The Phillies have agreed to a minor league contract with former Pirates infielder Liover Peguero, reports Aram Leighton of Just Baseball. He’ll presumably be in major league camp as a non-roster invitee next spring.
Peguero was once a touted young infielder whom the Pirates acquired from the D-backs in exchange for Starling Marte. He’s a former top-100 prospect who was once viewed as a possible shortstop of the future in Pittsburgh. Peguero’s bat has never come around, however. He’s seen action in four big league seasons but has mustered only a .227/.278/.368 slash line in 315 turns at the plate.
Peguero has also looked overmatched at the top minor league level. Outside of a late-2023 cameo in Triple-A where he smacked a pair of homers in 30 promising plate appearances, he’s produced well below-average numbers with the Pirates’ top affiliate in Indianapolis. He’s a .253/.317/.403 hitter in 888 plate appearances there, including a career-worst .247/.313/.375 showing in 75 games with Indy this season. Baseball America and other outlets have lauded his quality defensive tools but also noted a penchant for slipping into poor mechanical stretches that lead to far too many throwing errors.
For the Phillies, Peguero is a simple depth add — a roll of the dice on a former top prospect who doesn’t have a clear path to playing time with the big league club. Peguero could vie for a bench job if he has a big showing in camp, but with Trea Turner and Bryson Stott in the middle infield and Edmundo Sosa in a key utility role, he’ll head to spring training a ways down the depth chart.
The next Rodolfo Castro the Phillies get from the Pirates.
He definitely had some raw potential
I wouldn’t be surprised if he turns into a big leaguer on a real team
Uh… Rodolfo or Liover, dude…?
Cherington will be remembered for making horrible trades
And drafting Skenes, Chandler, and Griffin.
And winning world series with Pirates
He actually has hit major league lefties pretty well, .281/.349/.427 over 106 plate appearances.
Exactly. That’s the only reason he’s here. If there are injuries and they need a guy in September who can hit left-handed pitching he will have a shot. Doesn’t say much about Weston Wilson, who I think is on his final legs as a Philly.
Gosh, over 106 appearances? Get Cooperstown ready. Which ball cap will he wear…?
Great kid, personable and fun in interviews. He had his chances in Pittsburgh so understand the release but hope he figures it out enough to make a career
I could see him making the Major League roster in Philadelphia. I think Sosa has outplayed both Bohm and Stott, making one or the other expendable in a trade and opening up a utility infield spot.
Definitely! Loser manager Topper couldn’t see that, so now he’s gone along with Bohm AND Stott. Wait! What’s that???
he was released because he was out of options
This makes total sense since the club is ostensibly steering away from elite “D”/light hit CF Johan Rojas. Bringing in an older guy (to play the infield, a much lesser need) with far less upside makes total sense…if you’re out of it entirely.