Andrew Pinckney is having a season young players dream of. On Tuesday, August 16, Pinckney hit two home runs that vaulted him into the Rochester Red Wings record books. Having already stolen 29 bases, he became the first Rochester player since Don Baylor in 1971 to post a season with at least 20 home runs and 29 stolen bases. Pinckney reflected on his milestone, saying, “I am really proud of the home runs because I haven’t been a home run guy my whole life. This is kind of insane.”
Pinckney first joined the Red Wings on August 27 last year. In 23 games during the 2024 season, he hit .253 with one home run while walking 8% of the time and striking out 40%. This season, he has kept his walk rate steady at 8% over 426 at-bats and improved his strikeout rate to 29%. “My main difference in hitting this year is I am swinging at better pitches, and I am taking advantage more when a pitcher makes a mistake,” he said.
Beginning the season in Rochester, Pinckney has played 117 games, more than any other Red Wing. Primarily stationed in right field during April and May, he has also seen time in left and center field. One of his greatest assets is his speed—at 6’4”, he combines size with exceptional quickness. After becoming a “20/20” man in early August, Pinckney entered rare territory on August 19 when he stole his 30th base, making him the only Rochester player in history to combine 20 home runs with 30 stolen bases in the same season—a club record dating back to 1877.
With 18 games remaining in the 2025 season, Pinckney remains focused on setting new benchmarks. When asked about his goals beyond reaching “20/20,” he joked, “Going 40/40 would be cool,” but added realistically, “going 20/40 would be really cool. That would be a pretty good year!” Currently, he stands at 20 home runs and 32 stolen bases, boasting an impressive 89% success rate on the bases, having been caught only four times.
Pinckney is also known for his defensive prowess, having thrown out seven runners attempting to take extra bases this season. He credits his manager, Matt LeCroy, for supporting his aggressive style. “Coach LeCroy has given me the freedom to run everything down and take chances out there. Having the ‘go ahead’ from Coach has been big for me,” he said. Before every game and during batting practice, Pinckney prepares by “power shagging.” He explained, “The most important thing for my defense is batting practice. It’s really your one chance to get quality reps. Whatever position I’m playing, I go to that position when I’m not hitting and shag fly balls that are being hit live. Being able to do that day in and day out allows me to get comfortable with what I can and can’t do. Shagging live balls has helped my defense get better.”
As the 2025 season in Rochester winds down in three weeks, Pinckney shows no signs of slowing down. A 20/40 season has never been recorded in 148 seasons of Rochester baseball—there’s always a first time.
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