Tuesday, February 03

It may be cold in Pittsburgh and across most of the country right now, but spring is finally around the corner, regardless of whatever a groundhog saw.

Spring Training is getting underway next week, so sunshine, green grass and baseball are not too far behind. As the Pirates prepare to report, let’s run down some key points and dates for the spring schedule.

When is the first workout for pitchers and catchers?

The first workout for all pitchers and catchers is Feb. 11. The first full-camp workout will be Feb. 16. Pitchers playing in the World Baseball Classic (like Paul Skenes for Team USA and Dennis Santana for the Dominican Republic) will have their first workout on Feb. 9, and position players (like Oneil Cruz for the Dominican Republic) will have theirs Feb. 11.

Where is the team’s facility?

The Pirates split their time in Bradenton, Fla. They open camp at Pirate City, and then they move to LECOM Park for games.

Can fans attend workouts?

Fans are welcome to attend workouts at Pirate City for free. The Major League team practices there until the start of the Grapefruit League season, then the Minor League players take over.

Who are some new faces fans should know? 

Brandon Lowe, Jake Mangum and Mason Montgomery came over from the Rays as part of a three-team trade in December. Lowe was an All-Star second baseman last season, Mangum is a versatile, speedy outfielder, and Montgomery is one of the hardest-throwing left-handers in recent memory.

On the free-agent front, the Pirates added first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn and lefty reliever Gregory Soto. O’Hearn, another 2025 All-Star with the Orioles, was partly sold on the Pirates with a phone call with manager Don Kelly, while Soto was drawn to the young talent on the pitching staff.

Who are the top prospects invited to Major League camp?

All prospects who are on the 40-man roster are invited to Major League camp. That includes right-hander Bubba Chandler (the No. 11 prospect on MLB Pipeline’s 2026 top 100 list) and left-hander Hunter Barco (No. 96), both of whom should be in the mix for the Major League team this year. Outfielders Esmerlyn Valdez (the Pirates’ No. 16 prospect on the 2025 MLB Pipeline list) and Jhostynxon Garcia (No. 6), catcher Rafael Flores Jr. (No. 9), infielders Jack Brannigan (No. 22) and Nick Yorke (No. 12), and pitchers Thomas Harrington (No. 10), Wilber Dotel (No. 28), Antwone Kelly, Ryan Harbin and Brandan Bidois also fall in this category. 

Among the non-roster invitees, top prospect Konnor Griffin will be taking part in his second Major League camp, though there’s definitely a different feel around his inclusion this year. Termarr Johnson, the Pirates’ No. 7 prospect on the 2025 list, is also getting another invitation to Major League camp, while catcher Omar Alfonzo (No. 20) and infielder Duce Gourson have earned their first invite.

What are the most notable games on the schedule?

The Pirates’ first spring game will be Feb. 21 against the Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium, and their home opener at LECOM Park will be Feb. 22, a split-squad contest against the Rays.

The World Baseball Classic is returning this year, and the Pirates will be taking on Team Colombia on March 3 at 1:05 p.m. ET.

And the Pirates’ annual Spring Breakout game will be at LECOM Park this year on March 20.

What is Spring Breakout?

This is going to be the third annual Spring Breakout game, which is a showcase of each team’s top prospects in a nine-inning game. 

This year’s Spring Breakout will be one of the marquee matchups across the League. It will be against the Tigers, headlined by Griffin (the top prospect in the game, according to MLB Pipeline) and the Tigers’ Kevin McGonigle (MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 prospect). 

Will games be televised?

SportsNet Pittsburgh has not yet released a broadcast schedule, but they have traditionally broadcast a portion of the Pirates’ spring games.

When is the last game in Florida?

The Pirates’ last Grapefruit League game will be March 23 at LECOM Park against the Braves. They don’t have any other preseason exhibitions scheduled, so they will head up north afterwards.

So how close are we to Opening Day?

We’re getting closer! The Pirates will start the season in Flushing, taking on the Mets at Citi Field. First pitch will be at 1:15 p.m., if you’re itching to count down the minutes.

Two second basemen have won a Gold Glove in Pirates history (not counting 2024 utility Gold Glove winner Jared Triolo). One is Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski. Who is the other?

A. Neil Walker

B. Pokey Reese

C. José Lind

D. Rennie Stennett

John Candelaria had one of the greatest names in franchise history, the “Candy Man.” And on Candy Night at Three Rivers Stadium on Aug. 9, 1976, when fans in attendance got candy bars, he delivered a career-best performance, tossing a no-hitter to beat the Dodgers.

For today’s trip into the vault, we’re going to look at that 27th out when Bill Russell flied out to shallow center. It was the fifth no-hitter in franchise history, and still the most recent one that was a solo performance.

• Rookie catcher Flores gets spring camp going early

• Two international signings make MLB’s list of most intriguing

C. Lind

Lind spent six of his nine Major League seasons with the Pirates, and he took home a Gold Glove in 1992 when he led the league with a .992 fielding percentage.

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