On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates officially wrapped up spring training.

Despite ending the spring with a loss and dropping four of their last five in Grapefruit League play, the Pirates finished with a 17-13 record this spring.

With a .567 winning percentage, it’s the best spring training mark the Pirates have had since 2017. That season, the Bradenton Buccos went 19-12, putting up a .613 winning percentage and finishing third in Grapefruit League play.

Pittsburgh started this spring on a three-game winning streak, setting up a larger hot streak to open play in the Sunshine State. The Pirates won nine of their first 11 games of the spring, including a 16-7 thrashing of Boston in a game that saw baseball’s consensus top prospect Konnor Griffin smash a pair of home runs.

Pittsburgh’s offense in the Grapefruit League was fueled by a mix of surefire Pirates, players competing for roster spots, and names we will keep an eye on for the future.

Jhostynxon García was probably the team’s best player this spring. The man they call “the Password” slashed .405/.463/.595 (1.058) with two home runs, five RBI, four walks, and three stolen bases in 15 games.

Acquired by trade from Boston this winter, García walked into a crowded outfield this spring. Despite the strong performance in Bradenton, the Pirates had four solidified outfielders ahead of him, resulting in García starting the year in Triple-A. At least in Indianapolis, García will get regular at-bats and is likely the first call Pittsburgh makes for outfielding help.

Oneil Cruz, who only appeared in ten games while he was also representing the Dominican Republic at the World Baseball Classic. The towering power-hitter slashed .370/.438/.630 (1.068 OPS) with two home runs, six RBI, and five stolen bases.

That, combined with two homers in four games at the WBC, has fans hoping it’s a sign of things to come for Cruz this season. After making strides in his first full season in center field last season, it’s time for the potential in his bat to finally become a reality.

Shawn Ross also had a spectacular spring. Ross slashed .533/.500/1.133 (1.633 OPS) in 12 games for the Pirates in Bradenton. Ross slammed two homers, seven RBI, and had three doubles.

Ross, who split last season between Double-A and Triple-A last season, was someone who was lost in the catcher’s discussion this spring. Ross, 26, hit a home run in his final game of spring against Boston on Sunday.

Pitching wise, the spring run was powered primarily by the young arms.

Braxton Ashcraft tossed 13.1 innings, starting four games and allowing just three earned runs. The righty dominated his way to 16 strikeouts to just one walk, the best ratio on the team.

Ashcraft, embarking on his first full-season as a starting pitcher in the big leagues, is a part of the young wave sweeping through the rotation in Pittsburgh.

Joining Ashcraft in that young wave is Hunter Barco, a lefty who was able to secure one of the last pitching spots on the big league club. Barco threw 11.2 innings this spring, holding opponents to three earned runs and 15 strikeouts.

Walks were a bit of a concern for Barco in Bradenton; the rookie issued eight free passes. But opponents batted only .150 against him, so he can certainly limit the bat when he gets pitches in the zone.

In the bullpen, right-hander Isaac Mattson pitched 7.2 shutout innings this spring. Building on his success from 2025, Mattson will play a key role in helping secure a bullpen with a lot of potential this season.

Mattson struck out eight batters and held his opponents to just two hits and one walk. Opposing batters hit .083, the lowest among any pitcher with consistent playing time this spring, including Paul Skenes.

But while the Pirates had their best spring training performance in nearly a decade, fans will hope to see better results than the 2017 team had after their Bradenton expedition.

The 2017 Buccos struggled to a 75-87 record, far out of the playoff race and the second-straight year of underwhelming baseball in Pittsburgh. That 2017 season also marked the end of the most successful era since the 1990s. In the subsequent winter, ace Gerrit Cole and star outfielder Andrew McCutchen were both traded.

So, for as good as that spring was, let’s hope this is where the similarities stop.