Spring Training performances can always be questionable. The mix of a small sample size and against lower-level competition means that a player’s bottom line will always come into question during the pre-season. However, one can still hope that a strong performance isn’t a complete fluke. The Pittsburgh Pirates are off to a strong start to Spring Training and have gotten plenty of quality performances from their players. Fans certainly are hoping that these performances aren’t complete flukes going into the 2026 season.
Termarr Johnson
Termarr Johnson certainly didn’t have a bad season at Double-A Altoona in 2025. He hit .272/.363/.382 with a .348 wOBA, and 118 wRC+. Johnson drew plenty of free passes, with an 11.7% BB%. He also had a career-best 18.5% strikeout percentage and 75.1% contact rate. However, he did not hit for very much power. Johnson left the ballpark just eight times in 503 plate appearances, leading to a .111 isolated slugging percentage.
Termarr Johnson gives the Pirates a 1-0 lead after this 2-out RBI single
101.3 MPH exit velocity pic.twitter.com/fLP0EbTFtb
— Platinum Key (@PlatinumKey13) March 6, 2026
So far into the pre-season, Johnson has come to the plate 22 times. He has racked up seven hits and four walks. The second baseman has also struck out just four times. Two of his base knocks have gone for extra bases, and he has one double and a triple thus far. Johnson is having no problems making hard contact, with a 90 MPH exit velocity in the small sample size. Johnson is still only 21, and won’t turn 22 until June 11th. If he continues to hit anything as he has so far into Spring Training, we’ll see him in the Major Leagues sooner rather than later.
Jhostynxon Garcia
The Pirates acquired Jhostynxon Garcia this offseason to assist with their outfield depth problem. The top outfield prospect hit .267/.340/.470 with a 116 wRC+ between the Boston Red Sox’s Double-A and Triple-A teams. Garcia belted 21 home runs, giving him back-to-back 20-homer campaigns. He did have an unimpressive 26.8% K%, but a solid 9.2% BB%, and a swinging strike rate of only 13.9%. Garcia is a consensus top ten prospect in the Pirates’ system. He is a potential power/speed threat with above-average outfield defense. Garcia also made a brief MLB appearance last year, appearing in parts of five contests.
The Password goes yard❗️ pic.twitter.com/6RFIqUrY3g
— SleeperPirates (@SleeperPirates) March 1, 2026
Garcia is going the best he can to secure a roster spot out of Spring Training. He already has ten hits, including a home run, in 24 plate appearances. His exit velocity comes in at 91.4 MPH. On top of that, he has only struck out twice and has drawn four walks. Garcia has made contact at an 85.7% rate. Even though the Pirates now have a crowded outfield depth chart, Garcia is making it almost impossible for the Pirates not to take him up North at the end of Spring Training.
Carmen Mlodzinski
Carmen Mlodzinski is in the running for a starting pitching position. Last year, he performed poorly when given the same opportunity. The right-hander had a 5.67 ERA, 15.6% strikeout percentage, and 6.7% walk rate through nine starts and 39.2 innings. After moving back to a multi-inning relief/opener role, Mlodzinski performed significantly better. His final 59.1 innings of 2025 yielded an outstanding 2.12 ERA, 25.5% strikeout percentage, and 6.3% BB%. He also only allowed three home runs after moving back to the bullpen/opener role.
Carmen Mlodzinski in relief tonight:
2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 SO
35 pitches, 22 strikes, 7 whiffsShoved. Pitching factory. pic.twitter.com/hSJej3b8ck
— Platinum Key (@PlatinumKey13) August 24, 2025
Mlodzinski is getting stretched out as a starter once again, and he is making a great impression. In 7.1 innings, Mlodzinski has only allowed two earned runs. He already has nine K’s, and the right-hander has only given out two free passes. Mlodzinski is tied with Hunter Barco, Bubba Chandler, and Mitch Keller for the most Spring Training strikeouts on the Pirates. He has almost pitched as many innings as he did in 2025 Spring Training, tallying 9.2 frames. Although Hunter Barco and Thomas Harrington have looked good in Spring Training, Mlodzinski is making a serious run for the final rotation spot. If he looks anything like this in the regular season, the Pirates are going to have yet another development success story when it comes to their pitching.
(Top Image Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)
