The Pirates will have 31 players at their alternate sites in Pittsburgh to start the year, the club announced Saturday.
That is a larger pool than the 20 active players they had in Altoona, Pa. last season, though that was due to restrictions from the league.
Unlike last year, where the Pirates used only Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona as the alternate site, the club will be using three facilities in 2021. They will be using a locker room at Heinz Field as a clubhouse, and when the major league team is away, they will practice at PNC Park. If the Pirates are at home, they will use Charles L. Cost Field at the University of Pittsburgh.
There is no word from the league yet how long there will be alternate sites, but the minor-league season is set to get started May 4. The Pirates’ arrangements with the Steelers and Pitt are through the end of April.
The Pirates’ alternate site roster will also play 13 games, all on the road, against other team’s reserve rosters. That schedule starts with a pair of three-game series against the Indians’ alternate site in Columbus, Ohio on April 5-7 and April 17-19, followed by four games against the Tigers’ site and three in Louisville, Ky. against the Reds.
Minor-league spring training is getting started in Bradenton, Fla. now that the major league team has left, per league rules this year.
Here is the full roster:
Pitchers: Tyler Bashlor, Chase De Jong, Jandel Gustave, Geoff Hartlieb, Max Kranick, James Marvel, Nick Mears, Braeden Ogle, Sean Poppen, Edgar Santana, Chasen Shreve, Shea Spitzbarth, Blake Weiman, Steven Wright and Miguel Yajure
Catchers: Jason Delay, Joe Hudson, Christian Kelley and Andrew Susac
Infielders: Ji-hwan Bae, Rodolfo Castro, Will Craig, Oneil Cruz, Wilmer Difo, Todd Frazier and Connor Kaiser
Outfielders: Brian Goodwin, Hunter Owen, Chris Sharpe, Troy Stokes Jr. and Travis Swaggerty
Coaches: Brian Esposito (manager), Joel Hanrahan (pitching coach), David Newhan (hitting coach) and Gary Green (bench coach)