After another fifth-place finish in the NL Central, the Pittsburgh Pirates face a busy offseason as they look to upgrade their major league roster. While most major moves can’t happen until after the World Series, the team has already begun making smaller ones, including re-signing pitcher Jarod Bayless to a minor league deal as October comes to a close.
Bayless isn’t a household name. The 28-year-old joined the Pirates organization just last season and advanced quickly from Greensboro to Indianapolis. Across 77 innings, he logged a solid 3.97 ERA, 4.37 FIP, and 9.0 strikeouts per nine, proving himself as a reliable innings-eater at multiple levels.
Now back on the Triple-A roster, Bayless’s path to Pittsburgh remains uncertain. He’s not on the 40-man roster but will be invited to spring training. Cracking the big-league bullpen won’t be easy, yet a strong showing at Indianapolis could earn him a midseason look.
Pirates re-sign Jarod Bayless to a minor league deal, the arm that aided in Greensboro’s second perfect game in 2025.
During his brief stint with Greensboro, Jarod Bayless played a small but memorable role in team history. He pitched a perfect inning in the Grasshoppers’ second perfect game of the summer — a rare feat to be part of at any level. Beyond that highlight, Bayless was excellent in Greensboro overall, posting a 2.52 ERA with an impressive 12.6 K/9.
However, his performance dipped after promotions to Altoona and Indianapolis, where he was more serviceable than standout. Heading into 2026, Bayless is expected to serve primarily as a dependable innings-eater in Triple-A. Still, if he finds consistency, he could earn a call-up and make his MLB debut, similar to how Cam Sanders did this season at the same age.
As the offseason unfolds, the Pirates already have a number of relief arms at the Triple-A level, meaning this could be one of only a few minor-league bullpen signings they make. Even so, there’s still plenty of work ahead for the organization to steer things back in the right direction.
Source: RumBunter
Leave a Reply