This story was excerpted from Alex Stumpf’s Pirates Beat publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it frequently in your inbox.
The Pirates and the baseball world are on the precipice of the busiest time of the MLB offseason schedule: the Winter Conferences. Whereas nothing is assured for any membership this time of yr, the Bucs have landed a number of gamers the previous few years throughout this stretch, and rumors and progress towards offers are commonplace because the Sizzling Range revs as much as its highest temperature.
From Corridor of Fame votes to drafts and making an attempt to determine what the Pirates may do, right here’s what it’s essential know earlier than the Winter Conferences start Sunday in Dallas.
Wednesday: Rule 5 Draft — The Pirates can have the eighth general choice this yr. In addition they have open 40-man roster spots, so they’re eligible to select.
Greatest want: Nook outfield
The Pirates determined to half with Bryan De La Cruz and Connor Joe on the non-tender deadline, and after Edward Olivares left through free company, Pittsburgh is with out the three gamers who had probably the most enjoying time in proper area final season.
This staff wants an offensive enhance — ideally somebody with some pop after they completed twenty fifth within the Majors with 160 house runs final yr — and the one inner choices are Jack Suwinski, who’s coming off a dreadful season, rookies Billy Prepare dinner and Nick Yorke and profession up-down guys Joshua Palacios and Trey Cabbage. The Bucs want to usher in no less than one outfielder to deepen that group.
Potential commerce candidates
Whereas nook outfield is probably the most urgent want, it’s not the one space the Pirates have to improve this winter. First base is a thriller, and the bullpen wants so as to add a pair arms. Fortuitously for the Bucs, they’ve one thing all people is searching for in trades: Pitching.
Prime pitching prospects are in all probability off the desk, however the Pirates have loads of depth and a willingness to commerce a few of these arms for bats. Quinn Priester and Patrick O’Reilly have been dealt on the Deadline, so that they have proven they’re keen to commerce pitchers with a pedigree or a growing ceiling, giving them some flexibility of who may very well be on the commerce block.
Main League pitchers (exterior of the massive three: Skenes, Mitch Keller and Jared Jones) may be out there, due to the depth Pittsburgh has out there within the Minors.
Proper-hander Bubba Chandler isn’t getting dealt, however having one other top-tier pitching prospect at Triple-A Indianapolis provides the Pirates some flexibility in the event that they wish to commerce from their Main League pitching pool. The Bucs’ high prospect is ranked fifteenth general by MLB Pipeline, their second-highest rated pitcher. Having him in reserve ought to bolster an already robust rotation.
Catcher Omar Alfonzo (No. 26) is the one Pirates Prime 30 prospect eligible for the Rule 5 Draft, and a Excessive-A catcher doubtless isn’t an amazing choose for different groups. Outfielder Sammy Siani and right-hander Eddy Yean can be found as effectively, and Siani had a strong exhibiting within the Arizona Fall League.
As for the Pirates, they’ve chosen relievers the previous few years (Jose Soriano and Luis Oviedo in 2020, Jose Hernandez in 2022), so it’s attainable they might go that route once more to deepen the center reduction.
Burning query: Do the Pirates dangle pitching in a commerce?
Pittsburgh has a spoil of riches within the rotation and the deepest assortment of Minor League pitchers within the farm system. It additionally has large wants within the lineup and bullpen. It’s exhausting to see the Pirates dealing any of their high three Main League or Minor League arms, however the depth they’ve may very well be the middle of a bundle to enhance the Main League staff. Does a deal begin to take form in Dallas?
