Pirates icon Andrew McCutchen shares how legend Barry Bonds instilled confidence in him during a Spring Training game

Pittsburgh Pirates star Andrew McCutchen is gearing up for his 17th season in the MLB and recently shared a story about how Barry Bonds once boosted his confidence during Spring Training. The 38-year-old has enjoyed much success with Pittsburgh in the past and is now hoping to help them book a place in the playoffs.

As he prepares for another season with the Pirates, McCutchen shared an interesting story of how Barry Bonds made him call his shot during Spring Training. When McCutchen was traded to the San Francisco Giants in 2018, Bonds was a special advisor to the organization and helped the slugger grow in confidence ahead of the season.

Speaking on the Baseball Is Dead podcast, the Pirates icon revealed the story:

"So I was in Spring Training with the Giants, Barry Bonds was there. I was on deck and was watching the guy warm up, lefty. I'm sitting there, doing my tracking. End of the at bat Barry goes, 'What are you going to do this at bat?' And I went, 'I'm going to get a hit.' He goes, 'Go further, where are you going to hit it?' I go, 'right field.' He goes, 'what pitch?' I go, 'fastball.'"

"And then I got in, I got a base hit to right. I got to first, he looked at me and he walked away. It made me feel so good. Man, that gave me so much confidence in that moment."

Now a veteran in the MLB, Andrew McCutchen is looking to help his Pirates teammates in a similar way. While he may be past the prime of his career, the slugger brings a wealth of valuable experience for the team's youngsters to improve their game.

Andrew McCutchen wishes he remained with the Pirates throughout his MLB career

Starting his MLB career with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2009, Andrew McCutchen became one of their core players, winning the NL MVP in 2013. However, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants against his wishes in 2018 and only returned to the club in 2023.

Looking back at his career on the Baseball Is Dead podcast, McCutchen wishes he remained with the team throughout his career, saying:

"I always tell people this, how crazy would it have been if I could have been here my whole career? Where those numbers might stand, you know?"

Andrew McCutchen is one of the greatest players in the history of the Pirates and currently stands in the all-time top 10 of several leaderboards in the organization. Despite being away for five years, the veteran remains a loyal servant of the club who will be remembered for many years to come.