Pirates Have Top 10 Second Baseman in 2026
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have made some great additions this offseason, but one of their new players is amongst the best at their position.
The Pirates landed second baseman Brandon Lowe from the Tampa Bay Rays on Dec. 19, one of the most important acquisitions in any recent offseason.
He came as a part of a three-team trade with the Rays and Houston Astros, which saw the Pirates also acquire outfielder Jake Mangum and left-handed relief pitcher Mason Montgomery from the Rays, sending right-handed starting pitcher Mike Burrows to the Astros and then the Astros sending two top prospects to the Rays.
Lowe gives the Pirates many things they desire, but also a top player at a position they've wanted to improve over the past few years.
Pirates' Brandon Lowe Ranks Amongst Best Second Basemen
MLB Network used "The Shredder", which looks at different metrics on offense and defense, previous work, and also analysis from the MLB Network production team.
They ranked the top 10 second basemen in the major leagues and placed Lowe at ninth overall, among the top-third of players at his position.
Lowe dropped two spots from the beginning of the 2025 season, when he ranked seventh overall in his final year with the Rays.
He also ranks third amongst second basemen in the National League Central Division, with Nico Hoerner of the Chicago Cubs in third, Brendan Donovan of the St. Louis Cardinals in fourth. Brice Turang of the Milwaukee Brewers ranked 10th overall, making for a strong division of second basemen.
What the Pirates Get in Brandon Lowe
Lowe is coming off one of the best years of his career in 2025, as he slashed .256/.307/.477 for an OPS of .784 in 134 games, with 130 hits, 19 doubles, 31 home runs, 83 RBI and 38 walks to 149 strikeouts.
He earned an All-Star nod for his performance, just the second of his career. He earned his first as a rookie in 2019, slashing .270/.336/.514 for an OPS of .850 in 82 games, including 17 home runs.
Lowe brings the Pirates what they desperately need, which is power, as they finished last in home runs (117), as well as slugging percentage (.350) and OPS (.655) in baseball last season.
He has hit more than 20 home runs in the four seasons he's played more than 100 games in and hit 31 home runs last season, 11 more than center fielder Oneil Cruz, who led the Pirates with 20 home runs.
Season | Games | Home Runs |
|---|---|---|
2018 | 43 | 6 |
2019 | 82 | 17 |
2020 | 56 | 14 |
2021 | 149 | 39 |
2022 | 65 | 8 |
2023 | 109 | 21 |
2024 | 107 | 21 |
2025 | 134 | 31 |
Lowe is also a left-handed power bat, something that the Pirates wanted this offseason and got in him, and also free agent signing Ryan O'Hearn.
PNC Park is known as more friendly towards left-handed batters, especially those that can hit for power like Lowe, compared to right-handed hitters.
The right field wall, also known as the Clemente Wall, stands 21 feet tall in honor of the former Hall of Fame Pirates right fielder, but is also closer than left field.
Left field is 325 feet to the foul pole, but 383 feet to left-center field and 410 feet to deep left-center field. Right field is 320 feet to the foul pole and then 375 feet to right-center field, beneficial for a power hitting left fielder.
Of the 31 home runs that Lowe hit last season, 27 of which would've been home runs if he hit them at PNC Park, as 28 of them were to right field or right-center field, according to Statcast.
The Pirates also have other left-handed power bats in Cruz and right fielder Bryan Reynolds, that are in the lineup to exploit PNC Park in the same way.
Lowe is ecstatic to be with the Pirates, but also to hit some home runs into the Allegheny River.
"Yeah I think I've played a total of three games there in my career. I've not been around very much of it, but I've talked with a few guys on the team, Reynolds being one that I reached out to quite a bit. It seems like it's going to be a good fit," Lowe said. "The dimensions of the ballpark play into where my power alleys lie and you know, something about seeing a ball going flying into the river seems very, very exciting."
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.