The most legendary numbers in Pittsburgh Pirates history

4. No. 22

What can be said about Andrew McCutchen that hasn’t been already? Their greatest player of the 21st century and potential Hall of Famer helped lead the Pirates to their first winning season in over 20 years and the playoffs, winning numerous awards including MVP along the way. His No. 22 will likely be retired and he might get a statue at PNC Park someday. This year, in his age 37 season, Cutch hit 20 home runs and had a respectable OPS of .739.

Xavier Nady was a lot better than you probably remember. He put up solid numbers in the roughly two seasons he was in Pittsburgh, putting up 2.5 WAR in 89 games and hitting .330 before getting dealt to the Yankees at the 2008 deadline. Jason Schmidt’s best years were with the Giants, but he still had some very good years with the Bucs, particularly from 1997 to 1999, where he pitched over 600 innings and struck out 442 batters.

Richie Zisk was a regular presence in the Pirates outfield from ‘73 to ‘76, earning Rookie of the Year and MVP votes in consecutive seasons. He accrued 15.6 WAR in Pittsburgh before making the American League All-Star teams with the White Sox and Rangers.

Many will not know the name Murry Dickson, myself included before writing this piece. He spent nearly 20 years in the majors, and served in the Army as a jeep driver in Europe during World War II. In five seasons with Pittsburgh, Dickson won 66 games, received MVP votes in ‘52 and was an All-Star in ‘53.

Ryan Vogelsong, who wore No. 22 for the Pirates from 2003 to 2006, was another pitcher that found greater success in San Francisco, which included two World Series titles. John Wehner, best known as one of our color commentators for nearly two decades, hit the last home run at Three Rivers stadium. “Rock” rocked No. 12 for most of his career but was No. 22 from ‘92 to ‘93. Former manager and player Lloyd McClendon was No. 22 before Wehner during the 1991 season.

3. No. 18

The next two spots on this list were the hardest for me to choose. Each numerical lineage includes great players from different Pirates eras. Neil Walker, the Pittsburgh Kid, product of Pine-Richland, is arguably one of the team’s best second basemen, of course, behind Bill Mazeroski. Walker hit an RBI double in the iconic 2013 Wild Card Game against the Reds. His 2014 campaign featured 23 home runs, 76 runs batted in and a well-deserved Silver Slugger Award.

Jason Kendall was a former first-round pick that lived up to the hype and then some. He was a three-time All Star and hit over .300 six times during his Pirates tenure, proving to be one of the best offensive catchers of his generation. Andy Van Slyke, conversely, was among the best defensive outfielders of his time -- and not a bad hitter, either. He won five Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers, as a staple of those early ‘90s playoff teams.

Similar to Wehner, Bob Walk works for SportsNet Pittsburgh and wore a different number for most of his career. He rocked No. 18 from ‘84 to ‘85, before switching to No. 17 the next season. Walk won the World Series with the Phillies his rookie year, and spent a few seasons with the Braves before joining the Pirates. In his career, he won 105 games and hit his only home run at Wrigley Field off of Scott May.

A career .307 hitter, Matty Alou, brother of Felipe, uncle of Moisés, was a capable and steady bat and glove for the Bucs for five seasons and played his best in the ‘Burgh. Bill Virdon, another excellent centerfielder, won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1955 with the Cardinals and the World Series with Pittsburgh in 1960. In recent years, players that have worn No. 18 include Michael A. Taylor, Austin Hedges and Ben Gamel.

2. No. 24

“El Toro”, the big bull Pedro Álvarez, wowed with his impressive power and disappointed with his subpar defense. Still, I'd say Pedro is remembered fondly by the fans. From Vanderbilt, he was the second overall pick in the 2008 MLB Draft, taken after Tim Beckham. His back-to-back 30 home run seasons showed this potential, earning him an All-Star Game appearance and Silver Slugger Award in 2013.

Brian Giles is another underrated power hitter that made the greatest catch ever at PNC Park, reaching into the left field stands to rob Brandon Phillips back in ‘03. His offensive numbers are among the best in franchise history. That walk-off grand slam he hit in 2001 against the Astros -- and the call by Lanny Frattare -- is the stuff of legends.

Barry Bonds, the controversial home run king with an asterisk, is undeniably one of the best to wear the black and gold. He was on a Hall of Fame track, winning two MVPs and several other accolades before signing with the Giants and becoming such a controversial figure, which he remains to this day. This year, Bonds was inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame.

Mike Easler was a valuable contributor to those early ‘80s lost years. He hit for a high average, most notably .338 in 1980, a year in which he received MVP votes. Easler was an All-Star the following season. Dick Groat, another Pittsburgh native (Swissvale, to be specific), had such an impressive career, not just in baseball. He won the batting title and MVP in 1960, the same year the Pirates captured the World Series, then won another title with the Cardinals in ‘64. He was an eight-time All-Star, and became the first person to be inducted into both the College Baseball and College Basketball Halls of Fame, thanks to his years at Duke.

As Pirates fans, we tend not to remember the Chris Archer trade fondly. Both he and Tyler Glasnow were No. 24 at one time, ironically enough. Others that come to mind are 2000s rotation mainstay Tom Gorzelanny and most recently Johan Oviedo, who had a good 2023 before requiring Tommy John surgery.

1. No. 21

Roberto Clemente’s lasting legacy, as a player and humanitarian, cannot be understated. “Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don’t, then you are wasting your time on this Earth.” What a powerful message from “The Great One”. Major League Baseball has honored him by celebrating Roberto Clemente Day every Sept. 15, and establishing the Roberto Clemente Award, given each year to the player that “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement, and the individual’s contribution to his team”. He was a true hero to many in Pittsburgh and his native Puerto Rico, on and off the field. The Pirates retired his No. 21 after his tragic passing at the age of 38, caused by a plane crash while delivering aid to victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua.

Before Clemente played at Forbes Field, a few other notable Pirates have worn No. 21. Fritz Ostermueller, a starting pitcher, finished out his career in Pittsburgh. In this stretch from 1944 to 1948, he put up 14.8 WAR, his best season being 1946 with a 2.84 ERA in 193.1 innings pitched (5.5 WAR). Hall of Fame shortstop Arky Vaughan was the first great Pirate to wear No. 21. He won the batting title in 1935, hitting .385 that year, was a nine-time All-Star, and finished third in MVP voting two seasons. Vaughan is also a member of the Pirates Hall of Fame.