Pirates Hitters Excelling in First Week of Spring Training
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have played in eight games over seven days to start their Grapefruit League campaign, with some standout players.
The Pirates have had a strong team effort in the first week of Spring Training games, as they're 6-2 so far, tied for the top of the Grapefruit League standings with the New York Yankees.
Spring Training is a time for players from the very best to those fighting for a roster spot and then those who will spend the season in the minor leagues, but are trying to make an impression for the future.
A few Pirates players stood out amongst the rest when it came to production at the plate, which is exactly what the franchise needs in 2026.
Nick Gonzales: .538 (7-for-13)
If there's any Pirates player that needs a strong showing in Spring Training, it's Nick Gonzales for sure.
Gonzales is at threat at both of his infield positions, as the Pirates added second baseman Brandon Lowe in a trade this offseason from the Tampa Bay Rays and top prospect Konnor Griffin could become the starting shortstop on Opening Day as well.
He has seven hits in 13 at-bats for a .538 batting average, and with five strikeouts, he's either getting a hit or striking out while doing so. His slash line is .538/.571/.615 for an OPS of 1.186.
Gonzales has shown an aggressive approach so far in Spring Training, but it's needed, as both Lowe and Griffin have great power and strong contact as well.
While not as prolific as those two on power, Gonzales can hit and showed it at times last year, but was far too inconsistent, with strong showings in June and August, but poor performances in July and September.
Month | Batting % | On-Base % | Slugging % | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
June | .297 | .343 | .451 | .794 |
July | .202 | .272 | .310 | .582 |
August | .321 | .339 | .366 | .705 |
September | .198 | .229 | .286 | .515 |
If he can stay consistent this spring, he should have a solid role with the Pirates as important infield depth, or the starting shortstop if Griffin isn't up by Opening Day.
Oneil Cruz: .600 (6-for-10)
Another player that has a crucial season ahead of them is Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz and he's had a solid start to Spring Training, with six hits in 10 at-bats.
Cruz hasn't just gotten on base, he's gotten hits off of left-handed pitchers and also hit to opposite field, both things he'll need to do more of in 2026, marking for a good chance for the 27-year-old.
He struggled massively against left-handed pitchers in 2025, slashing .102/.224/.176 for an OPS of .400, with just 11 hits in 108 at-bats, three doubles, a triple, a home run, plus 44 strikeouts to 16 walks.
Cruz had a difficult season overall, finishing as one of the worst qualified hitters in all of baseball, despite having a 20-30 season (20 home runs, 38 stolen bases), and featuring at the Home Run Derby.
Stat | Total (MLB Rank) |
|---|---|
Batting Average | .200 (Worst) |
On-Base Percentage | .298 (23rd Worst) |
Slugging Percentage | .378 (22nd Worst) |
OPS | .676 (16th Worst) |
The Pirates need Cruz to show off his power, but also just get on base more, as he could prove to be the leadoff hitter they need.
He has already stolen three bases and scored four runs, tied for the Pirates' lead so far in the Grapefruit League, while walking twice and striking out just three times.
Cruz will soon leave to represent Team Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic and the Pirates would love nothing more than for him to dominate for his country and come back and bring that to Pittsburgh in 2026.
Jhostynxon García .455 (5-for-11)
The Pirates landed outfielder Jhostynxon García in a trade with the Red Sox as a prospect for the future.
García is showing that he wants a spot on the Opening Day roster and has hit well so far, with five hits in 11 at-bats for a .455 batting average.
He is a right-handed hitting power bat, but has also shown his strength on the base paths, tied with Cruz for the team lead with four runs scored and three stolen bases.
García hasn't hit a home run yet in Spring Training, but he's hit 20+ home runs in the minor leagues the past two seasons and has a strong swing that should give him opportunities to do that at the major league level this year.
He isn't a lock for the Opening Day roster, and it wouldn't be shocking to see him start at Triple-A Indianapolis, but García is trending towards becoming a big part of the future outfield of the Pirates.
Termarr Johnson: .566 (5-for-9)
The Pirates took Johnson with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of high school and he just recently turned 18 years old.
Johnson hasn't necessarily wowed in the minor leagues, but he's almost never faced a pitcher younger than him and has moved up each year he's played and should feature at Triple-A this season.
He has had an impressive start to Spring Training, with five hits in nine at-bats, including a double and a triple, with three RBI.
Johnson only had nine home runs last season, but Peoples Natural Gas Park for Double-A Altoona is a tough ballpark for left-handed hitters.
He also had his best season in the minor leagues in 2025, slashing .272/.363/.382 for an OPS of .745, while also improving against southpaws, slashing .314/.375/.407 for an OPS of .782.
Johnson is only a non-roster invitee, but a great start to Spring Training bodes well for him in 2026.
Best of the Rest
The Pirates have had some strong showings from other hitters as well, leading to their good record so far.
Outfielder Bryan Reynolds has hit .444 (4-for-9) as he looks to have a bounce-back season and Nick Yorke, who is competing for a roster spot, has hit .364 (4-for-11).
New additions in Jake Mangum (.333, 4-for-12), Lowe (.500, 3-for-6) and Ryan O'Hearn (.333, 3-for-9), are also performing early on for the Pirates.
Catcher Endy Rodríguez has also had a decent showing at the plate, with three hits in eight at-bats, .375 batting average, and a home run too.
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.