Flores Jr. Steps In as Pirates Catcher | Pittsburgh Pirates News

Rafael Flores Jr. is getting his shot behind the plate for the Pittsburgh Pirates after Endy Rodríguez went on the injured list, stepping in alongside Henry Davis to handle catching duties. Called up from Triple-A Indianapolis, Flores Jr. is the top prospect in the Pirates’ system and the centerpiece of last year’s trade with the Yankees that sent David Bednar to New York. Though his Triple-A stats aren’t flashy — a .228 average and four homers — he’s shown strong on-base ability and power potential, including a major league home run. A right-handed hitter who walks often and swings for the fences, he’s got a solid arm defensively but needs work in other catching areas. With key players sidelined, his bat-first approach could be a game-changer for Pittsburgh’s playoff push — and if he can balance offense and defense, he might just prove the Bednar trade was worth it. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/642bb6988ec5fe74