Jared Triolo had a September to remember in his rookie year with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The question now is if the infielder can build on that late-season success in 2024?
Triolo reached base in each of his last 13 games in 2023. He went 20 for 45 with seven doubles, two home runs, five stolen bases and 10 walks while compiling a .444/.544/.733 slash line.
Triolo’s on-base percentage was a robust .458 in September/October, which was fourth in the National League. That was aided by a career-high four hits and three RBIs on Sept. 23 when the Pirates made the biggest comeback in franchise history, falling behind 9-0 before beating the Reds 13-12 in Cincinnati.
That puts the 25-year-old in a position to compete for the wide-open second baseman’s job in spring training.
Over two stints with the Pirates last season, Triolo hit .298/.388/.398 in 54 games with three homers and six stolen bases.
Called up June 28 from Triple-A Indianapolis, Triolo got his first major-league hit that night off Ray Kerr in a win over the San Diego Padres at PNC Park. That began a 13-game hitting streak, the longest of the season by a Pirates player, and he went 16 for 48 (.333) in that span.
Triolo became just the third Pirates player to have a hitting streak of at least 12 games within the first 17 games of his career. The others were Jewel Ens in 1922 and Woody Jansen in 1931.
On Aug. 13, Triolo hit his first MLB home run, connecting for a pinch-hit three-run shot off the Cincinnati Reds’ Alex Young in a win at PNC Park in the opener of a doubleheader. However, Triolo was optioned to Indianapolis five days later before returning to the major leagues on Sept. 6.
Triolo played in a total of 53 games for Indianapolis in 2023 and batted .287/.412/.432 with two homers and 10 RBI. He did not make his season debut until May 9 after undergoing surgery in March to repair a broken hamate bone in his left hand.
One of Triolo’s highlights for Indianapolis was a four-stolen base game on June 21 against Columbus. He became the first Indians player with four steals in a game since Eury Perez in 2017.
Triolo also had a 24-game on-base streak for Indy between June 15 and Sept. 2.
A third baseman by trade, Triolo made 35 starts at the hot corner for the Pirates along with 10 at second base and six at third base. With Indy, he started 25 times at third, 16 times at shortstop, nine times at second and three times at first.
Triolo, the Pirates’ second-round pick in 2019, is an outstanding defender at third base. However, he is blocked at that position by Gold Glove winner Ke’Bryan Hayes.
With the way the Pirates roster stands now, Triolo figures to battle to be the primary second baseman with Liover Peguero, Ji Hwan Bae and Nick Gonzales during the Grapefruit League season.
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