Endy Rodriguez's MLB debut a sign of Pirates putting their future in hands of young talent

Endy Rodriguez had a sneaking suspicion the Pittsburgh Pirates had a promotion planned when he was scheduled to be off Sunday, just days after returning from the All-Star break.

“I was thinking, ‘It was a long break. I just played two games,’ ” said Rodriguez, rated a top-100 prospect by Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. “Sunday, I got off and said, ‘Nah, they got something for me.’ ”

When Indianapolis Indians manager Miguel Perez informed Rodriguez he was heading to the major leagues, the 23-year-old catcher sprung out of his seat, twisted around and pumped his fist in celebration.

Rodriguez and fellow top-five prospect Quinn Priester, a 2019 first-round pick, made their major-league debuts together Monday night as the starting battery, with Rodriguez catching the right-handed Priester against the Cleveland Guardians at PNC Park.

Endy Rodriguez talks about learning of his promotion to the Pirates and catching Quinn Priester while making their major league debuts together. pic.twitter.com/andNsBQzlk

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) July 17, 2023

It’s a bold move by the Pirates’ front office and coaching staff as Rodriguez and Priester are their latest prospects to make their major-league debuts in the last month.

They join right fielder Henry Davis, right-handed reliever Carmen Mlodzinski, second baseman Nick Gonzales and third baseman Jared Triolo in a youth movement.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton expected an infusion of talented rookies to join the Pirates at some point this season, though not necessarily so many at the same time. The Pirates had six rookies in the starting lineup Monday against the Guardians, with Priester on the mound and Davis, Triolo, Rodriguez, Gonzales and Liover Peguero at Nos. 5-9 in the batting order.

“We see a lot of teams that are homegrown and win together. They spend a lot of time together not only in the minor leagues but once they get to the big leagues,” Shelton said. “Obviously, there has been different reasons why some of these guys have come to the big leagues. Some of them have come because we’ve had injuries and they’re performing. Some of them have come because it’s time to get them here. The fact that they’re all here and they can play together at the big league level for however long amount of time it is before we get some of those guys back healthy, I think, is extremely important.”

With Rodriguez born May 26, 2000, and Priester on Sept. 15, 2000, it marks the first time in major league history that the starting pitcher-catcher combination were born in 2000 or later. It’s also the first time the Pirates have had their starting battery make their major league debuts together since October 1943, when Cookie Cuccurullo started with Hank Camelli behind the plate against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The last major league team to do was the Toronto Blue Jays, with Sean Reid-Foley pitching and Danny Jansen catching on Aug. 18, 2018, at the Kansas City Royals. The Cincinnati Reds did it against the Pirates on Aug. 27, 2017, with Tyler Mahle pitching and Chad Wallach catching.

“Well, the cons are that they’re both making their major league debut, and we have to make sure we manage nerves of making your major league debut,” Shelton said. “The pros are Endy’s caught Quinn a ton, so if anybody knows him, it’s him. Where we have to make sure we give Endy the information is on the hitters because him not being around them. But the pros, I think definitely outweighs it because they know each other, and Endy knows his stuff, he knows where he needs to execute, what the pitch shape is going to look like. That’s definitely a positive.”

Pirates manager Derek Shelton on starting a battery in catcher Endy Rodriguez and Quinn Priester both making their major league debuts and the catching plans moving forward. pic.twitter.com/tJnui1582o

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) July 17, 2023

It’s a moment Rodriguez has been dreaming about since being acquired from the New York Mets in the three-team trade that sent pitcher Joe Musgrove to the San Diego Padres in January 2021. Rodriguez rocketed through the Pirates system last season, when he was named their minor league player of the year after slashing .323/.407/.590 with 39 doubles, 25 home runs and 95 RBIs across three levels.

“This is the city I wanted,” Rodriguez said. “It’s a dream. Everybody wants to be here. Everybody wants to debut. Now, I’m here. A lot of things cross my mind now. I said, ‘Wow, thank God.’ ”

Rodriguez became so emotional on his flight from Indianapolis to Pittsburgh that he said he cried three times on the airplane.

“I couldn’t tell anyone because I didn’t know who was there, but I was thinking in my mind like, ‘Wow. Is this happening?’ ” Rodriguez said. “I’m not a big crier. I can’t talk with anybody in that moment. I can’t express my emotions. I was thinking a lot in my mind. The cry comes, and I said, ‘I hate you. Stop that. You are not like that.’ ”

Rodriguez was honest in spring training that he wasn’t quite ready for the major leagues, given his inexperience behind the plate after spending time at second base, first base and the corner outfield spots. Rodriguez said the 67 games he spent as the primary catcher at Triple-A Indianapolis this season helped refine his catching skills, preparing him for the nuances of pitch calling and framing in the majors.

“He’s been growing up a lot. He’s actually very, very good. He’s better than last year,” said shortstop Peguero, a top-10 prospect who also was promoted from Indianapolis on Monday. “One thing I was noticing this year is he’s so calm, so relaxed behind the plate and paying attention to the little things. I feel like that’s his biggest thing right now. So I feel like that’s one thing that’s gonna make him shine.”

Rodriguez batted .268 at Indy but played in the All-Star Futures Game on July 8, then hit a grand slam Friday in his return to Indianapolis, so his star was on the rise while backup catcher Jason Delay was in the midst of batting .115 (3 for 26) over a 17-game stretch.

Shelton said Rodriguez will get the bulk of playing time at catcher, with Austin Hedges playing a couple days a week and potentially in late-game situations because of his elite defense. Delay was optioned to Indianapolis to make room on the roster for Rodriguez.

Hedges is prepared to resume his role as a mentor to Rodriguez and Davis, who was drafted No. 1 overall in 2021 as a catcher. Both catchers shadowed Hedges, a nine-year veteran, in spring training.

“He’s been working his whole life for this moment,” Hedges said of Rodriguez. “He’s a super-talented player, and he’s earned the call-up. It’s a dream come true, literally, so it’s a lot because of that. You picture that moment your whole life, then you get to go experience it. The most important thing I’ll talk to him about is to just enjoy it.”