Pirates Second Baseman Progressing Back from Injury

PITTSBURGH The Pittsburgh Pirates have an injured second baseman, who is progressing back from his injury.

Nick Gonzales hit a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning for the Pirates vs.

the Miami Marlins on Opening Day on March 27, giving his team a 4-1 lead.

He ran around the bases, but with a limp, as it was clear he hurt something during his home run trot.

The Pirates would take Gonzales out of the game, with Adam Frazier coming in at second base.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton said after the game that he suffered some pain from two foul balls off his left ankle against the Tampa Bay Rays on March 19.

He also didn't like what he saw from him running around the bases, so he had to make the change.

Pittsburgh placed Gonzales on the 10-day Injured List on March 28 with a non-displaced fracture of the left ankle, with Enmanuel Valdez coming up as his replacement.

Gonzales hasn't played since that game, but Pirates assistant general manager Bryan Stroh said that Gonzales will participate in full baseball activities this week and that he has the chance to start his rehab assignment in early May, on general manager Ben Cherington's weekly radio show on 93.7 The Fan.

"He had a scan the other day that showed the ankle was healing appropriately, so we're excited about that," Stroh said, according to Greg Macafee of DK Pittsburgh Sports.

"I think we'll probably be able to begin rehab games in early May, so we're excited about continuing to progress that.

It's one of those things where the body and the freakishness of the injury, everybody is going to be different.

He's working his tail off and chomping at the bit to get back.

We're optimistic to get him sometime in May." Gonzales had a solid campaign for the Pirates in 2024, slashing .270/.311/.398, with 97 hits, 19 doubles, three triples, seven home runs and 49 RBIs with 18 walks to 74 strikeouts in 94 games.

He played just 35 games for the Pirates in 2023, after they called him up for the first time on June 23.

He slashed .209/.268/.348, with 24 hits, eight doubles, one triple, two home runs, 13 RBIs and six walks.

Gonzales hails from Vail, AZ., 24 miles southeast of Tucson, and played for Cienega High School.

He hit .399 during his time with Cienega.

He would commit to New Mexico State and starred for his team, hitting .347 as a freshman in 2018 and then a Division 1 leading .432 in 2019.

He also hit .448 as a junior in 2020, before the NCAA cancelled all spring sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pirates selected Gonzales with seventh overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft.

He would join the franchise on a $5.4 million and didn't play in 2020 as the MiLB cancelled the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He played for the Greensboro Grasshoppers at High Single-A in 2021, slashing .303/.385/.565 for an OPS of .950 with 98 hits, 23 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs, 54 RBIs and 40 walks in 80 games.

Gonzales moved up to the Altoona Curve at Double-A in 2022, slashing .263/.383/.429 with 68 hits, 20 doubles, one triple and seven home runs.

He moved up again to the Indianapolis Indians at Triple-A in 2023, slashing .283/.379/.507 with 106 hits, 27 doubles, eight triples, 14 home runs, 49 RBIs and 53 walks in 99 games.

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