The Pirates signed outfielder Todd Cunningham and pitcher Richard Rodriguez to minor league contracts with invites to major league spring training, the club announced Thursday.
Both players spent 2017 in Triple-A with their respective organizations and have limited experience in Major League Baseball, but will at least provide depth for the Pirates in Indianapolis.
Cunningham, 28, spent this season between the Dodgers' and Cardinals' Triple-A affiliates, batting a combined .284/.404/.414 with four home runs and 31 RBI. A second-round pick of the Braves in 2010, Cunningham was named the organization's Minor League Player of the Year in 2012 and made his major league debut a year later.
He appeared in a career-high 39 games with the Braves in 2015, batting .221/.280/.267, and he has played all three outfield positions throughout his professional career. Cunningham played in 20 games for the Angels in 2016. The Pirates are thin on outfielders in Triple-A, so Cunningham could provide depth there, although his roster spot is far from guaranteed.
Rodriguez, a 27-year-old right-hander, made 42 relief appearances for a total of 70 2/3 innings at Triple-A Norfolk this season, posting a 2.42 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP. He had 80 strikeouts to 18 walks.
But Rodriguez struggled once he was recalled by the Orioles in September, allowing nine runs in 5 2/3 innings. It took him nearly two full seasons in Triple-A to finally make his major league debut.