Pirates Release Minor League Infielder

The Pittsburgh Pirates have released an infielder from their Triple-A squad.
Sep 16, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;  Pittsburgh Pirates hats and gloves in the dugout against the New York Yankees during the sixth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Sep 16, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates hats and gloves in the dugout against the New York Yankees during the sixth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have made a number of roster changes over January, which included some cuts to their minor league system.

The Pirates released infielder Andrés Alvarez, who played last season for the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, according to the transactions report.

Alvarez hails from Chula Vista, Calif. and played for San Ysidro High School in San Diego. He earned All-South Bay League First Team honors for his play as a junior in 2014, hitting .371, and as a senior in 2015, hitting .350.

He then attended Trinidad State Junior College in Trinidad, Colo, where he earned All-Region first-team honors in 2016, as he hit .395, slugged .647 and had 23 doubles, seven homers, 45 RBI, 15 stolen bases, 65 runs scored.

Alvarez then committed to Washington State, where he played the next three seasons, 2017-19, starting 156 games at shortstop. He hit .286, making 173 hits, 42 doubles, three triples, two home runs, 16 stolen bases and 56 RBI, featuring as a two-time All-Pac-12 conference selection.

The Pirates drafted Alvarez in the 22nd round of the 2019 MLB Draft. He started out with the Gulf Coast League Pirates before moving up to the Single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers.

Alvarez would stay with the Grasshoppers, now at High-A, for the 2021 season, after the MLB shut down the minor league season in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He slashed .288/.367/.482, with six home runs, nine doubles, 20 RBI, 17 walks to 38 strikeouts and 10 stolen bases in 40 games.

He spent the next two seasons with the Altoona Curve at Double-A, playing in 110 games in 2022, while slashing .220/.339/.429 along with 20 home runs, 50 RBI, 13 doubles, 64 walks to 123 strikeouts and 21 stolen bases.

Alvarez then played in 96 games in 2023, slashing .215/.285/.345 with eight home runs, 45 RBI, 18 doubles and 30 walks to 98 strikeouts.

He then moved up to Indianapolis last season, slashing .271/.360/.417 in 78 games, with six home runs, 35 RBI, 10 doubles, four triples and 31 walks to 69 strikeouts.

Alvarez earned Indians' Player of the Month honors in June, slashing .299/.382/.845, while getting two doubles, one triple, two home runs and eight RBI.

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