What the Pirates' depth chart at second base looks like across every level

Second base over the years has been a solid position for Pittsburgh. Now, though, the depth at the position seems to have leveled up for the Pirates, and looks great for years to come, including three former first-round picks down the organizational depth chart. Second base, from top to bottom of the organization, seems to be one of Pittsburgh's overall strengths.

The Pirates' second base depth chart looks very strong entering 2025.

Pittsburgh: Nick Gonzales and Adam Frazier

The clear-cut starter is Nick Gonzales after he put together a very solid 2024. He completely bounced back from his not-so-great 2023 season in a big way, emerging as a long-term answer at second base. He drove in 49 runs, posting a wRC+ of 94 with an OPS of .709.

Backing him up will be Adam Frazier, who is blocking Nick Yorke off from the big leagues, but who does add an important left-handed bat to the infield. He has had a history of success at the plate and in the field. In 2023, he belted a career high 13 home runs, but in 2024, his wRC+ was just 63 with a career-high strikeout percentage of 20.1%. If he continues trending downwards, the Pirates will look to Indianapolis for a solution.

Indianapolis: Nick Yorke and Enmanuel Valdez

Yorke is very talented, and really displayed what he can bring in his short time in the organization last season. His tools at the plate are truly remarkable, earning him a lot of praise entering the season. He should be utilized as a utility option in Pittsburgh, but to start the season, he will likely be in Triple-A. Last year in Indianapolis, Yorke put up a 147 wRC+ with an OPS of .938 and hit 17 doubles.

Backing him up will be Enmanuel Valdez, who was acquired this offseason after being designated for assignment from Boston. He brings some power, but has overall struggled at the big league level. In 2024 at the Triple-A level, Valdez put up a 101 wRC+ with 11 home runs and an OPS of .776.

Altoona: Termarr Johnson and Kervin Pichardo

The Pirates' third-ranked prospect will begin the year in Altoona, where, if he puts together a solid season, could debut in Pittsburgh. He has shown his quality tools at just 20 years old and will look to continue to prove himself in 2025. Last season with Greensboro and Altoona, Johnson put up a 123 wRC+ with an OPS of .752 and 15 home runs.

Backing him up will be Kervin Pichardo, a 23-year-old utility option that the Pirates acquired a year ago. He doesn't really have much of a prospect status and will serve more as a role player there. In 2024, Pichardo belted 11 home runs with an OPS of .679 and a wRC+ of 96.

Greensboro: Duce Gorson

A draft pick from 2024, Duce Gorson will likely see time in Greensboro to start the season. He got to play across two levels following the draft, and did not perform terribly. He finished with a wRC+ of 106 with a .679 OPS and a walked at a 15.8% clip.

Bradenton: Keiner Delgado and Carlos Caro

Keiner Delgado was acquired as the other end of a trade that occurred around Opening Day 2024, eventually being "named later" as the return for JT Brubaker from the Yankees. He brings some solid hit tools, but struggled in Bradenton last season, so he will likely remain there to start. In Bradenton during the 2024 season, Delgado posted a wRC+ of 96 with 25 stolen bases and an OPS of .666.

Carlos Caro rounds it out as a guy who played very well in rookie ball, leading to a likely promotion to Bradenton. Between the two teams he played with last season, Caro put up a 128 wRC+ with an impressive 16.4% strikeout rate and an OPS of .814. He struggled in seven games with Bradenton, but will be someone to watch for at 20 years old.