How the Pirates performed by position in 2024 by wRC+ and fWAR

A look at the production at each position during the 2024 season, and what that could mean for the offseason

Photo Credit: WTM

The Pittsburgh Pirates finished the regular season with 76 wins for the second straight season.

While they got big contributions from the rotation, with the additions of Paul Skenes and Jared Jones, and also got a breakout season from Luis Ortiz, it was easy to find where the strength of the team was.

The struggles came on the offensive side of things, with the Pirates finishing towards the bottom of the league in many major categories on the hitting side of things.

With the off-season coming up, I looked at how each position performed as a primer of where the Pirates could be looking to upgrade during the winter.

We will look at the offensive side of things first, with the positions in order of wRC+ (with fWAR added as well):

Designated Hitter: 111 wRC+ (12th), 1.4 fWAR (11th)
Shortstop: 96 wRC+ (17th), 2.4 fWAR (21st)
Catcher: 95 wRC+ (14th), 2.3 fWAR (19th)
Left Field: 91 wRC+ (21st), -0.3 fWAR (24th)
First Base: 86 wRC+ (26th), -0.5 fWAR (25th)
Second Base: 83 wRC+ (24th), 1.0 fWAR (24th)
Right Field: 71 wRC+ (29th), -2.0 fWAR (29th)
Center Field: 67 wRC+ (29th), 0.8 fWAR (27th)
Third Base: 66 wRC+ (29th), 0.6 fWAR (23rd)

The Pirates are in an interesting position this off-season. They could fortify the first base position—a spot that has been an issue for a couple of years—by moving Bryan Reynolds there.

That would solve one issue but create another. Even with Reynolds playing primarily in left field, the Pirates still finished 21st in baseball at the position when it comes to wRC+ (and even worse in fWAR).

Defensively, he was one of the worst outfielders in baseball by most metrics, and he had an OPS differential of nearly 200 points when he was in the field compared to DH. So, letting him ‘focus’ more on hitting by moving him to first could pay dividends.

What they do with this will set up the rest of the offseason and what their approach is in adding.

While shortstop is near the top, that was mainly from Oneil Cruz, now the team’s starting centerfielder. Like the Reynolds situation, they solved one issue while creating another problem. In theory, they have Isiah Kiner-Falefa to take over shortstop, but he regressed below his career norms with the Pirates and never really graded out well at the position.

His price tag likely ensures some starting role unless a trade comes along.

Second base has plenty of internal candidates to fill the role, with Nick Gonzales likely to head into 2025 as the odds-on favorite. They also have Nick Yorke, who picked up 42 plate appearances at the end of the season.

With plenty of options already on the 40-man—Gonzales, Yorke, Tsung-Che Cheng, Liover Peguero, and Alika Williams—the Pirates are likely to look within for their answer there.

Defensively, I have questions about whether Joey Bart can handle a full-time workload as a catcher, but even with Yasmani Grandal heading to free agency, they have plenty of options on the 40-man to split time with him. Henry Davis would be the ideal candidate, but Endy Rodriguez will return after missing most of the season after offseason Tommy John.

Bart headlined a position that finished middle-of-the-pack when it comes to offensive production (wRC+), and if they can get something from Davis and/or Rodriguez, they could be working with something here.

The Pirates traded for Bryan De La Cruz at the trade deadline, and he posted a 37 wRC+ in 168 plate appearances after coming over. In an ideal scenario, he and Jack Suwinski take over right field in some sort of platoon, but neither showed much to have faith it would work out.

Third base will be manned by Ke’Bryan Hayes, given he is healthy, which is now one of the bigger questions the team faces this offseason. They at least have backup options, with Jared Triolo and IKF being the most suited (at least defensively) for the position.

The issue is none provide too much upside offensively, with Hayes having the highest ceiling—it’s just the question of whether he can ever reach that now due to his back.

While there were a lot of guys rotating through, Andrew McCutchen was the team’s primary DH, and if he wants to return for another season (he has expressed so), he will be back.

Realistically, that’s three positions you feel safe with offensively—catcher, center field, and wherever Reynolds plays in 2025. You have internal candidates to fill three more (2B, 3B, SS) and another solved if McCutchen returns.

That leaves 1B/LF and RF that needs to be solved, ideally through a free agent and/or trade. They have some internal options, even outside Suwinski and De La Cruz.

Billy Cook showed some pop and was strong defensively. After joining the Pirates organization, Yorke started to play more in the outfield.

I wanted to take one last look at each position, but defensively this time:

Third Base: +11 DRS (4th), +9 OAA (7th), 10.4 DEF (FG, 6th)
Center Field: +3 DRS (13th), +12 OAA (11th), 8 DEF (11th)
Second Base: +1 DRS (12th), +1 OAA (16th), 2.2 DEF (14th)
First Base: -1 DRS (17th), -3 OAA (17th), -13.6 DEF (18th)
Right Field: -5 DRS (24th), -13 OAA (30th), -17.6 DEF (29th)
Catcher: -8 DRS (25th), 6.4 DEF (21st)
Shortstop: -11 (25th), -7 OAA (26th), 1 DEF (26th)
Left Field: -12 (29th), -14 OAA (27th), -19 DEF (29th)

Reynolds and left field being 29th is good evidence that a move to first might make sense. No matter who plays third base, Hayes, Triolo, or even IKF, defensively, it is in good hands.

Cruz and Cook seem like a good step forward in improving a defense that had the 27th-ranked outfield in terms of Outs Above Average (OAA). They both had a +2 OAA in limited time in the outfield (Cook just 85 innings).

On paper, shortstop might be the team’s greatest need, as they don’t have an answer offensively that could come lost to what they lost to Cruz, and the leading candidate for playing time, IKF, posted a -2 OAA there last year.

There are some pieces there, but there are still a good number of questions that will have to be answered if they want to improve on the 76 wins they have reached in each of the last two seasons.

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