Voltmer set to oversee pro scouting for Pirates

DALLAS — The Pirates have hired Michael Voltmer as the organization’s vice president of professional evaluation and strategy, sources informed the Post-Gazette on Monday morning.

Voltmer comes to Pittsburgh from Los Angeles, where he spent the past eight years working in the Dodgers’ front office. He will oversee the Pirates’ professional scouting in his new role. He replaces Will Lawton, who will be assigned to a new role within the organization, per sources.

Voltmer graduated from the University of Louisville in 2014, where he served as a student manager for the baseball team for two seasons. Voltmer’s first job in MLB came with the Dodgers in 2016 when he was hired as an analyst on their research and development team.

He was promoted three times over the next four years, ultimately earning the role of Director of Baseball Strategy and Information, a title he held for the last three seasons. This past season, Voltmer was part of a front office that helped put together a roster that captured the 2024 World Series crown.

Voltmer marks the third external hire the Pirates have made this offseason for a management position on their baseball operations staff. In September, Max Kwan was brought on to serve as the director of international scouting. A month later, Pittsburgh hired Kevin Tenenbaum as the organization’s vice president of research and development.

The Pirates are still searching for a farm director, an opening created last month after John Baker was promoted into a new role where he will oversee the organization’s performance team. Sources informed the Post-Gazette that the Pirates are close to finding Baker’s replacement, but no official hire has been made.

Pittsburgh is also still searching for a bullpen coach, an opening created after Justin Meccage was fired following the end of the regular season.