Top 50 Pittsburgh Pirates
One of the oldest teams in Major League Baseball, the Pittsburgh Pirates, began in the American Association as the Pittsburgh Alleghenys in 1881. They joined the National League in 1887 and changed their name to the Pirates four years later.
Pittsburgh won their first World Series in 1909, with Honus Wagner leading the way. A second title came in 1925, but it would not be until 1960 when they won their third, punctuated by Bill Mazeroski’s Game 7 walk-off Home Run. Led by Roberto Clemente, they won a fourth World Series in 1971, and their fifth came in 1979 with Willie Stargell and the “We Are Family” team.
This list is up to the end of the 2025 regular season.
Note: Baseball lists are based on an amalgamation of tenure, traditional statistics, advanced statistics, playoff statistics, and post-season accolades.
2026 SEATTLE MARINERS FLEX MEMBERSHIPS
Jan 01, 1970
Buy your Tickets to see 2026 Seattle Mariners Flex Memberships HERE!
BALTIMORE ORIOLES VS. CHICAGO WHITE SOX
Jun 29, 2026
Buy your Tickets to see Baltimore Orioles vs. Chicago White Sox HERE!
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES VS. PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Jun 29, 2026
Buy your Tickets to see Philadelphia Phillies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates HERE!
NEW YORK YANKEES V. DETROIT TIGERS * PREMIUM SEATING *
Jun 29, 2026
Buy your Tickets to see New York Yankees v. Detroit Tigers * Premium Seating * HERE!
To truly understand the origins of professional baseball in western Pennsylvania, it’s necessary to go back to the 1880s—a time of grueling workloads, rough schedules, and primitive equipment that could break a modern athlete in just weeks. Ed "Cannonball" Morris exemplified this rugged, pioneering era. After the 1884 season, the Pittsburgh Alleghenys (later known as the Pirates) acquired him in a major asset deal from the collapsing Columbus Buckeyes. The broad-shouldered left-hander arrived in Pittsburgh with a fastball that revolutionized the way teams approached preventing runs. What followed was a short but intense multi-year peak, still regarded as one of…
The 1970s "Lumber Company" era of Pittsburgh baseball is celebrated for its powerful, high-speed offense, with star sluggers often taking center stage. Behind that strong offense was a 6-foot-7 left-handed pitcher who methodically dominated National League lineups with calm, precise skill. John Robert Candelaria, known as "The Candy Man" by fans, brought a distinctive Brooklyn-inspired confidence to the mound. Drafted in 1972 after walking away from basketball, the lanky southpaw used an unorthodox, high-leverage cross-fire pitch that effectively neutralized opposing hitters, making him one of the most underrated starting pitchers in franchise history. His quick rise through the farm system…
An athlete's greatness often extends beyond their skills, reflected in their character. Vern Law embodied this with unwavering faith and respect in sport. Known as "The Deacon" for his integrity and calm, he led Western Pennsylvania's rotation for nearly two decades, symbolizing blue-collar reliability. Despite tough times in the 1950s, he achieved peak performance when it mattered most. His initial appearance during the 1950 schedule offered a brief glimpse of his frontline potential, but his development was suddenly interrupted when he was called away for a multi-year military service. Law rejoined the club before the 1954 season, and over the…
The early 1990s Pittsburgh Pirates are often remembered for Barry Bonds' rise, but the team's emotional and defensive anchor patrolled beside him. Coming from the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1987 trade for Tony Peña, Andy Van Slyke made Three Rivers Stadium his home. With sharp wit, a strong work ethic, and determination to catch every fly ball, the blonde center fielder became a fan favorite in Western Pennsylvania. His true breakthrough as a versatile star occurred during an exceptional 1988 season, where his offensive output hit a league-leading peak. Van Slyke delivered an impressive at-bat performance, leading the National…
The development of the modern bullpen is often credited to a well-known knuckleball pitcher, but history tends to overlook the man who actually laid the foundation for today's closer role. Roy Face didn't just gather stats for the Pirates’ bullpen; he transformed the relief role into a potent weapon. Despite being only 5-foot-8 and 150 pounds, this former mechanical worker arrived in Pittsburgh with a reserved, icy demeanor and introduced a game-changing pitch: the forkball. By slipping the ball between his index and middle fingers, Face produced a fast, late-sinking pitch that completely baffled top hitters of the post-war era,…
