The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced the hiring of four Professional Scouts. The announcement was made by Pirates Assistant General Manager Greg Smith.

Ricky Bennett spent the last eight years with the Houston Astros, the last two as their Director of Professional Scouting and the previous six overseeing the club’s player development system. Prior to joining the Astros, Bennett spent eight years with the Detroit Tigers, which included three seasons as the club’s Director of Minor League Operations.
 
Carlos Berroa joins the Pirates from the Miami Marlins, where he had 15 years of experience working on the amateur scouting level as well as serving as the Director of the Puerto Rican Baseball Academy.
 
Ron Hopkins spent the 2012 season as a national crosschecker with the Baltimore Orioles and has over 30 years of scouting experience. He was also the Director of Scouting for the Texas Rangers for six years (2004-2009) before being named a Special Assistant to General Manager Jon Daniels in October, 2009. Prior to joining the Rangers, Hopkins spent eight years with the Oakland Athletics after also working in the Kansas City, Seattle and New York Mets
scouting departments.
 
John Kosciak brings close to 30 years of amatuer scouting experience to the Pirates. He spent the 2012 season as an Area Scouting Supervisor with the Astros and has also spent time with the Dodgers and Padres.