Pirates Send Infielder Down to Minors
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have sent down an infielder they only recently recalled to the MLB roster.
The Pirates announced that they optioned infielder Liover Peguero to Triple-A Indianapolis, after they activated Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the 10-day Injured List.
We have activated INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the 10-day injured list and optioned INF Liover Peguero to Triple-A Indianapolis following yesterday’s game.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 12, 2025
Pittsburgh recalled Peguero on May 2, after they optioned right-handed pitcher Hunter Stratton to Indianapolis, making room for Peguero when they placed Kiner-Falefa on the Injured List.
With Kiner-Falefa back, Peguero isn't as needed at infield depth and will return back to the minors for the forseeable future.
Peguero made three starts for the Pirates this season, once each at second base on May 6 and shortstop on May 7 vs. the St. Louis Cardinals on the road, then at shortstop vs. the Atlanta Braves on May 11. He also came in to play shorstop vs. the Braves on May 10 after an in-game injury to center fielder Oneil Cruz changed the dynamics of the team.
He played in 24 games with Indianapolis this season before Pittsburgh recalled him, slashing .258/.309/.382 for an OPS of .691 in 24 games, with 23 hits in 89 at-bats, six doubles, a triple, a home run, 12 RBIs and seven walks to 16 strikeouts.
Peguero hails from Higüey in the Dominican Republic and signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks as an international free agent in July 2017.
He played with the Dominican Summer League Diamondbacks and the Arizona League Diamondbacks in 2018 and then the Missoula Paddleheads of the Pioneer Leagues and the Hillsboro Hops in the Class A Short Season in 2019.
The Diamondbacks traded Peguero and right-handed pitcher to the Pirates for outfielder Starling Marte on Jan. 27, 2020.
Peguero wouldn't play in the 2020 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down the minor league season.
He earned an invite to Pirates Spring Training and spent the 2021 season with the High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers, slashing .270/.332/.444 for an OPS of .776 in 90 games, with 101 hits, 19 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs, 45 RBIs, 33 walks to 105 strikeouts and 28 steals.
Peguero then moved up to Double-A Altoona for the 2022 season, where he slashed .259/.305/.387 for an OPS of .692 in 121 games, with 125 hit, 22 doubles, five triples, 10 home runs, 58 RBIs, 29 walks to 111 strikeouts and 28 steals.
He also made his MLB debut on June 17, 2022 against the San Francisco Giants, getting his first big league hit.
Peguero spent most of the start of the 2023 season with Altoona, before playing seven games with Indianapolis and then having the Pirates recall him on July 17, keeping him at the MLB level for the rest of the campaign.
He slashed .237/.280/.374 for an OPS of .654 in 59 games, with 47 hits, four doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 26 RBIs, 11 walks to 67 strikeouts and six stolen bases.
Peguero only played three games with the Pirates in 2024, as he played 128 contests with Indianapolis, slashing .257/.319/.410 for an OPS of .729, amassing 127 hits, 29 doubles, four triples, 13 home runs, 79 RBIs, 46 walks to 139 strikeouts and 14 stolen bases.
The Pirates have an infield consisting of Jared Triolo, Adam Frazier and Kiner-Falefa, plus third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes and first baseman Matt Gorski.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.