appears to be a strength for the Pirates. Who gets the final spot will largely come down to who performs the best this spring.
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