The Pittsburgh Pirates have added catcher John Bormann to the Major League roster and optioned outfielder Danny Ortiz to Indianapolis. Ortiz made his Major League debut last night after ten years in the minors, playing the last three innings in right field without an at-bat.
Bormann getting added to the roster is an extreme case of being in the right place at the right time. Chris Stewart is catching today and Francisco Cervelli isn’t available for today’s game (no reason given as of yet), so the Pirates needed a catcher in a hurry. Bormann was with the Bradenton Marauders in Charlotte, so he was asked to make the drive over. Bormann is strong defensively, but in no way is he considered a prospect. He’s a 24-year-old in High-A and has a .136 average this season, while splitting the backup catching time with Kevin Krause, who is poor defensively behind the plate.
My guess is that Bormann has one day to enjoy the majors and if the Pirates need a catcher after today, someone like Jackson Williams could join the team if it’s short-term, or Elias Diaz if it’s longer.
