Oviedo Back Throwing in Pirates Camp

Good News. Johan Oviedo is back at Pirate City.

Many familiar faces are making their way around the Pittsburgh Pirates spring training complex. The facility is busy, from front office personnel to media folks covering the team, to the players on the 40-man roster, and those invited to work out in camp.

Among the most followed Pirates seem to be their talent-rich pitching staff. Last season’s National League Rookie-of-the-Year Paul Skenes, Jared Jones, and Mitch Keller are the front-runners of the staff that is being counted on to bring the club to the top of the Central Division in 2025.

Then, skipper Derek Shelton has the next wave of young, talented arms to allot innings to Braxton Ashcraft, Bubba Chandler, and Thomas Harrington, leading the group. However, for some, there is one name that is under the radar.

Cautiously, Oviedo is looking good to be pitching this coming season. Depending on how his assignments go during Grapefruit League starts, Oviedo could head north with the Pirates come next month or begin his return to full-time pitching at the Triple-A level in Indianapolis. Beginning his return to baseball after rehabilitating from right elbow surgery in December 2023 (Tommy John surgery), Oviedo is optimistic about how his spring performances will go.

“I’m excited to be here. But my priority is not to do too much,” Oviedo said after an early morning throwing session. “My first goal is to be healthy and help the team as best as I can. I’m trying to treat this as any other spring training.”

Being back in a familiar baseball environment, pitching as opposed to being a bystander as was the case last spring in Bradenton, Oviedo says that the missed season of 2024 was the longest that he was away from the game.

“(Oviedo) dominated his rehab. He’s a big, strong guy. But we (Pirates) are his voice of reason. Our focus for him is throwing in the bullpen, throwing live batting practice, and having him in games,” says Shelton.

Oviedo’s throw-and-go pace this spring, as with Shelton, is echoed by the club’s medical team. Todd Tomczyk, now in his sixth season as the Director of Sports Medicine for the Pirates, spoke recently about Oviedo’s pitching status.

“We (Pirates) are seeing encouraging signs from him. He brings a tremendous amount of energy to his game. The guy has put in a lot of work to get where he is.”

With his family, teammates, and the Pirates’ staff supporting him through such a physical as well as mentally challenging period in his life, Oviedo has a track record of demonstrating an incredible amount of fortitude.

Oviedo, who came over to the Pirates from the St. Louis Cardinals in an August 2022 trade, has thus far logged 279 strikeouts in 320.2 innings of MLB work. Born in Cuba, Oviedo, 26, made 32 starts for Pittsburgh in 2023. He has proven to be durable and reliable before having reconstructive surgery on his pitching arm.

There is no more anxious Pirate for the exhibition schedule to continue than Oviedo. This elbow surgery, his first significant setback of his five-seasons MLB career, is looking more and more as a thing in his rear window.

“I've worked hard to get back to where I’m at. The only pressure that I have is what I’ve put on myself. You can only control what you can. I must be patient; this is a process that must play out,” Oviedo explains.

Being more efficient with his pitching mechanics and consistent with his release, Oviedo has a menu of things to check off when he is back in business this spring. He tells of feeling better than ever. Oviedo isn’t worried about any roster moves the Pirates may begin to make as the spring schedule rolls on. Getting to throw to his pal catcher, Endy Rodriguez, during his first few days of camp also helped alleviate any jitters.

Having waited more than one year to return to doing what he not only loves but is at an elite level in executing, Oviedo could easily be the biggest story for the Pirates when the final 26-man roster is completed.