Like most years for the Pittsburgh Pirates, now is not the time to be most concerned about winning games, unfortunately (although the fact that many veterans on expiring contracts were not dealt at the deadline may mean that Ben Cherington is trying to spin the narrative when he’s once again not fired that they are “winning more games” with Don Kelly as the manager). It’s about identifying who in the organization can now fill the various gaps in the lineup and field by 2026.
We know, based on the
2025 offseason, that the Pirates are unlikely to meet the lowest expectations of making a few savvy trades and spending a reasonable amount for a small-market team on free agents at a solid value. With current ownership, most offseasons are challenging as it is, and if Cherington is back for another year, which I’m almost sure he will be, it’s hard to have much faith that this offense or this team in general will be improved enough from the outside. That’s why there will be significant opportunities for many younger guys on the roster and in Triple-A that will be coming up over the next six weeks to prove themselves.
Ronny Simon is one of the first call-ups of this upcoming period, which is somewhat interesting. The smaller-statured Simon has never been a very high-ranked prospect, but has worked his way up to the big leagues because of his hit tool throughout the Minor Leagues. In 67 Triple-A games this season between Jacksonville and Indianapolis, Simon has hit .303/.461/.857 with eight home runs and 39 RBI.
Simon got his call-up opportunity with the Pirates when Oneil Cruz went to the 7-day concussion IL. He can play second base, shortstop, and both corner outfield spots. Other than second base, all three may be open positions for the Pirates in 2026.
Will Simon’s opportunity last longer than Cruz’s injury? For that to happen, he’ll have to impress with the hit tool that he’s shown in the Minor Leagues, because despite his defensive flexibility, he’s been a liability in the field. That’s why he was designated for assignment by the Marlins earlier in the season after his first major league stint, as he became emotional after making three errors at second base in a game against the Padres.
Despite a solid first game at the plate for the Pirates in the leadoff spot against the Milwaukee Brewers, we saw a couple of miscues in right field in the 4-3 loss to the Cubs on Sunday. If not Simon, the hope is that one or two other younger position players could impress to give optimism for next year.
