Pirates Have Surprising Third Base Depth Option
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have looked around for different third base options, but it's likely they'll stay internal at the. position for 2026.
One player that has been doing infield drills at the position is Nick Yorke, with Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporting three different days the Pirates infielder has done infield drills at third base.
Yorke is a versatile fielder, with most of his experience coming at second base and then in both corner outfield spots in the minor leagues.
The Pirates have depth issues at third base, so Yorke could serve an important role for the team in 2026.
Does This Yorke Playing Third Base Make Sense?
Jared Triolo, who has served as the Pirates utility man for a large part of the past three seasons, will likely be the starting third baseman on Opening Day, barring any moves the front office make.
Triolo can play all four infield spots, but will have to play most of his time at third base, which he did in the final month of the 2025 season.
The Pirates don't have much depth after him on the 40-man roster, with their only other true third baseman in Jack Brannigan, who hasn't played above Double-A and is coming back from a torn labrum that ended his 2025 campaign early.
Yorke has hardly played at third base in his professional career, with just two starts in the minor leagues and two games and one start in the major leagues, totaling four games.
Nick Yorke Fielding Breakdown
Position | MLB (Games/Starts) | Minors (Games/Starts) |
|---|---|---|
Second Base | 21/19 | 384/378 |
First Base | 6/4 | 5/5 |
Right Field | 6/5 | 24/24 |
Third Base | 2/1 | 2/2 |
Left Field | 1/1 | 36/32 |
Designated Hitter | None | 53/53 |
Shortstop | None | 7/7 |
Center Field | None | 7/7 |
The Pirates currently need options behind Triolo, so Yorke training there gives them someone who could fill in when needed, as well wherever they need him to be.
Competition for Backup Spot at Third Base
Yorke isn't the only player training at third base, as Enmanuel Valdez has also participated in infield drills at the position during Spring Training.
Valdez has only started one game and played three contests at third base in the major leagues, but started 139 of 145 games at the position in the minor leagues, giving him an edge in experience over Yorke.
Both players can feature at other infield positions, so there's a chance the two battle each other defensively and at the plate for playing time.
The competition for backup spot at the third base position will likely come down to those two players for the Pirates, particularly on the Opening Day roster.
Nick Gonzales hasn't worked at the position and should stick to shortstop and second base. He has also hardly played at third base since turning professional and is currently the starting shortstop on Opening Day, unless top prospect Konnor Griffin makes the Pirates think otherwise.
Nick Yorke's Tenure with the Pirates
Yorke joined the Pirates in a trade with the Boston Red Sox, which sent right-handed starting pitcherQuinn Priester the other way on July 29, 2024.
He played in 40 games for Triple-A Indianapolis after the trade and played even better, slashing .355/.431/.507, finished with an OPS of .938 and had 54 hits, 17 doubles, two home runs, 26 RBI, 18 walks and seven stolen bases.
The Pirates selected Yorke's contract on Sept. 16, and he played in 11 games. He had eight hits in 37 at-bats, batting .216, added four walks for a .286 on-base percentage, slugged .378 and hit two home runs and two RBI.
Yorke spent most of his time in 2025 with Indianapolis, slashing .287/.348/.406 for an OPS of .754, with 115 hits, 21 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 59 RBI, 36 walks to 97 strikeouts and 17 stolen bases on 23 attempts.
The Pirates recalled Yorke as one of the two September call-ups and he spent the rest of the season at the major league level.
Yorke played in 22 games in 2025, slashing .232/.264/.319 for an OPS of .583, with 16 hits in 53 at-bats, three doubles, one home run, eight RBI and three walks to 15 strikeouts.
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.