The Pirates have signed left-hander Michael Plassmeyer to a minor league deal, according to the transactions section of the southpaw’s MLB.com profile page. It’s not clear whether or not the deal includes an invite to big league Spring Training next month.
Plassmeyer, 27, was a fourth-round pick by Seattle in the 2018 draft. Shortly thereafter, the lefty was included in the five-player trade between the Mariners and the Rays that sent Mike Zunino to Tampa Bay. Plassmeyer dominated the lower levels of the minors with the Rays, pitching to a 1.91 ERA in 25 appearances across three levels with a 21.2% strikeout rate in 132 innings of work. Unfortunately for the lefty, his progress would be delayed by the minor league season in 2020 being cancelled and another trade as he was shipped to San Francisco in exchange for Matt Wisler and cash during the 2021 season.
Upon joining the Giants, Plassmeyer struggled in 16 appearances at the Double-A level with a 5.08 ERA in 79 2/3 innings of work. Those struggles in the San Francisco farm system continued into the 2022 season as the lefty posted a 7.38 ERA in 11 appearances at the Triple-A level. The southpaw’s difficulties with the Giants came to an end midseason when he was traded for the third time in his career, this time to the Phillies. His season took a turn for the better down the stretch at the Triple-A level with Philadelphia, as he posted a 2.41 ERA in 82 innings of work across 16 starts. Plassmeyer’s strong results led to a call up to the majors late in the 2022 season that saw him post a 3.68 ERA in 7 1/3 innings of work across two appearances.
Back in the minor leagues in 2023, Plassmeyer spent much of the summer on the injured list and struggled when he was able to take the mound, with a 5.05 ERA in 16 appearances at the Triple-A level. His second cup of coffee in the majors didn’t go as well as the first, as Plassmeyer allowed ten runs (nine earned) on eight hits and three hit batsmen while striking out just four in 3 2/3 innings of work. Plassmeyer hit minor league free agency on the heels of that difficult season, and will now travel across Pennsylvania to join the Pirates.
The southpaw joins a Pittsburgh organization in need of pitching depth with each of JT Brubaker, Mike Burrows, and Johan Oviedo currently rehabbing Tommy John surgery. While Plassmeyer seems unlikely to break into a rotation mix that currently features Mitch Keller, Marco Gonzales, Martin Perez, Bailey Falter, Roansy Contreras, and Luis Ortiz, he figures to provide the Pirates with a depth option capable of pitching both out of the bullpen and rotation headed into the 2024 campaign.
You keep reading about these guys who had their careers derailed by the covid shutdown and it makes you sad. Then you remember the same thing happened to kids in school and we have a lifetime of looking forward to that. And then you get really sad.
Anyway, never enough depth and always love a lefty in PNC.
Yep….well said.
The thing is though there are literally hundreds of players that it didn’t effect.
In Boston we watched Bobby Dalbec come on like gangbusters in ’20 only to regress in ’21 with the front office refusing to send him down to the minors and by ’22 he was unplayable at the big league level but mashed AAA pitching in ’23.
The Angels from all accounts were destined to screw up Jo Adell with or without the pandemic.
Those are just two of the more glaring prospects that went backwards instead of forwards with no minor league season in ’20
@RSox I’m sure by the year 2040, we will see the draft classes immediately preceeding the pandemic have a significantly below average MLB impact. But, I guess time will tell.
First round of the 2019 draft already looks loaded with very successfully players. I do believe some players were affected but IMO I don’t see a significant difference being the ultimate outcome. It’s always going to be a hard comparison. Plassmeyer was taken in the 4th round where VERY few every make it. In the 2015 draft (in theory by 2020 they were ‘developed’) exactly one player has a WAR over 0.5, while going to 2016 you have 5 over 0.5 with 2 very successful players.
It’s a funny game. Only a year in to their teardown to the core rebuild is where the Orioles were when the pandemic hit. By 2022 they play above 500 and with a team that had
not yet gotten their highly drafted players, outside of Rutschman, to the bigs. Then in 23, 101 wins. Go figure.
