Bradenton, FL — The conversation surrounding the Pittsburgh Pirates is a little bit different this spring.
For the first time in years, the Pirates might have a bit of a talent surplus on their hands. From newly acquired players like Jhostynxon Garcia, to budding talents like Konnor Griffin, to longtime members of the organization like Alika Williams, the Pirates have tough decisions to make.
General manager Ben Cherington and the gang have to find a way to balance position play with bringing their best 26 with them up north in time for Opening Day.
But in all of that evaluation, one name that will make the catching position hard to determine is Endy Rodríguez.
On Thursday, Rodríguez came into the night game at LECOM Park against Atlanta after Henry Davis took a few reps and was subbed. In his only at-bat of the game, Rodríguez hit a ground ball single up into right field.
His single came at a crucial time for the Pirates. Pittsburgh’s offense, which had started most of the guys we expect to see on the Opening Day roster, was pretty lifeless against Atlanta. Until the eighth, the Pirates had just three base runners: Ryan O’Hearn via walk, Davis via error, and Alika Williams via a hit (he would be caught stealing at second).
But Rodríguez’s single in the eighth kicked off a five-run rally that chased a Braves pitcher and saw nine Buccos come up to bat. He was also the first run to come across the plate.
In the ninth, while he was behind the dish, Rodríguez ended the game with a terrific assist on a double play.
The following day, Rodríguez got the start as the designated hitter. He smacked another pair of hits, scoring a run and RBI in a 7-5 win over the Detroit Tigers over in Lakeland, Florida.
In the top of the third, he lined a single into right field, putting him on first when Garcia drilled his second home run of the spring to score two runs. n
Then in the fourth, with runners on first and second, Rodríguez hit a fly ball to right that scored Tyler Callihan and nearly scored catcher Joey Bart before he was thrown out at home.
Hits in back-to-back days now has Rodríguez slashing .320/.414/.600 (1.014 OPS) with two home runs and six RBI. He’s drawn four walks and struck out seven times.
Among players who have played as many or more than his nine games so far in Florida, Rodríguez is fifth on the team in OPS. He leads the team with ten runs scored and is two shy of the team lead in RBI, which is shared by three players.
Spring time has often seen solid results for the Dominican native. In ten games of spring training action in 2023, Rodríguez slashed .412/.412/.588 (1.000 OPS), and in 15 games last season, he slashed .290/.450/.516 (.966 OPS).
It’s a testament to the excitement that fans have had for Rodríguez for years now. But since making his major league debut in July of 2023, injuries have tormented his career. A winter ball injury wiped out his entire 2024, and last season he was limited to just 18 games.
But with another strong campaign in the Sunshine State, his work might make for a very interesting roster decision.
Batting is the selling point for almost anyone trying to make the roster this season. Pittsburgh embarked on a winter campaign that saw them make several moves with offense in mind, desperate to overcome a batting department that has woefully underperformed for years now.
And for Rodríguez in particular, his bat is probably his best chance to force his way onto the team.
Rodríguez has flexibility. Defensively, Rodríguez can play both catcher and first base. His ability to change gloves was part of the reason why he made the Opening Day roster last season.
Before injuries took him down in mid-April and officially shut him down in June, over half of Rodríguez’s games saw him play first. With Davis and Bart occupying the catcher roles, the Pirates were able to bring a third catcher with them and shuffle the trio around as needed.
But while that worked to his advantage last season, first base is a lot more crowded this time around. Not only is Spencer Horwitz, their big trade acquisition ahead of last season, coming into this spring with a healthy wrist, the Pirates have a free agent signee who can also man first base.
With Horwitz and O’Hearn able to pick up the mitt, Rodríguez’s ability to also play first base isn’t as valuable. His overall stat line at the MLB level also isn’t the most inspiring.
While you can sometimes afford a catcher to take a bit of a backseat when it comes to hits, Rodríguez has a career .210/.276/.311 (.587 OPS) and sported a .496 OPS in his action last year. Yes, it’s only a combined 75-game sample size, but they aren’t necessarily inspiring figures.
But if he continues to hit this spring, he might give Cherington and the organization no choice but to start him in the majors. His numbers in Bradenton look amazing in comparison to Davis, who made his MLB debut just a month before Rodríguez did.
The first overall pick from 2021, Davis has really struggled at the plate so far this spring, going 0-for-17 in eight games. There’s still time for Davis to turn it around, but Rodríguez has the upper-hand in the battle of this current spring.
Along with Bart and Rafael Flores Jr., the Pirates have a lot of interesting names at a position they’ve struggled at recently. Rodríguez is leading the charge there right now.
Fifth Avenue Sports 
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