Pirates’ Triolo Proving Value in Utility Role

Wherever his name appears in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ lineup, Jared Triolo is fine with his manager’s decision.

With the Pirates just finishing up a three-game road trip in Denver with the Colorado Rockies, this week’s three-game series hosting of the Cincinnati Reds, Triolo and the rest of his teammates will have much to prove—to themselves as well as their fan base.

Are the Pirates contenders for a Wild Card position this season? Do they have a legitimate shot at taking the National League Central Division? Hovering around a .500 win-loss record is a must before pushing forward at the top of their division.

Players like Triolo are becoming increasingly more valuable to Shelton and his staff. Having the luxury of being plugged in at several infield positions right now offers Triolo the best opportunity to be in the Bucs' lineup.
When Triolo, 26, who has patrolled all infield positions this season except for shortstop, checks out the lineup posted in the Pirates’ clubhouse each day at PNC Park or in any of the visiting stadiums, he must like his chances of playing.

Since being recalled last season from Triple-A Indianapolis in June and getting to make his MLB debut after four years of steadily making his way up the Pirates’ minor league chain, Triolo has been consistent. MLB front office leaders are always scouting for consistency in players.

With a two-season combined batting average of .255 in 54 games last season, Triolo smacked 54 hits. Making the club this season right out of spring training, with 56 games in the books so far in 2024, the Pirates’ second-round draft selection in 2019 has 41 hits.

Shelton and his staff have no guessing about what to expect from Triolo. He plays solid defense and has a better-than-average shot at getting on base. Making the club as a solid reserve player who can be plugged in when and where most needed doesn’t offer much security.

The Pirates are an organization with a wealth of talented infielders on their 40-man roster looking for a chance to prove their worthiness. Shortstop is claimed. Oneill Cruz is the club’s project in that position. Same for third base. Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner Ke’Bryan Hayes isn’t going anywhere.

Even though Triolo has played a game at first base this season and seven in 2023, right now, the bag belongs to Rowdy Tellez and the versatile Connor Joe. Since Nick Gonzales was recalled from Triple-A last month, his .300-plus average justifies his name in the everyday lineup at second base.

The Pirates have Liover Peguero and Niko Goodrum down on the farm, waiting for their call for regular duty with Pittsburgh. Goodrum, who was claimed on waivers earlier this month from the Anaheim Angels, has seven seasons of MLB experience (415 games) to gladly offer the Pirates’ coaching staff.

Given all the roster competition, Triolo still stands tall as the go-to guy when injuries and other reasons preclude the starters from taking the field. As the Pirates try to figure out how to get Triolo reps in the infield and at-bats, there is no guessing about his skills.

Pittsburgh had ample time to do their homework on Triolo. In his senior year, when playing at Texas’ Lake Travis High School (20 miles west of Austin), Triolo collected 40 hits in 28 games. As a senior, Triolo watched a freshman come to Coach Mike Rogers’ program and begin showing signs of being as dominating a player as he was.

That freshman, Brett Baty, like Triolo, was drafted in 2019. Baty was the New York Mets’ number on selection. For Triolo, after Lake Travis High, he would attend the University of Houston and grow his baseball talents under the guidance of Cougars’ Head Coach Todd Whitting.

“Heading into my senior year, I was drafted,” said Triolo prior to a morning spring training workout. “(Whitting) prepared me really well for the next step in my career.”

Triolo looks back at how influential Rogers was in his baseball growth. He tells of his high school coach having “good connections” with Baylor, Texas Tech, and Houston. Ultimately selecting Houston, a program that produced former Pirates’ Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Doug Drabek, the competition in the Big 12 Conference for three seasons took Triolo’s baseball IQ to another level.

He’s a battler. Triolo doesn’t have to get ready when his name may come up, for any given game. He stays ready. Memories of coming up in the Pirates’ minor league system are becoming more distant for Triolo. Being on clubs with current teammates Jack Suwinski and Ji Hwan Bae, although positive for Triolo, they are fading a bit.

Triolo focuses on the here and now. Competition brings out the best in Triolo. Thinking only of what he can control, the Pirates' “super sub” continues to impress as has always been the expectation.