Andrew McCutchen is hoping to play an 18th season in the bigs.
The 39-year-old outfielder/designated hitter signed a Minor League deal with an invite to big league Spring Training with the Rangers on Friday.
With a storied career that will now enter its 18th season, McCutchen has accomplished much but still has more left in the tank. He’s certainly not the player who was named the National League MVP in 2013 and who was an All-Star in five of his first seven big league seasons. But he’s still roughly a league-average hitter as he goes into his age-39 campaign in 2026.
After making a name for himself as one of the best all-around players in the game with the Pirates from 2009-17, McCutchen was traded to the Giants in January 2018. From there, he played for the Yankees, Phillies and Brewers through the 2022 season before returning for his second stint with Pittsburgh.
Over the past three seasons, McCutchen has still been productive primarily in a designated hitter role, posting a .736 OPS for the Bucs. Something that has remained consistent for him even in his late 30s has been his discerning eye at the plate -- his 20.7% chase rate in 2025 ranked in the 92nd percentile among qualified hitters, and his 12.2% walk rate placed him in the 88th percentile.
Based on quality of contact, McCutchen was a bit unlucky last season -- his .267 expected batting average was 28 points higher than the actual figure, and his .429 expected slugging percentage was 62 points higher than the actual figure.
McCutchen’s wealth of experience and veteran presence can be a significant plus for younger players on a roster. Over the past few seasons, he’s played a more prominent role in that capacity with a very young Pittsburgh club. And on the field, he still has some significant milestones in sight, namely 350 home runs (he’s currently at 332) and 2,500 hits (he’s currently at 2,266).
McCutchen is one of a number of veterans in Rangers camp looking to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster, including another outfielder in Mark Canha.
McCutchen could be a nice complement to a Rangers lineup that can be left-hand heavy at times. He could form a natural platoon with designated hitter Joc Pederson or even in the outfield with Evan Carter if manager Skip Schumaker opts to sit Carter against left-handed pitchers. That being said, McCutchen has only played 20 games in the outfield over the last three seasons combined.