Francisco Cervelli had a very successful first season as a Pittsburgh Pirate in 2015. During the 2015 season Cervelli slashed .295/.370/.401/.771, he posted a .341 wOBA, a 119 wRC+, and he had a 9.0 percent walk rate. Furthermore, Cervelli was among the best defensive catchers in baseball leading the league in pitch framing and posting a 9.3 dWAR. Also, Francisco Cervelli’s 3.8 WAR was the second highest among all Major League catchers in 2015.
As a result of his strong 2015 campaign, infectious personality, and the way he plays the game, Francisco Cervelli quickly became a Pirate fan favorite.