During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z, an alphabetical, player-by-player look at the 40-man roster.

Player: Connor Joe

Positions: Outfielder/first base

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

Age: 31

Height: 6 foot

Weight: 205 pounds

2023 MLB statistics: Batted .247/.339/.421 with 31 doubles, four triples, 11 home runs and 42 RBIs in 133 games.

Contract: Enters first year of arbitration eligibility.

Acquired: From the Colorado Rockies in a trade for right-handed pitcher Nick Garcia on Dec. 18, 2022.

This past season: Joe’s career came full circle when the Pirates, who drafted him in the first round (No. 39 overall) in 2014, reacquired him from the Rockies to provide much-needed depth.

Joe has had a nomadic career, bouncing around baseball and dealing with a major health scare since being traded to Atlanta for Sean Rodriguez in August 2017. He was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers a month later for international bonus slot money, then selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2018 Rule 5 Draft and traded to the San Francisco Giants before being returned to the Dodgers.

Then, in February 2020, Joe was diagnosed with testicular cancer during a routine physical for spring training. He underwent chemotherapy and missed the pandemic season. Five months later, he was declared cancer-free. He then signed a minor-league contract with the Rockies.

“After going through the cancer treatments, for them to give me an opportunity without really knowing how I’d bounce back was awesome,” Joe said. “Then to break into the big leagues with them and really establish myself, I’m grateful for that.”

It’s a full circle moment for Connor Joe. pic.twitter.com/mifLxSkCNz

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) December 22, 2022

The Pirates were counting on Joe building on his first full season in the majors, when he slashed .238/.338/.359 with 20 doubles, four triples, seven homers and 28 RBIs and showed versatility by playing both corner outfield spots, first base and designated hitter in 111 games.

You already know it's... CONNOR JOE! pic.twitter.com/hoBhWQUxTj

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 29, 2023

Joe’s hustle made him a fan favorite at Coors Field, and it didn’t take long for Pirates fans to warm to him at PNC Park. In his first 11 games with the Pirates, Joe slashed .333/.421/.576. He got an RBI single in his first at-bat, went 4 for 5 with three doubles in the home opener against the Chicago White Sox and hit the front end of back-to-back homers at St. Louis.

“That’s a great part of this game, but it’s not everything,” Joe said. “I embrace it and the fans embrace me, but we’re here to win games. As we win games and the season goes on, the fans are going to get on board with the Pirates in general, not one player.”

Some great hustle by Connor Joe earns Bryan Reynolds a clutch RBI, and the Pirates lead 1-0 pic.twitter.com/FVYyX9BzdG

— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) July 16, 2023

The right-handed hitting Joe credited manager Derek Shelton for using favorable matchups to put him in a position to succeed, as he hit .288/.387/.575 with seven doubles, two triples, four home runs and 11 RBIs through the end of April.

With elbow and knee injuries forcing Andrew McCutchen into the designated hitter role, Joe became a regular for the Pirates. His 133 games were the third-most of any player, behind fellow outfielders Bryan Reynolds and Jack Suwinski.

But Joe responded by batting .221 in May and .197 in June, then gave way to rookie Henry Davis and Joshua Palacios in right field.

After playing in 24 games in each of the first three months, Joe rebounded when he was limited to 18 games in July, slashing .278/.366/.417. The Pirates even had Joe taking grounders at second base, looking for places to use him in pinch-hit situations.

Then the Pirates traded first basemen Carlos Santana and Ji-Man Choi, opening playing time at another position for Joe over the final two months. He platooned with Alfonso Rivas and, later, Jared Triolo.

Consistency remained as elusive as playing time. Joe slashed .435/.533/.652 with five doubles and five RBIs over a seven-game homestand against St. Louis and the Chicago Cubs from Aug. 21-27, only to go 0 for 17 on a six-game road trip at Kansas City and St. Louis.

“It’s easier mentally, as far as knowing you’re going to be in there, knowing who you’re going to face that night for a couple at-bats,” Joe said, “as opposed to trying to play the game out in your mind when you’re on the bench and see what spots or what innings you’re going to be in to be ready for and then how to prepare during the game to get myself ready for that pinch-hit, which is also a gritty at-bat.”

Get to know Connor Joe! Hear his unique story on Inside Pirates Baseball debuting after Postgame here on @ATTSportsNetPIT. pic.twitter.com/FEJikUOckL

— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) June 24, 2023

The future: Joe proved his value not only with his defensive versatility but by tying for the team lead with a career-best 31 doubles, a .339 on-base percentage and drawing walks at a 10.6% rate.

“The quality of the at-bat is really always good,” Shelton said of Joe in early September. “He controls the zone and does a really nice job there. I do think he’s gotten a little more aggressive to pitches he can hit earlier in counts, and we’re seeing more aggressive swings.”

His production also is a conundrum. Joe hit .297/.402/.595 with eight doubles, four homers and 15 RBIs in 22 games in the cleanup spot, yet trailed McCutchen by one homer and one RBI despite playing 21 more games and led Palacios by one homer and two RBIs despite playing in 42 more games. And only Suwinski and Reynolds had more strikeouts.

The problem for Joe is finding a fit. Reynolds and Suwinski are locks to start in the outfield — likely in the corners — and Palacios and Davis will be vying for the fourth outfielder role.

Joe’s ability to play first base — where had minus-2 defensive runs saved in 53 games (38 starts) — adds to his value, considering rookies Triolo and Endy Rodriguez are the only other options.

Complicating matters is that Joe, entering his first year of arbitration, is expected to earn a considerable pay raise. MLB Trade Rumors projected him to make $2 million, a healthy bump from his $735,000 salary last season. While that could make Joe a trade candidate, the Pirates love the professionalism he brings to both his at-bats and the clubhouse.

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