The Non-Obvious Pirates Player Who Has Real Roster Leverage
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The Pittsburgh Pirates reported to spring training with most bullpen spots spoken for at the top. Dennis Santana will again lock down the ninth. Gregory Soto slots in as the left-handed setup man, while Isaac Mattson will likely take that role as righty. After that? The picture gets blurry in a hurry.
Young pitchers with options, such as Mason Montgomery, remain uncertain developmental projects, or potential spot starters, like Hunter Barco and Thomas Harrington, without a definitive role in the bullpen. Carmen Mlodzinski may win the fifth spot in the starting rotation, removing another reliever from the equation. Injury questions remain for Justin Lawrence. Veteran non-roster invitees like Chris Devenski, Mike Clevinger and Noah Murdock populate the back fields in Bradenton, most hoping for a shot at a middle-relief role. But it would be silly to consider any of them sure things.
Into that uncertain landscape walks Brandan Bidois, a 24-year-old right-handed Australian who has never thrown a major league pitch. Still, he was added to the 40-man roster on November 18th of last year, giving hope to Aussie fans that Bidois will be the next from their home country to play in Major League Baseball. Beyond being an interesting story, Bidois might be the most interesting arm in camp.
The Background on Bidois
Bidois does not appear on prospect lists. He was not a high draft pick. He arrived in the organization as minor league filler from Brisbane, Australia, the kind of player who fills out a Double-A roster while the real prospects get attention. But last season changed the calculus. Rising from Low-A Bradenton to Triple-A Indianapolis in one season, climbing four Minor League levels, Bidois put together a body of work the organization cannot ignore.
Across those four levels, Bidois appeared in 40 games, pitching 61 innings. His ERA finished at an almost unbelievable 0.74. He did not allow a single home run all season. He struck out 69 batters while walking only 14. Over a stretch in the summer, Bidois faced 64 consecutive batters over 18 innings without allowing a hit. These are numbers of pure domination.
Bidois uses a mid-90's fastball, an effective slider, a curveball, and a changeup that he added last season. None of his pitches grade out as dominant, but he's effective at pitch mixing and keeping hitters on their toes. You don't get a hitless streak over 64 straight batters unless you've made hitters extremely uncomfortable at the plate.
Forcing the Pirates' Hand
The numbers from last season tell a clear story. But the deeper context matters more. The Pirates bullpen, as currently constructed, lacks proven depth behind the top options.
His leverage is simple - he earned a look. He dominated the highest level of the minors, not allowing a run across 13 innings for Triple-A Indianapolis. The team has a need. And while Bidois' performance last year gave him a shot, he'll clearly need to perform this spring against Major League hitters.
It will be interesting to see what scenarios the Pirates coaching staff puts Bidois into during Grapefruit League play. Those situations and his response to them will tell us a lot about the likelihood of Bidois actually making the team. Spring training stats can mislead. Small samples reward players who get hot for a week. The more telling signal will be the scenarios and hitters that Bidois is facing.
But Bidois entered camp with a full season of evidence behind him. The front office has the data. The coaching staff watched the video. Now Bidois just needs to replicate what he already showed at previous levels.
The Decision
The Pirates have decisions to make for their final bullpen spot. They could go with a veteran on a minor league deal who has big league time but declining stuff. They could push a younger arm who is eager to have a role in MLB. Or they could give the ball to a pitcher who forced the issue by being un-hittable for an entire season. What's the worst that could happen? Bidois has all of his minor-league options left and it would not be a surprise if he needs more reps against elite hitters.
Bidois does not control the roster math. He does not make the final cut. But he controls what he can control. And what he controlled last year was hitters. That gives him real leverage in a bullpen race that remains genuinely open.
Ethan Merrill is from Grand Rapids, MI, and brings with him a diverse background of experiences. After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in journalism, he worked with the Arizona Diamondbacks for three seasons before settling in the Pittsburgh area in 2020. With a passion for sports and a growing connection to his community, Ethan brings a fresh perspective to covering the Pittsburgh Pirates.