Jared Jones wins spot in starting rotation, Luis Ortiz in bulk role as Pirates make final cuts

That the sensation of spring training for the Pittsburgh Pirates was a right-handed pitcher they drafted and developed was no surprise.

But Jared Jones kept checking boxes to earn a spot in the starting rotation.

That the 22-year-old Jones, a 2020 second-round pick, made the club and 2023 No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes will start the season at Triple-A Indianapolis might raise some eyebrows around baseball. But Jones impressed the Pirates by mixing a four-seam fastball that touched triple digits with a hard-breaking slider coupled with the composure of a pitcher who attacked hitters and didn’t get rattled when he encountered trouble.

In what Pirates general manager Ben Cherington touted as an “organizational achievement,” Jones beat out right-handers Roansy Contreras, Luis Ortiz and Quinn Priester and lefties Bailey Falter and Josh Fleming in the competition for a spot in the starting rotation. The Pirates open the season Thursday at the Miami Marlins.

“Coming into spring training, if you would’ve told me that Jared Jones would light up some radar guns and break off some good sliders, that would not have surprised me. We sort of expected him to do that,” Cherington said. “What we were looking for was steady improvement, usage of the offspeed, usage of the full mix, awareness of the game to be able to slow himself down and make a pitch when he needed to and just ultimately competitiveness on the mound and getting hitters out. He got a chance to face some real lineups this spring, and very much stood toe to toe with them. … He kept checking those boxes. It was pretty clear to us as of (Sunday) that we’re going to Miami, and he’s one of our five best starters, so let’s take him.”

Cherington said Ortiz will start the season pitching in a bulk role out of the bullpen, indicating the Pirates could use an opener instead of a fifth starter. Contreras, Falter and Fleming — all out of minor-league options — made the team but were moved to the bullpen. Priester, a 2019 first-round pick who does have options remaining, didn’t make the cut and was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Jones, ranked the Pirates’ No. 3 prospect and No. 62 overall by MLB Pipeline, was 5-9 with a 3.85 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 146 strikeouts in 126 1/3 innings over 26 games (25 starts) last year, split between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis. He didn’t allow an earned run in 16 1/3 innings, posting 15 strikeouts and eight walks while holding opponents to a .167 batting average over six Grapefruit League appearances.

After setting a goal to make the Opening Day roster, Jones has a new goal.

“Win a lot of baseball games,” he said. “You’re having a pretty good year if you’re doing that. Staying up here as long as I can and winning baseball games.”

When Jones was called into an office Sunday by Pirates assistant director of pitching Jeremy Bleich and met with Cherington and manager Derek Shelton, he immediately feared the worst-case scenario.

“Cherington was like, ‘You’ve thrown 120 innings the past couple years, and it wouldn’t be right for me to throw 200 innings.’ I was just thinking in my head, thinking, like, ‘Aw, they’re sending me to Triple-A. Whatever,’” Jones told SportsNet Pittsburgh during the broadcast of Monday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays. “A minute or two goes by, and he looks over at Shelton, who looks at me and cracks a little smile and says, ‘Congratulations! You know what? You’re coming with us to Miami.’ I was like, ‘There’s no way.’ They got me for sure.”

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Jones is one of seven players who made their first Opening Day roster. He is joined by Ortiz, catcher Henry Davis, right-handed relievers Ryder Ryan and Hunter Stratton, second baseman Jared Triolo and middle infielder Alika Williams.

Ortiz, 25, was 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in four games (two starts) this spring, striking out 15 against seven walks and holding opponents to a .209 batting average. He was 5-5 with a 4.78 ERA and 1.70 WHIP in 18 games (15 starts) for the Pirates last season.

The odd man out is Priester, a 23-year-old right-hander who posted a 5.87 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 13 strikeouts and only three walks in 15 1/3 innings but allowed two home runs and a .246 batting average against in five appearances (three starts).

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Another newcomer, Edward Olivares, won the battle with Billy McKinney for a backup spot in the outfield. The Pirates picked the right handed-hitting Olivares, who was acquired from the Kansas City Royals and avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $1.35 million contract, despite an uneven spring. Where McKinney had one of the best performances, slashing .359/.490/.590 with three doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs and drawing twice as many walks (10) as strikeouts, Olivares batted .217/.234/.391 with three doubles, a triple, a home run and six RBIs.

The Pirates are expected to place second baseman/center fielder Ji Hwan Bae (hip flexor) and catcher Yasmani Grandal (plantar fasciitis) on the 10-day injured list, with right-handed relievers Colin Holderman (illness) and Carmen Mlodzinski (forearm) on the 15-day IL. Roster moves are expected to be announced on Opening Day.

The Pirates previously placed pitchers JT Brubaker and Johan Oviedo and catcher Endy Rodriguez on the 60-day IL, as all three are recovering from Tommy John surgery. Brubaker is expected to return after the All-Star break, but Oviedo and Rodriguez are out for the season.

Shelton said the Pirates like Ryan because they wanted a sinkerballer in the bullpen with Holderman out. Ryan, 28, made his major-league debut last season for the Seattle Mariners and was 0-2 with a 3.52 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. He held hitters to a .194 batting average while striking out 10 and walking four in 7 2/3 innings over eight appearances this spring.

Stratton, 27, didn’t allow an earned run in seven innings over eight relief appearances this spring, recording seven strikeouts against two walks and allowing a .222 batting average against. Stratton posted a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings for the Pirates last season. Jones, Ryan and Stratton will require corresponding 40-man roster moves, which are expected to be revealed Opening Day.

A surprise cut was right-handed reliever Brent Honeywell Jr., who signed a minor-league contract as a nonroster invitee and posted a 3.24 ERA and 0.72 WHIP this spring with 10 strikeouts and one walk and held hitters to a .161 batting average in 8 1/3 innings over nine appearances. The Pirates reassigned Honeywell, McKinney, corner infielder/outfielder Jake Lamb, outfielder Gilberto Celestino, catcher Grant Koch, left-handed pitcher Eric Lauer and right-handers Domingo German and Wily Peralta to minor league camp.

A look at the Pirates’ projected 26-man Opening Day roster:

Catcher (2): Henry Davis, Jason Delay.

Infielders (5): Oneil Cruz, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Rowdy Tellez, Jared Triolo, Alika Williams.

Outfielders (5): Connor Joe, Edward Olivares, Bryan Reynolds, Jack Suwinski, Michael A. Taylor.

Designated hitter (1): Andrew McCutchen.

Starting pitchers (4): Marco Gonzales, Jared Jones, Mitch Keller, Martin Perez.

Bullpen (9): David Bednar, Ryan Borucki, Aroldis Chapman, Roansy Contreras, Bailey Falter, Josh Fleming, Luis Ortiz, Ryder Ryan, Hunter Stratton.