Pittsburgh Pirates All-Time Roster

In: All-Time Rosters, Teams

Pittsburgh Pirates All-Time Player Roster (1901–2025)

This roster includes every player who appeared in a major league season for the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise from 1901 through 2025, listed alphabetically by last name with years played for franchise and primary position.

Longest-Tenured Pittsburgh Pirates Players

All-Time Player Roster (Alphabetical)

A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · J · K · L · M · N · O · P · Q · R · S · T · U · V · W · X · Y · Z

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

All underlying data used in this analysis is available in The Baseball Scholar Data Library.

14 Comments

  2. I am a long-time Pirate fan. I’m not sure how I stumbled upon this page, but if this guy seriously thinks Elbie Fletcher, George Grantham, etc, are all-time Pirate greats, then he is nuts. Look at the guys he has on the “Bench”, or not even on the team, like Mazeroski. Compare them to the players he thinks belong in the starting lineup. Was this an April Fools Day joke or something?

  3. Elroy Face not on the roster? What are you smoking?

  4. In 1891, 2B Lou Bierbauer joined the NL Pittsburgh Alleghenys instead of returning to the AA Philadelphia A’s (Omitted from their reserve list). The AA League filed an official complaint against the Alleghenys for being “piratical”. Just to rub it in, the Alleghenys began calling themselves “Pirates”.

    In 1899, The Louisville Colonels were one of four teams that the NL would eliminate for 1900. The others were Cleveland Spiders, Washington Washington Senators and Baltimore Orioles. The Colonels’ owner, Barney Dreyfuss, bought into the Pittsburgh Pirates then “traded’ his young stars to the Pirates. Honus Wagner, Fred Clarke, Claude Ritchey, Tommy Leach, Deacon Phillippe, Rube Waddell and others for Jack Chesbro and others.

    1924: All Time Greatest Defensive Range for Middle INF: SS Glenn Wright – 2B Rabbit Maranville

    As always, greatest teams are only one’s opinion. 1B is weak for such an old team:

    C Manny Sanguillen, Jason Kendall, Tony Pena

    1B Jake Beckley, Willie Stargell
    2B Bill Mazeroski
    3B Pie Traynor, Tommy Leach, Bill Madlock
    SS Honus Wagner, Arky Vaughan, Dick Groat, Jay Bell

    LF Ralph Kiner, Fred Clarke, Kike Cuyler
    CF Max Carey, Lloyd Waner, Ginger Beaumont, Andrew McCutchen
    RF Paul Waner, Roberto Clemente, Dave Parker, Patsy Donovan

    SUB Lee Lacy, Al Oliver

    SPR Babe Adams, Pud Galvin, Deacon Phillippe, Sam Leever, Ray Kramer, Rip Sewell, Bob Friend, Bob Veale,Vic Willis
    SPL Wilbur Cooper, Lefty Leifield, Jesse Tannehill, John Candelaria,

    RPR Kent Tekulve, Roy Face, Dave Guisti, Mark Melancon
    RPL Tony Watson, Mike Gonzalez

  5. I wish I had the ability to edit after posting.

  6. Are you kidding m.e..I’m. No Mazeroski..greatest defensive 2B ever.. no Stargell..no Pie Traynor at third.. and Jason Kendall..how about Manny Sanguillen.. very underrated..good player that got overshadowed by Johnny bench

  7. I think Kent Tekulve because of his longevity would be a better choice over Melancon.melancon was better in the short term however.

  8. Actually tony Pena would be a better choice over Sanguillen.close though Sanguillen the better hitter, but Pena’s great defense gives him a slight edge.

    1. I also think Elroy face should be one of the relievers , along with Tekulve, and John candleariashould be one of starting pitchers.

  9. Dave Parker and Al Oliver deserve some love here.

  10. Here yins go…

    Pittsburgh Pirate Position Players Top Fives in “pWAR” (that is, WAR while a Pirate)

    Catcher
    Jason Kendall 30.6
    Manny Sanguillen 26.8
    Tony Pena 22.3
    George Gibson 15.1
    Smoky Burgess 14.6

    1b
    (Willie Stargell 57.5 LF/1B. See note*)
    Elbie Fletcher 25
    Gus Suhr 23.1
    George Grantham 22.1 (BRef counts him as 2b for his career, but with Pirates he played 475 games at 1b and only 393 at 2b)
    Donn Clendenon 17.6

    2b
    Bill Mazeroski 36.5
    Claude Ritchey 25.2
    Johnny Ray 19.4
    Neil walker 16.5
    Rennie Stennett 14.6

    3b
    Tommy Leach 36.4
    Pie Traynor 36.2
    Richie Hebner 23
    Bob Elliott 22.7
    Bobby Bonilla 20.3

    SS
    John Peter Wagner 120.2
    Arky Vaughn 64
    Gene Alley 24.2
    Jay Bell 23.9
    Dick Groat 22.3
    (Jack Wilson 21.3. Only player with 20+ pWAR who didn’t make the Top 5s)

    OF [15, mixed positions]
    Roberto Clemente 94.5
    Paul Waner 68.2
    Max Carey 52.3
    Barry Bonds 50.3
    Fred Clarke 46.8
    Ralph Kiner 44.7
    Andrew McCuthen 39.4
    Dave Parker 34.8
    Andy Van Slyke 31.0
    Starling Marte 29.1 (*active)
    Al Oliver 27.3
    Brian Giles 26.7
    Lloyd Waner 24.1
    Ginger Beaumont 22.3
    KiKi Cuyler 17.5 *

    Adjustments:
    – Only counting players since 1900.
    – *Willie Stargell counted as 1st baseman – he did play about 40% of his games (including his MVP season there, and otherwise the pWar 1b roster is weakish.
    And this way All positions have a ‘leader’ of at least 30 pWAR.
    – Kiki Cuyler has been leapfrogged over Billy Virdon. Virdon 18.3 pWAR in 5856pa; Cuyler 17.5 pWAR in 2289pa)

  11. Interesting !!! Do you have all these cards ? It would be a great collection for us young fans ?

    1. No, of course I don’t have all these cards. Who can afford a Wagner card?

      I’m puzzled by the neglect (hate) of Bill Mazeroski. Some people are offended that he’s in the Hall, claiming that it’s only because of his 1960 home run. But of course he’s there as one of the greatest fielders of all-time. And he far outclasses George Grantham (?!?) who wasn’t even primarily a second baseman for the Bucs.

  12. Whoever chose this team really doesn’t seem to be able to judge baseball talent, as your posters have pointed out. After 120+ years, one would think that the Pirates would have produced more top flight players than the all stars picked.

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