5 Pittsburgh Pirates players who shouldn't start next season in the big leagues

Pittsburgh Pirates who won't be on the MLB roster next season: Alfonso Rivas

The only reason Alfonso Rivas is on the Pirates' MLB roster is because they traded away Carlos Santana and needed a first baseman who could fill the role temporarily.

He has shown potential at Triple-A, but he is another Four-A player who can't succeed at the next level. In 164 MLB games, which is a full sample size, he has been average at best and below average at worst. In his performances with the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres, he hasn't hit well at all. Besides being called a "contact-hitter," he has done the exact opposite with an average of just .235, while having an 84 OPS+, meaning he is 16 percent worse than the average player while also not showing potential on the defensive side.

Rivas likely won't have a job after suggestions that the Pirates could target Carlos Santana this offseason in hopes of bringing back his veteran leadership to unite the team for a playoff run. Rivas could be a full-time starter, but only on a rebuilding team.