Have to imagine it’s a minor league deal. Bad minor league numbers and worse major league numbers doesn’t get a guaranteed deal, even in Pittsburgh
Rsox, stick around. I’m sure DreamGM will come along to give this an A+
It is a minor league deal. They’re not even sure he’ll come to camp.
the last of the big time spenders have shown their fans that they aren’t serious about contending next year
I think that the Pirates will be finishing in last place again.The Cards and Reds were serious about adding starting pitching.The Brewers and Cubs are still decent teams.The problem has been the ridiculous prices being paid for mediocre starters.
They need to get Pache for centerfield from the Phils if Rojas does well in spring training.
Cherington is betting his job on the young starters showing promise this year.
He has failed in getting rid of Haines and actually providing a good development squad and coaching fundamentals.
Pirates need a legit CF option I understand not paying Bader what he got from the Mets & I think Taylor is gonna get a similar contract or he at least deserves it.
They need an upgrade an upgrade @ 2B. I feel Polanco is the perfect fit. He is signed for the timeline they project Johnson to be ready. I know others have said they already have a bunch of middle infielders on the roster but seriously none are really any good. With the exception of Triolo but a lot of his positives come from the ability to handle multiple positions in a utility role.
They also need another SP and I feel they need a big time starter. They have the talent to trade for someone & I think it’s time they make these moves.
The central is open for the taking. It’s time for Cherrington to take the next step.
I agree, @steelerbravenstion, but unless Cherington has a potential trade upcoming or Nutting is fine with spending money to sign a legitimate CF, the Pirates will be dumpster diving before ST starts
They haven’t even officially signed Perez yet and that was announced a month ago
You keep banging the Polanco drum but it’s never going to happen as the Pirates perceive themselves as having great depth in the middle infield.
Not sure if they’ve determined any winner as of yet, but it’s pretty clear that the only guys they’re gonna bring in are low cost types or reclamation projects, and that’s in the pitching department
I made the prediction at the start of the off season and will say it again: with three starting pitchers coming back from major surgery and a number of guys rising through the farm system….with Endy hurt and really, with Cruz still being treated with kid gloves….the front office looks at ‘24 as a tread water year. Allow guys to heal. Allow others to mature. And hope ‘25 is the year it all comes together
Nothing they’ve done this off season is a surprise in this regard. The only drama will come via cut downs in the final weeks of spring training
They should replace CF and 2B with AI.
Os and Pirates trade. Westburg for Ashcroft.
Pretty good take.
CF = possibly greatest need. Keirmaier-gone, Bader-gone, Taylor-available. To me, a good trade candidate would be Daulton Varsho. Couldn’t hit in Toronto, but has good D (a Pgh need), decent LH power, and can be emergency catcher (Henry Davis will get hurt).
2B = Got to give Nick Gonzales a shot. He’s started slow at every level, then adjusted and done well. Hopefully, that will also apply to the majors. Triolo also in the picture (premium defense wherever he plays). But, prefer Triolo as super sub (every day player). RH side of 1B platoon, cover 2B, SS, 3B for the inevitable injuries and rest needs (Hayes, Cruz).
SP = Certainly that’s a need, but Pirates can’t be in on the high end of that market. And, the guys left there (Snell, Montgomery) are going to end up as bad deals. Could see them being in on Manaea or Ryu (prefer LHP for PNC Park).
RP = Knowing that they can’t be in on high end starters, the alternative could be to stack the bullpen. Aroldis Chapman, Jordan Hicks?
2024 looks like still in rebuild mode for Pirates. Go for talent “knocking on the door”. If not a Westburg (2b) type then maybe a Cowser (CF) for an Ashcroft type. Why Ashcroft for the Os? His journey so far seems to fit the MO of the Os FO.
On a minimal cool note, would be sweet to see him and Falter in a rotation for awhile – with decent results.
Falter got a shot in Philly and flamed out, Plassmeyer was a next man up type guy in aaa. Thanks to Sanchez, we never got to see that come to fruition.
Will keep an eye on their progress for sure.
A+ signing
Glad you still have that sense of humor, my friend
Michael Plassmeyer? This isn’t news! We’re all dying to know where Sam Delaplane lands.
[Applause]