The future at first base for the Pittsburgh Pirates is still very much up in the air. Spencer Horwitz showed flashes last season, enough to keep himself in the conversation. While Horwitz was one of the team’s more productive hitters in 2025, he didn’t provide the true power typically expected from a corner infielder.
This offseason, the Pirates added talent through trades and free agency, giving their lineup a much-needed boost. These moves also put the spotlight on the team’s internal options at first base. One name quietly making his case is Nick Cimillo, a non-roster invitee to major league camp this year.
Cimillo turns 26 this season, and with his experience and recent production, it makes sense the Pirates are giving him an extended look this spring. Last year, he spent the full season in Double-A Altoona, splitting time between first base and designated hitter. In a lineup that often struggled for power, Cimillo delivered, hitting 20 home runs and driving in 71 runs over 112 games.
Cimillo earned his first promotion to Altoona in 2024 after a standout run with High-A Greensboro, where he posted a 1.038 OPS and hit 17 home runs over 52 games. He struggled initially in Double-A, posting a .691 OPS in his brief 2024 stint, but by the close of 2025 that number had jumped to .793.
It’s a rise the Pirates know well. Esmerlyn Valdez went under the radar for years before his potential finally broke through. Valdez hit 22 home runs as a 20-year-old in Bradenton in 2024, then followed with strong seasons in Greensboro and Altoona in 2025, ultimately earning himself a spot on the Bucs’ 40-man roster. He’s now considered one of the organization’s top power hitters. There’s little reason Cimillo can’t follow a similar path.
Cimillo, a product of Manhattan College and Rutgers, was selected by the Pirates in the 16th round of the 2022 MLB Draft. At Rutgers, he was one of the Big Ten’s best hitters, and like Henry Davis was a catcher. Davis was widely considered the best bat in his draft class, and Cimillo’s final season in college compared favorably. He hit .385 with 16 home runs and 52 RBI for the Scarlet Knights, while Davis finished with a .370 average, 15 home runs, and 48 RBI at Louisville. Both players also grew up in the New York metro area, another small but interesting parallel.
Spring training will give fans their first real look at Cimillo against major league pitching. Even with a strong showing, making the Opening Day roster would be a long shot. Realistically, he’ll start the season at Triple-A Indianapolis and continue to refine his game against greater competition.
If Horwitz or other options stumble, Cimillo could earn a late-season cup of coffee in Pittsburgh, like Billy Cook in 2024, giving him a taste of the majors. Spending the full season in Triple-A should not be viewed as a failure, though.
Many older prospects take time to develop. Jake Cronenworth, for example, didn’t debut until age 26 and has become a two-time All-Star with the San Diego Padres. Cimillo fits that same patient, power-oriented mold.
Expect Cimillo and Valdez to provide plenty of offense in Indianapolis this year. Whatever the timeline, Nick Cimillo is a name to keep in mind, one who could play a key role at first base in 2027 and beyond.
