[XxVols98xX]

1 - 29yo RF Kyle Tucker entering his 1st season with Pittsburgh and 9th overall. Tucker was our big off season splash and that means we are in win now mode as we try and capitalize on our strong pitching and an under estimated lineup. We struggled with the long ball last year and with Tucker’s plus power and 30 HR a year ago we look to remedy that issue. Not the best year out of Tucker last year so hopefully we get the Houston version and not the Cub variant, although still very much a good player.

2 - 25yo C/DH Endy Rodriguez entering his 2nd season with Pittsburgh and overall. Endy has some MLB action back in 2023 and then suffered a major injury to miss most of 2024. Last year he spent the whole season in AAA putting up fantastic numbers and was added to the 40 man roster to protect from the rule 5 draft. Rodriguez in time will develop into our #1 catcher and should be solid both defensively and offensively.

3 - 27yo 1B Oneil Cruz entering his 6th season with Pittsburgh and overall. Although he won a Gold Glove as a RF he will sede the RF job to Tucker and man the cold corner. Cruz has all the tools to play a more coveted position he just isn’t consistent enough. His bat is good enough to keep him in the lineup even as he ages but it’s his legs that make him one of the best in the league as he led all of baseball with 68 stolen bases last season.

4 - 28yo rookie CF Matt Gorski. Bit old for a typical rookie but Matt is a late bloomer. He had a little taste last year but performed poorly and saw himself spend most of his time in AAA. If he can find a way to draw more walks and strikeout less he has the power to be a difference maker in the lineup. Luckily for him he can play very good defense and potentially get himself a Gold Glove. If he gets on base he is extremely dangerous. Swiped 9 bases for Pittsburgh without getting caught once in 34 games last year.

5 - 27yo LF Jack Suwinski entering his 5th season with Pittsburgh and overall. Jack has the power to be a major difference maker offensively but he strikes out at a high rate. Despite only getting on base 31.2% of the time he still managed to swipe 56 bags in 116 games. With a little more discipline he can be a huge contributor and put us over the top.

6 - 32yo SS Dansby Swanson entering his 1st season with Pittsburgh and 11th overall. Swanson was part of a major trade right before the season started in an effort to dump salary and get more power out of our SS without sacrificing defense. His bat is tick worse than it once was but defensively he can still get it done at a high level.

7 - 25yo 3B Jack Brannigan entering his 2nd season with Pittsburgh and overall. Jack was a surprise call up last year but performed well in 74 games belting 12 HR and swiping 41 bags en route to a .268/.358/.452 slash line.

8 - 25yo 2B Oswald Peraza entering his 2nd season with Pittsburgh and 5th overall. Claimed on waivers from the Yankees in early April Peraza saw mixed results. He’s talented defensively and a threat on the basepaths so a little more consistency from the bat and he can be a solid everyday player.

9 - 29yo C Joey Bart entering his 3rd season with Pittsburgh and 7th overall. Bart had a strong 2025 campaign and earned an All-Star appearance for his efforts. He worked on his defense over the off season and looks to be even better this year. Even if the offense reverts slightly he can make it up with his leadership skills and defensive ability.

Bench - 21yo rookie CF/LF Termarr Johnson. Saw a September call up last year and held his own but nothing spectacular. We do want to get him at bats so look for him to play semi regularly as he sees most his action at LF. Extremely young considering he was drafted out of high school not even 5 years ago so more developing is needed to get his bat in an everyday role. Defense needs more as he’s mostly just ok but not great. Luckily for him he’s young and can develop without any pressure.