Lloyd Waner, a 5-foot-9, 150-pound Oklahoma native, was a contact hitter known as "Little Poison,” with a short, quick right-handed swing. Often paired with his Hall of Fame brother Paul, he specialized in line drives and contact hitting, contrasting with power sluggers and making contact hitting a season-long routine. His debut appearance during the 1927 campaign remains one of the most explosive and prolific in Major League history. If the Rookie of the Year award had been available then, Waner would have won it by an overwhelming margin. As a 21-year-old rookie, he consistently overwhelmed National League pitchers, hitting a…
The early history of baseball has many specialized pitchers who saw their batting as a minor distraction, but Jesse Welborn Tannehill viewed the game differently. A gifted athlete with sharp reflexes, the slender left-hander from Kentucky was a double threat before the term was popular. He was known for a deceptive curveball and control on the mound, and also played outfield between starts. For five years around 1900, Tannehill was a key player for the rising Pittsburgh teams. His introductory full year in the rotation was a rather nondescript affair, yielding a modest 9–9 record and a bloated 4.25 ERA…
The history of baseball is filled with young prospects showing quick, elite talent by age twenty, but Ray Kremer's journey to major league fame was quite different. He spent nearly ten years working his way through the minor leagues and didn't pitch in the majors until he was 28. Kremer brought a mature, strategic approach to the mound, outsmarting hitters during the high-scoring 1920s. With smooth, reliable delivery, he spent his entire 10-season career in Pittsburgh, becoming a model of efficiency and the star of a small dynasty. His debut campaign in 1924 immediately demonstrated his reliability. At just 28,…
The history of baseball features many pitchers known for their overwhelming velocity, yet Truett"Rip" Sewell crafted an enduring legacy by defying physics. After a brief, five-game stint with Detroit in 1932, primarily remembered for a locker-room altercation with Hank Greenberg, Sewell spent years in the minors. By 1938, when he finally joined the Pirates, he was 31 and recovering from a serious, nearly fatal hunting accident that permanently damaged his feet. Facing physical limitations, the resourceful right-hander relied on cleverness, precise spatial control, and a unique pitching style that revolutionized the game: the "Eephus." His breakthrough into the regular starting…
The 1970s "Lumber Company" in Pittsburgh celebrated its power, but maintaining offensive pressure required precise mechanics. Al Oliver signed in 1964, exemplifying this consistency. The left-handed hitter brought focus and aggression, with a fast swing and high socks, aiming to smash baseballs into the gaps of Three Rivers Stadium. He became a respected hitter of his era. His debut as a consistent everyday player in 1969 immediately demonstrated his frontline potential, earning him a close second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. Oliver swiftly made his extra-base hits and run production a regular part of his game.…
The 1970s baseball scene in Pittsburgh is often seen as dominated by larger-than-life figures who captured national attention. However, behind the legendary "Lumber Company" lineup from behind the plate was a lively, free-swinging artist from Panama, known for playing with a joy that brightened the entire field. Manny Sanguillén, popularly called “Sangy," had a smile as broad as the three rivers and an unorthodox, highly aggressive batting style that challenged traditional hitting methods. Instead of waiting for walks or the perfect pitch, he approached anything within a five-foot radius of home plate as a chance to make solid contact, making…
Understanding the difficulties of catching in the Major League involves considering family background. Jason Kendall, the son of 12-year veteran Fred Kendall, was raised in big-league settings, which naturally exposed him to the position’s intense, demanding nature. When the Pittsburgh Pirates selected this resilient high school prospect in the first round of the 1992 draft, they were investing in a rare form of blue-collar grit. After refining his skills across four minor league levels, Kendall not only earned the starting catcher role as a rookie in 1996 but also redefined what a contemporary offensive catcher can achieve. His debut appearance…
