Pirates 2025 MLB season previews: Infielders

Modern baseball is happening in Pittsburgh… just not modern baseball spending.

The way that the current Pittsburgh Pirates roster is shaping up, there is clearly an effort being made to have players on the team that are multi-capable athletes. I believe that this philosophy shines through the most in the team’s infield, as there are less key pieces, and more pawns in place to get the job done.

First Base

This is a position that continues to frustrate me, as the team is constantly cycling in and out guys that probably wouldn’t make other Major League teams. Granted, I liked the idea of Spencer Horwitz. He’s a decent hitter, at the very least an upgrade from Rowdy Tellez. However, the team gave up a lot to get Horwitz, who is not exactly a marquee player.

What hurts the most perhaps, is that the team made this trade for a player who will be out for six to eight weeks for wrist surgery… a surgery that they knew he was going to need. In his place for the short term will likely be Jared Triolo, who is coming off of a season where he won the Golden Glove award for the utility position, and Billy Cook who does primarily play in the outfield, but showed he is more than capable of playing first last season.

Bryan Reynolds and Endy Rodriguez are not likely to see any time at first base this season.

Second Base

Another position that has seen some heavy turnover in recent seasons is second base. That being said, I really like seeing Nick Gonzales there full time. He proved to be effective from both sides of second last year, but with IKF in the mix now, it looks like second is where he’ll get most of his playing time. Gonzales hit for .270 last year, and with a full season could be a bigger threat on the bases as well.

If not Gonzales, then veteran Adam Frazier will likely see the second most time at the position as he was brought on as one of the team’s efforts to bring in an established player to help lead the infield. In the wings the team also has Triolo, Enmanuel Valdez, who the Pirates traded for from Boston in December, Nick Yorke who appeared in 11 games last season, and Liover Peguero.

Shortstop

Isiah Kiner-Falefa will look to be the team’s primary option at shortstop this season, filling the spot left by Oneil Cruz’ transition to centerfield. IKF is a former Golden Glove award winner while with the Texas Rangers and has been a strong defensive presence since his breakout season in 2020. That being said, short is arguably his worst position, and he did slow down immensely after being traded to Pittsburgh from Toronto in the middle of last season. Hopefully he can bounce back and get back steady.

Gonzales will undoubtedly be the second option at shortstop for 2025, getting some reps there last year, while Peguero will also remain a fringe option. If worst comes to worst, Cruz can always move back there as well, but a lot would have to go wrong for that to happen.

Third Base

Without a doubt, the most concrete position out of this infield group is third base, as Ke’Bryan Hayes has proven to be one of the best defensive third baseman in the game when healthy. Unfortunately, Hayes was dealing with lingering back issues throughout all of last year, which kept him sidelined for 28 more games than he missed the year before. Even still though, he’s a former Golden Glove winner, and has worked on new mechanics at the plate, so hopefully he can produce even better offensively this season.

Triolo had 61 games at third base in 2024 and did prove to be the ultimate utility man. He will be backing up Hayes again this season, and is a great security blanket for the Pirates. IKF is more of a natural third baseman, and if called upon would be able to fill the shoes in the starter’s absence. Billy Cook and Valdez will be last resort options.

Overall the infield certainly reflects how modern baseball teams are being constructed, with players being able to play in multiple positions more naturally, and that may be one of the team’s greatest strengths.