Pirates Catcher Issues Are Back With Roster Announcement
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have worked through a few catchers this season and moved on from another one recently.
The Pirates designated catcher Christian Bethancourt for assignment after they activated shortstop Konnor Griffin from the 60-day injured list.
Pittsburgh made this move to make room on both their 28-man major league roster and 40-man roster, so DFA'ing Bethancourt makes space for Griffin.
Griffin's return is big for the Pirates, but it raises bigger questions about the Pirates' catcher depth.
Pirates Lacking Serious Catcher Depth
The Pirates have just two catchers on the 40-man roster in Henry Davis and Rafael Flores Jr., and are likely hoping they will stay healthy for the final three weeks of the season.
Davis has been with the team the whole season, while Flores has played for the team continuously since Aug. 1, serving as the backup and a strong right-handed power bat.
The Pirates had three other catchers this season, but all two are no longer with the team and another is out for the season injured.
Joey Bart started with the Pirates in 2026, but suffered a left foot infection in mid-May, and the Pirates traded him to the Atlanta Braves on June 18 when he returned healthy, instead of DFA'ing him.
Endy Rodríguez emerged as the Pirates' best-hitting catcher and perhaps the solution for their long-term woes at the position, but he underwent surgery to repair his left hip labrum, ending his 2026 campaign.
Rodríguez, who hit .267/.373/.467 for an OPS of .840 in 45 games, will now take about seven to nine months to fully return to baseball activities, marking a March-to-May return timeline.
The Pirates also had Shawn Ross in their farm system for many years and called him up in late July, but DFA'd him and the New York Mets claimed him.
Where do the Pirates Go at Catcher?
The Pirates will most likely address their catcher depth issues during the offseason, figuring out who they see as the future of the position.
Davis has been fantastic behind the plate but has struggled with the bat, hitting .177/.263/.294 for an OPS of .557 in almost 300 games at the major league level.
Flores has shown the power the Pirates desired when they traded David Bednar for him, but whether he's best suited at catcher or first base defensively is still unknown.
The Pirates, if either get injured this season, have a few catchers that could add to the 40-man roster, including Jose Herrera, Derek Berg and Cameron Barstad.
Pittsburgh would rather not have to rely on this trio, as Berg and Barstad haven't made their MLB debut and Herrera is currently on the development list and just signed to Indianapolis this week.
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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.