Tommy Pham addition appears to complete this Pirates projected Opening Day lineup

Joey Bart: C

Likely one of the best, if not the best, trades during the Ben Cherington era is the Joey Bart acquisition. He has only been productive for one year in his career, yet that great stretch of games came in Pittsburgh, changing the future outlook behind the plate for the Pirates moving forward.

In just 80 games with the Pirates, Bart belted 13 home runs and 11 doubles to generate a slugging percentage of .462. That paired with an on-base percentage of .337 to create an OPS of .799. He also added a wRC+ of 121.

FanGraphs' projections anticipate Bart will take a step back in 2025, but the Pirates need him to remain an above-average hitter amid any regressions. His power fits great in the cleanup spot, and if he repeats his success from 2024, then the Pirates have found themselves a slugger behind the plate.

Billy Cook: 1B

The biggest addition to the offense this offseason came from a trade with the Guardians for Spencer Horwitz. One issue, though, is his current injury, which likely takes him out for opening day.

At the plate with the Blue Jays, Horwitz put together a wRC+ of 127 with an OPS of .790. He belted 12 home runs with 19 doubles and 40 runs driven in. He struck out at a low rate of 18.4% and walked at a high clip of 11%.

All eyes are on Horwitz right now to fill in a hole at first base that the Pirates have not been able to figure out for years. His left-handed bat was a much-needed upgrade, and he is already projected to be the Pirates best overall hitter, according to FanGraphs' steamer projections. Unfortunately, he will miss 6-to-8 weeks while rehabbing from wrist surgery, meaning it is unlikely (excepting a best-case scenario) that he will be ready for Opening Day. In our estimation, Billy Cook will primarily fill his spot for now after hitting .224 with three homers in 49 MLB at-bats last fall.

Nick Gonzales: 2B

Another player expected to really break out in 2025 is Nick Gonzales, Cherington's first draft pick with the Pirates. He showed a lot of great improvements from his 2023 season to his 2024 campaign, which provides fans with a lot of hope for his future.

In 2024, Gonzales drove in 49 runs, belted seven home runs and piled up 19 doubles. He also went from a 63 wRC+ to a 94, which represented a profound step in the right direction. Another positive was his strikeout rate going from 28.1% to 19.1%.

Gonzales also brings a solid glove to the table, so keeping him in the lineup is important for the Pirates this season. If he continues to develop, he could turn into one of the top hitters on the team.