On March 26, 2023, the Pittsburgh Pirates sent Omar Alfonzo to big league camp for a day. A catcher entering his age 19 season, and lacking any experience above the complex levels, Alfonzo was asked to catch the last half of the game against the Atlanta Braves.
After the game, Pirates farm director John Baker got a call from Pirates’ Major League Field Coordinator Mike Rabelo.
“Holy shit,” Rabelo exclaimed over the catching skills from Alfonzo. “That kid was like he had been here the whole time.”
The son of former big league catcher Eliezer Alfonzo, Omar managed and controlled the big league game that day, while adding a walk in two professional plate appearances. He followed that appearance by making it up to Single-A Bradenton by the end of the 2023 season, hitting .273/.390/.413 at the level in 182 plate appearances.
“If you asked me to identify one guy out here who I think is unheralded and should be a bigger prospect, it’s Alfonzo,” said Baker.
Alfonzo has the pedigree to stick behind the plate, with smooth defense, no panic, and control over the game. At the plate, he’s a left-handed hitter with a smooth swing, the ability to hit the ball all over the field, and power to the pull side.
Over the offseason, Alfonzo went to Venezuela to get extra playing time. He was the youngest player in the league, but still managed a .269/.406/.423 line in 32 plate appearances, while catching nine games.
The 6′ 1″, 180 pound catcher has some pop in his bat. In a brief stop at the Florida Complex, he hit one homer and had a .238 isolated power. In his time with Bradenton, he hit four homers, seven doubles, and one triple, for a .140 ISO. His plate patience was advanced, with a 25.3% strikeout rate and an elite 16.5% walk rate.
The Pirates have had Alfonzo catching the Single-A team this spring. If he returns to Bradenton, he’d be catching a few college pitchers from the 2023 draft, along with younger former prep and international arms. If he repeats his performance from last year, he will most likely end the year in High-A Greensboro.
With Henry Davis and Endy Rodriguez at the big league level, the Pirates are in no immediate need for catching help. Still, Alfonzo stands out as one of the best options in the lower levels, and could boost the organizational depth if he continues applying his offense and defensive skills as he’s done over the last year.
