Story by
Pirates Year in Review 2026: Looking Back at Nick Gonzales' Season
- Story by
- Pirates Year in Review 2026: Looking Back at Nick Gonzales' Season
Pirates Year in Review 2026: Looking Back at Nick Gonzales' Season originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh . Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
As the No. 7 pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, the Pirates have long been hoping that Nick Gonzales could be an infielder of their future contenders. And in his first full, healthy MLB season, Gonzales provided some optimism for that outlook.
Advertisement
Gonzales turned in the best season of his career in 2026, contending for an NL batting title and becoming one of the most reliable parts of Pittsburgh's lineup.
Between his bat and positional versatility, Gonzales has established himself as a piece of the Pirates' future thanks to his breakout campaign.
Here's a look back at Gonzales' 2026 season.
Pirates Year in Review 2026: Nick Gonzales
Coming into 2026, Gonzales had yet to put together a full MLB season as a starter. He flashed his hitting tools in 2024, when he appeared in 94 games after being called up from Triple-A, but an ankle fracture in 2025 played a role in Gonzales' limited development, once a first-round pick.
Advertisement
Considering he hit .448 in his junior season at New Mexico State, Gonzales' ability to hit for contact was always clear. The 2026 season was when he finally put that talent on display, hitting .303 over 148 games as a versatile infielder; Gonzales saw time at third base, second base, shortstop and designated hitter this past season.
Having Gonzales' presence in the lineup helped open up a lot for the Pirates' offense in 2026, with the team reaching its best win total since 2018. Heading into 2027, Gonzales may have to move around the infield depending on the Pirates' offseason moves — and he struggled at third base at times — but he should remain a key bat who can set the table for others.
Nick Gonzales' Most Memorable Moment
On Aug. 24, the Pirates faced another team in the NL Wild Card race, San Diego, and got out to a 2-0 lead on the road. However, with the Padres crawling back to tie it by the eighth inning, the game ultimately went to extras.
Advertisement
In the top of the 12th inning, Gonzales finally broke the stalemate by sending a ground ball up the middle, scoring the go-ahead run before Pittsburgh closed it out in the bottom half.
Nick Gonzales' Stats for 2026 Season
| Games |
Hits |
Runs |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBIs |
BB |
SO |
SB |
AVG |
OBP |
SLG |
OPS |
WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 148 |
167 |
72 |
27 |
1 |
6 |
61 |
43 |
99 |
7 |
.303 |
.367 |
.388 |
.755 |
1.6 |
Gonzales finished in the top-10 in the NL in batting average, hits and on-base percentage, one of the best in baseball at making contact in 2026.
Defensively, Gonzales did leave a lot to be desired — his -15 defensive runs saved (DRS) and -11 outs above average (OAA) were both the worst marks for any third baseman in 2026 (minimum 850 innings played), per Pirates on SI — but a move back to second base could be the way to help mask those issues for Pittsburgh.
Advertisement
Moving into 2027, Gonzales main areas for improvement are defensively and trying to add a bit more power, but 2026 was a massive step forward for the Pirates infielder.