The dawn of 20th-century Western Pennsylvania was defined by Fred Clarke’s aggressive, contact-hitting dynasty, with Clarence Howeth "Ginger" Beaumont at its center. His heavy frame earned him a nickname, but he defied athletic stereotypes using quick first steps and a strong left-handed swing to excel at the top of the order. His initial appearance during the 1899 campaign is regarded as one of the most remarkable debuts in the extensive history of the organization. As a 24-year-old novice, Beaumont methodically incapacitated National League pitching staffs, achieving an impressive .352 batting average that promptly established his position as a key player.…
A dominant, high-stakes relief weapon often evokes images of a physically imposing powerhouse throwing fastballs at high velocity. However, for more than ten years as a Pirate, the most feared late-inning escape artist resembled a neighborhood accountant. Slender, bespectacled, and modest at 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, Kent Tekulve revolutionized run prevention mechanics. Using an extreme, knuckle-scraping submarine delivery, this right-hander released the ball just inches off the ground, producing a devastating late-sinking trajectory that consistently disheartened National League hitters. He didn't just enter challenging situations; he transformed the late innings into his personal arena of precise, low-variance execution. Signed by…
The broader pop-culture lexicon of modern baseball will inevitably associate Robert Anthony Bonilla with the historic deferred-salary contract he signed with the New York Mets, an arrangement that annually prompts headlines surrounding "Bobby Bonilla Day" each July. However, reducing his entire athletic identity to a post-career financial spreadsheet severely underestimates his exceptional on-field performance. Long before becoming a symbol of front-office accounting, the switch-hitting native of the Bronx was among the most physically formidable and explosive run-producers in the sport. Playing under the lights of Three Rivers Stadium, Bonilla employed a powerful bat as a pivotal component of a formidable…
Achieving excellence at the top level of a single sport is rare, but excelling in two vastly different athletic fields requires a unique kind of talent. Richard Morrow Groat exemplified this multi-sport mastery. At Duke University, this talented athlete excelled in both basketball and baseball for several years, setting scoring records in basketball and dominating opposing pitchers in baseball. His exceptional talent led him to become the first athlete inducted into both the College Basketball and College Baseball Halls of Fame. Although he briefly played a season in the NBA with the Fort Wayne Pistons, he ultimately focused on baseball,…
Elbie Fletcher was traded to Pittsburgh from Boston during the 1939 Season, where in Western Pennsylvania, he developed one of the keenest batting eyes of the game. Fletcher finished the year strong, batting .303 for Pittsburgh, and though he would not bat over .300 again, he learned how to take pitches and would top the NL leaderboard in Walks twice (1940 & 1941) and On Base Percentage three straight years (1940-42). He went into the U.S. Navy for two years, missing two seasons, but was not the same player when he returned and was traded after the 1947 Season. Fletcher had…
When tracking baseball's resurgence in Western Pennsylvania during the mid-2010s, talk often focuses on Andrew McCutchen. However, the key to those wild card teams’ edge was Santo Domingo's Starling Javier Marte. Signed from the Dominican Republic as a free agent in 2007, Marte entered the majors with extraordinary physical talents. He played with a fierce, high-energy style, combining speed, power, and fearless defense, becoming one of the most dynamic outfielders of the modern PNC Park era. His introductory appearance midway through the 2012 campaign constituted an immediate shock to the system, marked by a historic first-pitch home run in his…
Bob Elliott built an elite career by anchoring the intangible fabric of the clubhouse, long before his fame in New England. The California product was a quiet, efficient engine for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1940s, with a disciplined right-handed stroke and a team-first focus at Forbes Field. His situational skill made him a top run-producer in the National League, but his reputation as the ultimate unselfish teammate earned him the nickname "Mr. Team.” Elliott made his Major League debut with the Pirates at the end of the 1939 season, playing a brief 32-game stint during which he quickly demonstrated…
