Pirates option Jack Brannigan to Triple-A

With Endy Rodriguez (hip) headed to the injured list, the Pirates will simply use Rafael Flores Jr. as their backup catcher, so they can call up Brannigan as a reserve infielder. He has hit .217/.324/.447 with 14 home runs in 69 Triple-A games this season.

Brannigan heads back to the minors between games during Saturday’s doubleheader against the Brewers with newly acquired Jacob Gonzalez taking his roster spot.

Brannigan receives the call to replace an injured Konnor Griffin (finger) on Pittsburgh’s active roster. The unheralded 25-year-old was called up last month, but didn’t end up making an appearance. He’ll occupy a bench role behind Jared Triolo for the next couple weeks.

Brannigan is still looking to make his MLB debut, as he did not get into a game in his one day with the Pirates.

With Spencer Horwitz (hamstring) landing on the injured list, it will be Brannigan coming up to join the Pirates. The 25-year-old was hitting .235/.333/.522 with eight home runs and 18 RBI in 31 games at Double-A with a 37.9 percent strikeout rate. He will just be a bench bat for the Pirates until Horwitz returns or Konnor Griffin comes off the injured list.

Brannigan suffered a broken nose and other injuries to his face after he was struck by a batted ball in a Grapefruit League contest against the Phillies in late February. Harbin is also shelved for the time being due to a teres major strain. This was a procedural move more than anything just to get them out of big league camp as they start to whittle the roster down.

Brannigan is currently being examined for further injury.. Brannigan is competing for one of the final spots on the roster as a potential utility player after having his contract selected in November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.

Valdez is the clear headliner on the heels of a transcendent Arizona Fall League campaign where he batted .368/.513/.842 with eight round-trippers in 19 games. The 21-year-old slugger’s emergence gives the Pirates another potential high-impact bat to pair with blue-chip prospects Konnor Griffin and Edward Florentino, who will enter next season among the top-ranked talents in baseball. He’s officially protected from selection in next month’s Rule 5 Draft and should enter next spring as one of the more exciting talents for fantasy managers to monitor in the upper minors.

None of the quartet were expected to challenge for a spot on the Opening Day roster, so there are no real surprises among the group. Johnson, 20, was the team’s first-round selection (fourth overall) from the 2022 draft. He finished the 2024 campaign with 14 games at Double-A Altoona and that’s where he’ll open the 2025 season. The Pirates are now down to 63 players remaining on the big league side of spring camp.

Smith-Njigba, 24, showed off his tools during Grapefruit League play, hitting .200 (5-for-25) with three homers, five RBI and a pair of stolen bases. His time is coming soon, it just isn’t quite yet. Selby, on the other hand, struggled mightily during his spring action — registering an 11.25 ERA, 2.75 WHIP and a 4/4 K/BB ratio over his four frames. He should see action with the Pirates at some point during the 2024 season as well.