MLB news: Pittsburgh signs ex-Rockies prospect Hunter Stovall to minor league deal

Ahead of the 2026 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired some experienced infield depth this week. The Pirates signed former Colorado Rockies prospect Hunter Stovall to a minor league contract and assigned him to Double-A Altoona, according to the transactions log.

This move provides the organization with another versatile option as it continues to cinch in its upper-level depth ahead of the 2026 campaign.

What Stovall brings to the Pirates

Stovall, 29, is playing his eighth season as a professional athlete after spending seven seasons of his career in the Rockies' farm system. Although he is not expected to make the Opening Day roster, he will add valuable depth and act as a positional option for the organization.

In 635 games in the minor leagues since 2018, Stovall has logged a lot of time at several different spots. He has made 244 starts at second base, 171 at third, and 99 at shortstop.

He has also played left and right field at times, giving the Pirates a utility player who is able to move around the diamond.

Offensively, Stovall is a contact-type hitter. He has a career slash line of .271/.333/.404 with 48 home runs and an OPS of .737.

He has usually kept his strikeout numbers in check, with his best season striking out 91 in 2022. Though not a power threat, his good, consistent contact and defensive versatility make him a constant minor league contributor. Stovall has spent the past three seasons mostly at Triple-A, in Albuquerque in the Rockies system and Durham in the Tampa Bay organization last year.

Hunter Stovall’s career through the years

Hunter Stovall, the 5-foot-6, 170-pound infielder, was drafted in the 21st round in 2018 by the Colorado Rockies in three seasons at Mississippi State Bulldogs.

He was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2019 before finally returning to Colorado's system in 2021 after the canceled 2020 minor league season. Stovall worked his way up to Double-A Hartford in 2022 and Triple-A Albuquerque in 2023 and 2024. After electing free agency at the end of last season, he signed with the Tampa Bay Rays and split time between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham.For Pittsburgh, signing Stovall in the minor leagues is a low-risk addition to the team to strengthen infield depth at Altoona and, potentially, at Triple-A Indianapolis. In case injuries strike or performance merits it, Stovall's experience could put him in a position to be called up in 2026.