![\"Endy](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Rodriguez-1120x630.jpg\")
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodr\u00edguez watches a baseball spring training workout Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, in Bradenton, Fla. (AP Photo\/Charlie Neibergall)\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodr\u00edguez watches a baseball spring training workout Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, in Bradenton, Fla. (AP Photo\/Charlie Neibergall)\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
It\u2019s true what they say \u2014 always take spring training stats with a grain of salt. There are many factors to take into consideration when looking what a player has done during spring training \u2014 weather, level of competition, implementing adjustments, etc. And spring performance doesn\u2019t always translate to the regular season. <\/p>\n
But it\u2019s human nature to look at a player\u2019s performance during spring and at least partially draw conclusions. How a player performs during a spring training slate could make or break their chances of making their team\u2019s Opening Day roster. <\/p>\n
For the Pittsburgh Pirates, like any team, there has been a wide-range of play from players who will either make the team out of spring or who will fall short in their efforts. Some players have looked really good and some players have left a lot to be desired.<\/p>\n
While several players have stood out to me so far this spring, there are four in particular who have caught my attention \u2014 two in a positive way and two I thought would perform better. <\/p>\n
The Good: Jhostynxon Garc\u00eda, Endy Rodr\u00edguez<\/p>\n
When the Pirates acquired Garc\u00eda from the Boston Red Sox this offseason, there were some things that stood out to me. For starters, it was clear his power from the right side of the plate was real and I thought it was a worthwhile trade for the Pirates, a team in dire need of more offense throughout the organization but especially at or near the big leagues.<\/p>\n
But I also realized how much Garc\u00eda is able to provide an impact would largely come down to his swing decisions and putting the ball in play more. So far, not many players in big-league camp have looked as good as Garc\u00eda has.<\/p>\n
Through 11 games and 28 trips to the plate, Garc\u00eda is 12 for 24 (.500) with a double, a home run, three RBI and three stolen bases. Perhaps most encouraging of all, in addition to a lot of hard contact, has been the fact that he\u2019s only struck out four times and has offset that total with four walks.<\/p>\n
At the beginning of spring, I figured Garc\u00eda was on the outside looking in for the Opening Day roster. But I now feel he has a legitimate shot to make the club. I actually put him on my roster predictions 2.0 <\/a>on Thursday. <\/p>\n As for Rodr\u00edguez, I seriously questioned how he would look coming off a second significant elbow surgery. That\u2019s a lot on a player, both physically and mentally.<\/p>\n But to my surprise, the 25-year-old has looked good so far in the Grapefruit League. Rodr\u00edguez has played in eight games and is 6 for 21 (.286) with a .400 on-base percentage and a .619 slug. He has a pair of home runs, a double, five RBI and four walks.<\/p>\n Once one of the more promising players in the organization, Rodr\u00edguez has yet to put it all together in the big leagues. Part of that, though, could be limited playing time largely due to injuries. But at some point this season \u2014 whether at the beginning of the year or later on \u2014 Rodr\u00edguez could get an extended look now that the injury bug is hopefully behind him.<\/p>\n The Bad: Henry Davis, Joey Bart<\/p>\n Working in Rodr\u00edguez\u2019s favor for now is that the catching tandem currently slated on the initial 26-man roster is a combined 2 for 38 so far this spring. <\/p>\n It\u2019s particularly disappointing to see Davis still searching for his first hit of the spring as we approach St. Patrick\u2019s Day. The 26-year-old is 0 for 17 and has only reached base three times (two walks and one hit by pitch). At least he\u2019s only struck out three times.<\/p>\n But given how Davis was once a question mark behind the plate, so much that the Pirates experimented with him in right field initially (whoops), but is now a strong defensive catcher, I thought he could do the same at the plate. Ideally, that would have showed this spring. And while he certainly can show improvement once the regular season rolls around, his performance to this point hasn\u2019t offered much confidence.<\/p>\n To make matters worse, Bart has looked equally unimpressive, perhaps more so when you consider he\u2019s struck out nine times and has just one walk in 22 trips to the plate. At least Bart has a pair of hits \u2014 both singles \u2014 in his 21 at-bats.<\/p>\n Bart had a breakout season offensively in 2024, which was his first with the Pirates. He got off to a slow start in 2025 and wasn\u2019t able to replicate his performance from the prior season but did finish the year strong to end with a respectable showing. <\/p>\n But for Bart and Davis, if they both end up making the Opening Day roster, a clean slate once spring training turns to the regular season will hopefully do the trick. Otherwise, Rodr\u00edguez could cut into either\u2019s playing time, if he doesn\u2019t already to so immediately. <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: Endy Rodriguez<\/a> Henry Davis<\/a> Jhostynxon Garcia<\/a> Joey Bart<\/a> Pittsburgh Pirates<\/a> <\/p>\n