Pirates Spring Training Caravan Heads to Bradenton as Countdown to Grapefruit League Begins

The road to spring training officially begins today as the Pittsburgh Pirates load up the equipment truck at PNC Park and send it south to Bradenton, Florida, marking the start of preparations for the 2026 Grapefruit League season.

Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report on February 11, though many players are already on site at the Pirates’ training complex taking part in early workouts. The first full-squad workout is set for February 16, with the opening spring training game scheduled for Saturday, February 21 against the Baltimore Orioles.

While anticipation builds for baseball’s return, the Pirates were active this offseason in pursuit of veteran power. The club made a strong push to sign third baseman Eugenio Suárez, who blasted 49 home runs last season split between Arizona and Seattle. Suárez ultimately opted for a one-year, $15 million deal with the Cincinnati Reds, returning to the Central Division rival where he spent the first seven seasons of his major league career.

Bradenton has been synonymous with Pirates baseball for nearly six decades. The organization relocated its spring training operations to the Gulf Coast city in 1969, making it one of the longest continuous spring training homes in Major League Baseball. Games are played at LECOM Park, one of the oldest ballparks still in use for spring training, originally opened in 1923 and modernized over the years while retaining its classic charm.

Just a few miles away, Pirate City serves as the team’s year-round training headquarters. Opened in 1969 and continually expanded, the complex includes multiple practice fields, indoor training facilities, and housing for players and staff. It has become a cornerstone of the Pirates’ player development system and a familiar destination for fans each spring.

As the equipment truck rolls south and players continue to arrive, the familiar rhythms of spring training return to Bradenton. For Pirates fans, it signals renewed optimism, long days of baseball under the Florida sun, and the official start of another season of black-and-gold baseball.