2 MLB-caliber Pirates players who we need to see back in the big leagues

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a lot of players on their major league roster who probably shouldn’t be. They need to get some fresh faces, and even though the chances they're about to experience a season turnaround are slim to none, they should at least get a look at what some players who will be here in 2026 can provide in the big leagues.

At this point of the season, these three players not only should be in the majors, but should also be getting regular playing time to prove themselves.

2 MLB-caliber Pirates who deserve a return to the major league roster

Billy Cook

The Pirates acquired Billy Cook at the 2024 trade deadline as an MLB-ready bat who could soon get an opportunity in the major leagues. The fact the Bucs didn’t give him an opportunity at the start of the year, let alone now in June, is baffling, but now is the best time as ever for the Pirates to see what Cook can do with extended run in MLB.

Cook has been lighting up Triple-A pitching this month, slashing .458/.536/.542 with a .489 wOBA and 197 wRC+. Cook has drawn plenty of walks, with a 12.3% BB%, and has only struck out in 22.3% of his 57 plate appearances. Now, you don’t need an expert to tell you this, but this isn’t sustainable. He has a .629 batting average on balls in play with a zero percent barrel percentage. His .327 xwOBA in June is solid, but not the near .500 mark he has this month. 

Cook has some experience in the majors already, of course. He was recalled during the recent Detroit Tigers series, but only accumulated six plate appearances before being sent back to Indianapolis. Last year, he appeared in parts of 16 games with 49 plate appearances, and there were definitely some significant positives. Cook crushed a trio of home runs and had a 92.6 MPH average exit velocity. He was in the 93rd percentile of sprint speed and looked terrific in the field. Cook racked up a whopping +6 defensive runs saved and +3 outs above average in less than 100 innings in the outfield.

Now, there were some clear red flags. He didn’t draw a single walk and had a 36.9% chase rate. He also struck out 19 times (38.8% K%) and had a 39.8% whiff rate. But Cook’s speed and defense alone should get him playing time over Alexander Canario and especially Tommy Pham. Giving Cook a chance to prove himself now can save a lot of trouble this offseason in finding another outfielder.

Dauri Moreta

The last time Pirates fans saw Dauri Moreta in an MLB game, he strutted off the mound, flashing a $20 bill and capping off what was an extremely promising 2023 breakout campaign. After getting traded from the Cincinnati Reds to the Pirates, Moreta went on to post a 3.72 ERA, 2.93 FIP, and 1.09 WHIP across 58 frames. Moreta’s 10% walk rate was about the only blemish on his report card, as he struck out 31.8% of opponents with a 0.62 HR/9 ratio and was in the 92nd percentile of whiff rate at 32.6% and the 90th percentile of exit velocity at 86.7 MPH.

Heading into Spring Training 2024, Moreta was primed to be a high-leverage option for the Pirates, but his season came to a halt before it even began. Moreta underwent Tommy John surgery during the middle of March, effectively ending his 2024 campaign. But Moreta’s recovery has gone about as planned without any setbacks, and he has done well for himself in his rehab in the minor leagues.

Moreta has pitched 18.2 innings since returning to the mound, with 16.2 coming at Triple-A Indianapolis. He has only allowed five earned runs at Indy, striking out 21 and surrendering a single home run. The only downside is that Moreta’s walk rate is up, as he’s handed out a dozen free passes.

Moreta started his rehab nearly two months ago now, making his season debut on April 29. One big sign that Moreta is on the verge of returning to the big leagues is the recent change in his roster status. Moreta was activated off the 60-day IL on June 18, but optioned so he could get more work in before making it back to the major leagues. The Pirates need to give Moreta a call soon. He’s a dynamic bullpen arm with the potential to be a set-up-man option for 2026.

Note: An original version of this story included a segment on Hunter Stratton, DFA'd on Thursday. His future standing in the organization is unknown.

Hunter Stratton’s 2024 rookie season was promising. He tossed 37.2 innings and pitched to the tune of a 3.58 ERA, 3.29 FIP, and 1.17 WHIP. Stratton only had a 20.9% K% but walked batters at a strong 4.4% rate and was great at limiting home runs and hard contact, with a 0.72 HR/9, 87.3 MPH exit velocity, and 6.1% barrel percentage.

While Stratton was in the midst of a quality rookie campaign, the season was cut short due to the right-hander suffering a ruptured patella tendon. However, Stratton made a remarkably fast recovery and was even able to pitch an inning in spring training. Because he got next to no time to prep for the 2025 season, the Pirates sent him to Triple-A to open the year. Stratton was recalled in late April, but clearly needed more time in the oven, as he allowed four earned runs in his only two appearances in the major leagues so far this season.

But Stratton has been excellent at Triple-A. He got off to a rough start in early April and missed a few weeks in May, but his last 17.2 innings have seen Stratton only allow three earned runs, strike out 18 opponents, only walk six batters, and allow just a single long ball. 13 of his 15 have been scoreless outings as well. He’s getting plenty of swings and misses with a 28.5% whiff rate, though he does have a below-average 90.1 MPH exit velocity and 8.3% barrel percentage.

The Pirates recently recalled Stratton to the majors, but demoted him again on Tuesday without proper utilization. Now that he’s gotten plenty of time to get warmed up for the season, it’s time they start to use him like they did last season. He proved to be a reliable arm out of the pen last season for the team. He has a prime opportunity to secure a long-term relief role on the Pirates now.