The Pirates are adding another name to their outfield mix, agreeing to a minor league deal with 28-year-old Dominic Fletcher. The deal includes an invite to big league camp this spring, giving Fletcher a shot to compete for a roster spot when the team reconvenes in Bradenton.
Fletcher has logged time in the majors over the past three seasons, splitting his 112-game career between the Diamondbacks and White Sox. While the offensive numbers haven’t popped-he’s posted a .233/.280/.325 slash line with just four homers in 377 plate appearances-there’s still something here the Pirates clearly see value in. His 5.3% walk rate and 67 wRC+ suggest he’s struggled to find a rhythm at the plate against big league pitching, but his defensive profile tells a different story.
Across nearly 900 innings in the outfield, Fletcher has shown he can hold his own with the glove. He’s played all three spots and has been credited with five Outs Above Average and 13 Defensive Runs Saved. That kind of defensive versatility is no small thing, especially for a team like Pittsburgh that’s still piecing together its outfield depth chart heading into 2026.
Fletcher’s bat has fared slightly better in the minors, where he’s hit .256/.317/.432 since the start of 2024. That comes out to an 88 wRC+-still below league average, but enough to keep him in the conversation as a potential depth piece. After being outrighted by the White Sox in October and electing free agency, he now gets a fresh opportunity with a Pirates team that could use a glove-first outfielder in the mix.
Looking at the current outfield picture in Pittsburgh, Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz are locked into two spots. That leaves one open corner-or possibly center-up for grabs.
Jake Mangum, Jhostynxon García, Jack Suwinski, and Billy Cook are all in the running, while recent DFA Marco Luciano could re-enter the picture if he clears waivers. Ronny Simón is already in the fold on a minor league deal, and now Fletcher joins that group vying for a role.
Should Fletcher impress enough to break camp with the team, he brings a bit of roster flexibility with him. He has one minor league option year remaining and just over a year of MLB service time, meaning he’s still a ways off from arbitration and could be a low-cost piece for the Pirates in the near term.
Bottom line: Fletcher isn’t coming in to be a game-changer, but he doesn’t have to be. If he can flash the glove, hold his own at the plate, and offer reliable depth across the outfield, he could carve out a role on a team still shaping its identity. Spring training will tell us more, but for now, the Bucs are giving themselves another option-and in a long season, those often prove more valuable than they seem.