Javier Rivas
Javier Rivas
Position: SS
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 165 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Born: 09/01/2002
Country: Venezuela
How Acquired: International Free Agent, 2019
Bonus: N/A
40-man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: 2023
Minor League Free Agency: 2027
Options Left: 3
Overview
Rivas was a prominent signing for the Pirates out of Venezuela. He’s tall and thin, with a frame that should allow him to get stronger. When the Pirates signed him, he was thought to have considerable upside as a hitter, but he’s had trouble developing due to issues with breaking balls and offspeed stuff. Defensively, despite his height he has outstanding actions at short, frequently making highlight-reel plays. The Pirates like to move all their infielders around, so Rivas has seen some time at third, but he has more than enough ability to stay at short going forward.
2020-21
After the canceled 2020 season, Riva had a very rough time at the plate in his DSL debut. He struggled severely throughout the season, finishing with a 133/214/173 line and a strikeout every three ABs.
2022-23
In the FCL in 2022, Rivas’ hitting was completely different from 2021, much of it coming in a blistering July when he hit 344/437/557. He remained prone to chasing pitches outside the strike zone, but his K rate was more high than alarming and he showed good power.
In Bradenton in 2023, the improvements didn’t hold. Rivas struggled badly, fanning in about 40% of his plate appearances. In early June, he was in a 2-for-34 skid and the Pirates sent him to the FCL. He seemed to tone down his approach, reducing the strikeouts and putting up a .762 OPS. He finished in a slump, though, batting .162 in August and early September. The Pirates moved him back up to Bradenton after the FCL season ended.
2024
The Pirates sent Rivas back to Bradenton in 2024 and he had a strange season. He got off to a dreadful start, batting .090 in April, with an OPS of .320 that month and .582 in May. Then he went on a tear in June, putting up an OPS of 1.046 with six home runs. He slumped again in July and hit well in August. His season line of 223/283/393 was probably somewhere close to a realistic level. He showed some power, with a dozen home runs, enough for tenth in the league, but he had a dismal 16:118 BB:K. Rivas continued to play excellent, often highlight-reel defense. The Pirates used him nearly as much at third as at short. Rivas got a late-season promotion to Greensboro and had a rough time there, going 4-for-32 with no walks and 14 strikeouts.
Stats
Transactions
July 2, 2019: Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an international free agent.