Pirates have 2 different prospect routes to explore for 2026 shortstop

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ middle infield picture could look crowded in the coming year. Shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa is only under contract for this season, and will hit free agency afterward. That will open up a spot up the middle, and with a few prospects who could take over IKF’s shortstop duties after this year, Pirates management will need to figure out what the outlook of both middle infield positions will be, both in the short-term and long-term.

Second base is likely going to be occupied by Nick Gonzales for some time. Gonzales' 2024 was promising, as he hit .270/.311/.398 with a 94 wRC+. He was in the 50th percentile or better of Baseball Savant’s expected stats, including xwOBA (.311), xSLG% (.407), and xBA (.270), and saw his strikeout rate go from 28.1% in his brief MLB cameo in 2023 to just 19.1% through 387 plate appearances last year. Gonzales unfortunately hit the IL after hitting a home run in the first game of the year with a non-displaced ankle fracture, but has begun his rehab at Triple-A.

With second base potentially filled, that leaves Termarr Johnson, who might have to move to his right over to shortstop. Johnson has flashed high-end talent throughout his minor league career, but is finally putting together numbers the sort of numbers many were expecting when the Pirates took him fourth overall in 2022, slashing .271/.374/.429 with a 135 wRC+.

His plate discipline has looked phenomenal, as he’s struck out just 16.7% of the time, with a walk rate of 14.1%. He’s also hitting for above-average power, with a .158 isolated slugging percentage. Not only is he doing this at Double-A and won’t turn 21 until June 11th, but he's doing it a league that is heavily favoring pitchers. The league average OPS in the Eastern League is only .683. For reference, the league average OPS at the end of the Deadball Era was still .697.

This is the sort of production many expected out of Johnson when he was drafted: a blend of contact and power, with both a low strikeout rate and a healthy amount of walks. The only rub is that Johnson has mostly played second base throughout his minor league career. The Pirates did give him over 350 innings at the position in 2024, but he hasn’t seen any games at short this season. Johnson is considered a solid glove at the keystone, so hopefully that defense can translate over to shortstop.

Pirates could shuffle infield around to promote Termarr Johnson in 2026

The other alternative is to play Johnson at second base, and move Gonzales to shortstop. Gonzales already has over 100 career innings logged at shortstop in the major leagues. He also graded out quite well as a second baseman, with +2 outs above average in 734.1 innings at 2B, but his arm likely plays better at second base. Gonzales was in just the 20th percentile of arm strength in 2024, ranking 50th out of 89 qualified second basemen.

There’s also the possibility Johnson out-plays Gonzales, moving Gonzales to another role entirely, other than the primary shortstop spot. That could open the door for the underrated Mitch Jebb. Jebb has been phenomenal at the plate this year, slashing .323/.417/.381 with a .376 wOBA and 138 wRC+. While he may not be hitting for any power, he’s drawn walks in 13.4% of his 157 plate appearances, sporting a strikeout rate of just 14%. Jebb’s versatility will give the Pirates multiple avenues to explore.

Throughout college, he primarily played shortstop, with some games at third base. After the Pirates drafted him in the second round of the 2023 draft, he split his time between both middle infield positions. However, he's now starting to see games in center field to expand his reach. He has played more up the middle in the grass at Altoona this year than at second base, and has yet to log any playing time at shortstop. His ample playing time in center field could also affect Oneil Cruz, and push him to an outfield corner eventually if the Pirates view Johnson and Gonzales as their double-play duo in 2026.

Johnson and Jebb are immediate solutions at shortstop, and the Pirates are going to have to figure out what positions they’ll play, potentially as soon as the end of this season. But the potential long-term solution is Konnor Griffin. Griffin was their first round pick in 2024 who is off to a scorching hot start to his pro career. He is batting .313/.361/.528 with a .409 wOBA and 141 wRC+ in 159 plate appearances at Bradenton. While his 3.8% BB% and 27.7% K% won’t wow anyone, he has already hit seven home runs with a .213 isolated slugging percentage, and has stolen 17 bags in 21 attempts.

The Pirates drafted Griffin as a shortstop, and that’s been his primary position in the minor leagues. But he also played center field in high school, and has nearly 50 innings played there for the Marauders. Even if Griffin moves through the minor leagues faster than most high school prospects, he’s still only 19, and won’t turn 20 until next April. They have some time to figure out where Griffin will play.

The best pairing for next year would be Johnson at shortstop, with Gonzales at second base and Jebb moving to a utility role. The Pirates could also include Jebb in a trade for a corner outfield bat and take advantage of his strong 2025 season. Either route would also let the Pirates keep Oneil Cruz in center field, at least until Konnor Griffin is ready.