Last week marked one of Rochester’s toughest stretches of the season as the Mud Hens, backed by one of the top farm systems in baseball, dominated by winning 5 of 6 games and outscoring the Wings 71-31. Toledo, Syracuse, and Scranton vie for a spot in the 2025 Playoffs against Jacksonville, and the Mud Hens proved their excellence again. Despite the team’s struggles, Andrew Pinckney was a shining star for Rochester. Since Rob Hassell III’s promotion to Washington, Pinckney has taken over center field, dazzling fans with his range, defensive prowess, and a cannon arm that frequently throws out runners advancing from first to third.
On Wednesday, Pinckney dazzled offensively, going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate. Over the week’s span, he went 10-for-22, boasting a .454 batting average with two doubles and a triple. Extending those numbers, over six games plus last night’s opener, Andrew now carries a scorching .500 batting average and a .552 on-base percentage.
Andrew Pinckney came just short of sending one over the wall in deep center.
Last night for @RocRedWings, he had two hits and an RBI.
@BWadeRoc
— #TheNatsReport 🇺🇸 ⚾ (#@TheNatsReport)
6:37 PM • Aug 24, 2025
Last night was a historic night for Pinckney as he launched two two-run homers—the first cleared the right field fence on an outside pitch, and the second soared off the left-center scoreboard. These blasts marked his 19th and 20th home runs of the season. Combined with 29 stolen bases, Andrew became Rochester’s first 20/20 player since Don Baylor’s 1971 campaign (20 home runs, 25 steals).
Drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 4th round of the 2023 MLB Draft, Pinckney excelled at Alabama, batting .338 with 18 home runs and 12 doubles. Known for his above-average arm and speed (rated 60 on scouting charts), he initially played right field due to his strong throwing arm. In the Nationals’ system, Andrew has shown versatility by playing all three outfield positions.
Pinckney advanced quickly through the minor leagues—starting in Rookie ball with the FCL Nationals before rapid promotions through Low A Fredericksburg, A+ Wilmington, and AA Harrisburg—all within a month and a half. Across 41 games last year, he hit .321 with 4 home runs and 11 steals.
Last season’s adjustment to AA pitching challenged Pinckney, where he hit .259 across 114 games with 20 doubles and 7 homers. Scouts noted his struggles with pitch recognition, particularly breaking balls, which led to frequent chasing of pitches outside the strike zone. Improving this became a key focus.
In late August, Andrew earned a promotion to AAA Rochester, where he flexed his defensive skills across all outfield spots. Offensively, he struggled initially, batting .253 with a .333 OBP but striking out 40% of the time. Adapting to AAA pitching proved difficult; in 83 at-bats, he recorded just 2 doubles, 1 triple, and 1 homer.
Over just a year, Pinckney climbed from Rookie ball to AAA, just a step from the majors. He has carried the momentum from last week into this week’s games. Last night, he went 3-for-4 with two home runs, a triple, and five RBIs—his bat truly on fire.
Though strikeouts remain high, dropping from 40% last year to 29% this season, walks are steady at 8%. Since the All-Star Break, he’s refined his approach, reducing chase rates on low and outside breaking balls and boosting his batting average by nearly 20 points to .260. His batting average on balls in play now stands at .337.
Pinckney leads Rochester in hits (106), runs scored (68), home runs (20), RBIs (63), OPS (.772), strikeouts (134), and is second in stolen bases (29) behind Nasim Nunez. Emerging as a true team leader, Pinckney leads by example and is closing in on his dream of reaching the Major Leagues.