NEWS: Pirates sign Marcell Ozuna to boost offense

The Pittsburgh Pirates made another major statement this off-season by signing veteran slugger Marcell Ozuna, adding one of baseball’s most consistent power bats to the heart of their lineup.

The Dominican Republic native brings proven run production and postseason experience to a Pirates club looking to take a significant step forward in the National League.

The 35-year-old Ozuna, who agreed to a one-year deal for $12 million, is coming off a down season for the 2025 Atlanta Braves in which he batted .232 with 21 home runs and 68 RBI in 145 games.

As the everyday DH for the Braves in 2024, he hit .302 with 39 HR, 104 RBI and a .925 OPS, following a similar 2023 campaign during which he banged 40 homers and knocked in 100 runs with a .905 OPS.

Over his 13-year Major League career with the Marlins, Cardinals and Braves, Ozuna has compiled a .269 batting average, 295 home runs, and 948 RBIs, earning two Silver Slugger Awards.

For Pittsburgh, Ozuna’s arrival adds more thump to a lineup that acquired second baseman Brandon Lowe and first baseman Ryan O’Hearn over the winter to shore up one of the weakest offenses in the Majors last season.

D. Benjamin Miller, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons; LatinoBaseball.com illustration