Which Pirates Rookies Stick Around Remainder of the Season?
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PITTSBURGH — Rookies aren't normally the most important part of a team's success, but they've been massively important for the Pittsburgh Pirates this season.
The Pirates have seven players on their 26-man roster that are officially rookies, which includes four pitchers and three position players, all of whom have had big moments this season.
It features right-handed pitchers in relievers Brandan Bidois and Wilber Dotel, plus starter Bubba Chandler, as well as left-handed relief pitcher Evan Sisk. It also includes shortstop Konnor Griffin and outfielders in Jhostynxon Garcia and Esmerlyn Valdez.
All seven of these players are important contributors for the Pirates right now, but them staying at the major league level the rest of 2026 depends for each indivudal.
Locks For Rest of Season (Konnor Griffin, Bubba Chandler)
The Pirates have two players that will defintiely not go back down to Triple-A this season in Griffin and Chandler.
Griffin is the starting shortstop and signed a nine-year, $140 million contract extension on April 8, just five days after his MLB debut.
He's had a solid season so far, slashing .261/.323/.381 for an OPS of .704 in 48 games, with 46 hit, 28 runs scored, eight doubles, two triples, three home runs, 20 RBI and 12 stolen bases on 13 attempts.
The Pirates will need Griffin performing at the plate, but also his solid defensive skills and incredible speed around the base paths as well in 2026.
Chandler has been less effective than Griffin, with a 1-6 record in 10 starts, a 4.60 ERA over 47.0 innings pitched, 47 strikeouts to 34 walks, a .201 batting average allowed and a 1.47 WHIP.
The Pirates still have great faith in Chandler, who has a strong pitch mix and can really dominate opposing hitting when he's on his game, like his career-high 11 strikeouts against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on May 22 in his last start.
Jared Jones returning from injury may complicate things in terms of Chandler staying in the rotation, but the Pirates see him as a starter long-term and if he can find ways to improve his command and issue less walks, Chandler is easily one of the better pitchers on the Pirates.
Most Likely Sticking Around (Brandan Bidois, Evan Sisk)
The Pirates didn't have Bidois nor Sisk on their Opening Day roster, but it's clear the two have found success since coming up.
Bidois, who became the first Australian to play for the Pirates, has pitched six times since making his MLB debut on May 13, with a 2.57 ERA over 7.0 innings, with seven strikeouts to two walks and just two solo home runs allowed.
His stuff is impressive, especially his four-seam fastball that he's throwing 97.4 mph on average and a solid slider too.
Sisk is an important Southpaw in the Pirates bullpen and has had success since coming up on April 13, with a 1.61 ERA over 18 appearances and 22.1 innings pitched, with 26 strikeouts to seven walks, a .211 BAA and a 1.03 WHIP.
He deploys a five-pitch arsenal and has used that to befuddle hitters, inducing weak contact and having a strikeout rate of almost 30%
The Pirates landed Sisk in a trade with the Kansas City Royals, as they sent fellow left-hander Bailey Falter the other way, and the 29-year old is the late bloomer that is doing all they could've asked for and more.
Both players should remain in the Pirates bullpen, aside from a poor run of form that would earn them a demotion.
A Curious Decision for the Pirates Pitching Staff (Wilber Dotel)
Dotel is in his second stint with the Pirates this season and is already giving them a hard decision on what they'll do in the coming weeks.
The 23-year old Dominican has been sensational with his work out of the bullpen, with a 1.69 ERA over 10.2 innings pitched and five outings, 10 strikeouts to three walks, a .158 BAA and a 0.84 WHIP.
Dotel is coming off a big time outing, throwing three scoreless innings of relief and posting four strikeouts in the 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on May 25, earning his first MLB win.
He also threw four perfect innings against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park back on April 27, with three strikeouts there as well and is proving himself valuable as a bulk reliever.
Dotel has an incredible four-seam fastball, averaging 98.3 mph on it, and is coupling that with an improving slider, plus both a changeup and a cutter.
The Pirates see Dotel as a starter long-term, but he's helping the team out in this role, that sending him back down to Triple-A doesn't make too much sense.
Jones' return could also impact Dotel's time on the Pirates roster, but it's clear that he's a big-time talent for the future.
Will Pirates Keep Impact Bats For the Season? (Garcia, Valdez)
The Pirates recently called up both Garcia for his team debut and Valdez for his MLB debut, as they've needed some help in different areas.
Both players are right-handed power bats, which help the Pirates against left-handed pitching, but also can take over spots in the outfield, where the Pirates don't have slugger Ryan O'Hearn due a recent right quad muscle strain, that could keep him out the next three weeks.
Valdez has had a great start to his time with the Pirates, starting in right field in four of the past five games, while also hitting two home runs for his first two MLB hits.
Garcia hasn't gotten his first MLB home run yet, but he can play all three outfield spots, with three starts in center field and a start each in left field and right field.
O'Hearn's return does call into question which of these two players you keep around, as Garcia can play in more spots defensively, while Valdez is mostly just a right fielder, with some experience in left field and in right field.
The Pirates could end designated hitter Marcell Ozuna's time with the team, particularly if he keeps performing as one of the worst qualified hitters in baseball, which would make it easy for both players to stick around.
Garcia and Valdez could become big-time impact players for the Pirates, but them staying on the roster the rest of the season isn't guaranteed.
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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.