Who Are The Pittsburgh Pirates Bench Options For 2019?

Could the Pirates carry three catchers this season?

Typically a MLB team will carry just one backup catcher. However, that may not be the case with the 2019 Pirates. At least to start the season.

As I wrote about on Saturday, it would behoove the team to carry three catchers to start the season. There are a few reasons that the team should do this. First off, Jacob Stallings is out of options. The odds of Stallings clearing waivers and therefore being capable of starting the year at the Triple-A level are slim. If another team were to claim Stallings, this would leave the Pirates with no catching depth behind starter Francisco Cervelli and primary backup Elias Diaz.

A second reason to carry three catchers is it gives Hurdle the ability to use whoever does not start between Cervelli and Diaz, who were two of the team’s best hitters in 2018, as a pinch hitter. Additionally, Cervelli can then serve as Josh Bell‘s primary backup at first base when Bell gets a rare day off. Hurdle would also be able to use Cervelli or Diaz at designated hitter when the team plays in an American League ballpark.

If Cervelli did not have a history of concussions then taking the risk of putting Stallings on waivers would be easier to do. But due to Cervelli’s injury riddled past, it would be too great a risk to put Stallings on waivers. Look for the team to carry three catchers to start the 2019 season.