Pirates News: Ryan O’Hearn in Pittsburgh, catching depth added, Konnor Griffin

Ryan O’Hearn may not be ready to return to the Pittsburgh Pirates’ lineup just yet, but his presence is already back in the clubhouse.

O’Hearn is currently with the team in Pittsburgh as he continues working his way back from the severe quad injury he suffered July 31 against the Cincinnati Reds. Rather than continuing his rehabilitation in Florida, O’Hearn is expected to remain around the Pirates for the time being and use the Trajekt pitching machine as part of his hitting progression.

General manager Ben Cherington said Sunday on his radio show that O’Hearn continues to make encouraging progress and could begin a minor-league rehab assignment within the next 10 days, putting him on track for a potential mid-September return.

Having O’Hearn around should provide a welcome boost even before he is cleared to play. The 33-year-old has quickly emerged as one of the Pirates’ veteran leaders since signing a two-year deal last offseason, and his presence carries additional value for a team attempting to stay engaged during the final month of the season.

O’Hearn was batting .270/.334/.454 with 17 home runs and 68 RBI in 96 games before the injury. With his return potentially only weeks away, simply having him back around his teammates represents another step toward getting Pittsburgh’s lineup — and clubhouse — whole again.

Pirates sign veteran catcher José Herrera to minor league contract

The Pirates added another experienced catcher to their organizational depth this week, signing José Herrera to a minor league contract and assigning him to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Herrera was placed on the development list after joining the organization, a move that comes as Christian Bethancourt had his contract selected to the major league roster.

The 29-year-old Herrera hasn't appeared in the majors this season but brings plenty of experience behind the plate. He spent parts of the previous four seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, appearing in at least 40 games each year. In 190 career major-league games, he has hit .200 with three home runs and 42 RBI.

Herrera signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers during the offseason and spent this season with Triple-A Round Rock, where he hit .229 with two home runs and 11 RBI across 40 games. He gives Indianapolis another veteran catching option following Bethancourt’s promotion to Pittsburgh.

Konnor Griffin continues rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis

Konnor Griffin went 0-for-4 with a walk Tuesday as his rehab assignment moved to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Griffin began his rehab assignment with Double-A Altoona, going 1-for-3 with two strikeouts while playing seven innings at shortstop in his first game action since landing on the injured list with a torn sagittal band in his left ring finger.

The 20-year-old will now continue that process with Indianapolis, giving the Pirates another opportunity to evaluate his timing at the plate and ability to handle a full defensive workload before activating him.

Griffin was batting .276/.332/.404 in 247 plate appearances before the injury, providing roughly league-average offense while stealing 20 bases. He's eligible to come off the 60-day IL on Friday.

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