Pirates Still Discussing Rotation Trades With Marlins, Exploring Free Agency
The Pirates have added Martin Perez and Marco Gonzales to their rotation this winter but remain in active pursuit of at least one more starter, reports Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Bucs are in ongoing trade discussions with multiple clubs, including the Marlins, and are still showing interest in various free agents, per Mackey. FanSided’s Robert Murray also wrote this morning, after the Bucs signed Josh Fleming, that Pittsburgh is still active on both the trade and free agent markets.
Miami has reportedly entertained interest in starters Edward Cabrera, Jesus Luzardo and Braxton Garrett at various points this offseason. Ballyhooed right-hander Eury Perez, who impressed with a 3.15 ERA through 91 1/3 innings as a 20-year-old rookie in 2023, is widely considered to be off limits.
Of the other Miami arms, Cabrera has generally been considered the “most” available. The 6’5″ 25-year-old is a former top-tier prospect himself but has dealt with command troubles through his first year-plus of big league service time and has not yet as established as the other three hurlers in question. Mackey indeed suggests that Cabrera is the likeliest target, reporting that a deal between the Bucs and the Fish would likely include an infielder such as Liover Peguero, Nick Gonzales or Ji Hwan Bae.
Each of those three have varying levels of trade value themselves. Peguero has garnered the most prospect fanfare of the group but struggled in a 59-game MLB debut last year, hitting .237/.280/.374 in 213 plate appearances. Gonzales is a former No. 7 overall pick and top-100 prospect, but Baseball America now lists him ninth among Pittsburgh minor leaguers. Bae is another once-well-regarded prospect but exhausted his rookie eligibility last year with a tepid .231/.296/.311 showing through 371 plate appearances. All three are middle infielders, though Gonzales and Bae are considered limited to second base (and, in Bae’s case, the outfield).
Any member of that trio would figure to be just one of several pieces going to Miami, should a deal come together. Though Cabrera himself has some questions about his lackluster command, he’s still performed far better in the majors than any of those Pittsburgh infielders, and controllable young pitching is typically the most difficult type of asset to acquire.
Since making his big league debut in 2021, Cabrera has pitched 197 2/3 innings of 4.01 ERA ball. That includes a rocky debut that lasted just 26 1/3 frames in ’21, however. Over the past two seasons, he sports a more encouraging 3.73 mark in 171 1/3 frames. Cabrera has averaged better than 96 mph on his heater, punched out an above-average 26.6% of his opponents and induced grounders at a strong 50.6% clip. Still, fielding-independent metrics are a bit more bearish on him than ERA due to his 13.7% walk rate. In that same 2022-23 window, Cabrera sports a 4.50 FIP and 4.42 SIERA.
If Cabrera can improve his command at all, he has the makings of a clear big league starter. His fastball and changeup give him a pair of above-average to plus offerings, with the change in particular befuddling lefties and thus mitigating typical platoon issues. Southpaws have flailed away at the pitch and produced a hapless .184/.291/.315 batting line in 433 plate appearances against Cabrera. Because his slider hasn’t been as consistently effective, Cabrera has struggled against right-handed opponents. They’ve hit just .231 against him but posted a huge .376 OBP and slugged .422.
Cabrera’s 1.147 years of big league service time put him on track to be arbitration-eligible as a Super Two player next winter. That’d make him arb-eligible four times rather than the standard three, but he’s under club control through the 2028 season regardless.
Beyond their interest in Miami’s starters, the Pirates have seen free agents Domingo German and Noah Syndergaard throw recently, per Mackey. Either figures to be available on a low-cost deal, and it seems entirely feasible that the Pirates could both trade for a pre-arb starter who won’t alter their payroll and still add another low-cost rotation piece on a one-year deal. Other veterans still on the market –beyond top starters Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, who are surely out of Pittsburgh’s price range — include Michael Lorenzen, Hyun Jin Ryu, Mike Clevinger and Eric Lauer.
Pirates Promote Nick Gonzales
4:23pm: Pittsburgh officially selected Gonzales’ contract. Outfielder Cal Mitchell was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis to clear a spot on the active roster. To open a 40-man vacancy, the Bucs transferred righty Vince Velasquez from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list. He’s out for the season after undergoing elbow surgery.
11:00am: The Pirates are set to promote infield prospect Nick Gonzales, reports Jim Rosati of North Shore Nine. Gonzales isn’t on the 40-man roster so a corresponding move or moves will be required to get him aboard.
Gonzales, 24, was selected by the Pirates with the seventh overall pick in the 2020 draft. The minor leagues were canceled by the pandemic that year, but he was nonetheless vaulted onto prospect lists based on his work at New Mexico State University. His exceptional bat-to-ball skills and plate discipline were lauded as his standout tools as Baseball America ranked him the #51 prospect in the league going into 2021. MLB Pipeline had him at #43, Baseball Prospectus at #39, FanGraphs at #86 and ESPN at #66.
He was finally able to make his professional debut in 2021, spending it in High-A. A broken finger cost him more than a month of that season but he still got into 80 games. He walked in 10.8% of his plate appearances but his 27.4% strikeout rate was on the high side, especially for a player whose carrying tool is his bat. Nonetheless, he hit .302/.385/.565 at that level and generally crept higher on prospect lists going into 2022.
Injuries popped up again last year as he tore the plantar fascia in the heel of his foot, costing him about two months and limiting him to just 74 games on the year. He posted a strong batting line of .264/.382/.435, mostly in Double-A, but struck out at a 28.4% clip. He finished the year with a sold .279/.351/.500 showing in the Arizona fall league.
Despite those strong batting lines, the concerns about the punchouts delivered a blow to his prospect stock. He’s not considered an especially strong defender or baserunner, making any drop in the assessment of hit bat noteworthy. He was bumped off each of the aforementioned prospect lists coming into 2023 and dropped on team-specific lists as well. BA had him #8 in the Pirates’ system at the start of the this year after having him at #3 in previous seasons. Keith Law of The Athletic put him at #9 while FanGraphs had him all the way down at #23, with each outlet concerned about the swing and miss, particularly against breaking pitches.
Here in 2023, Gonzales has been in Triple-A. Through 262 plate appearances, he’s hitting .257/.370/.450 for a wRC+ of 106. That indicates he’s been a bit above league average at that level but he’s still striking out at a 28.6% rate.
Defensively, Gonzales has spent most of his time at second base. He’s not especially well regarded there, but has also seen some time at shortstop and third. The Bucs are set at third base with Ke’Bryan Hayes but the middle infield is a little less clear with shortstop Oneil Cruz still on the injured list and not close to a return. Mark Mathias got some time at second base but was optioned earlier this week after hitting at a subpar rate. Each of Ji Hwan Bae and Tucupita Marcano have played some middle infield but also with below-average offensive output. Rodolfo Castro has been a hair above average at the plate but his shortstop defense isn’t very well regarded.
Given all of those imperfect pieces, the Pirates will turn to Gonzales to see if he can provide a jolt. Despite the strikeout concerns, he does seem to do consistent damage when he does make contact. The Pirates got out to a scorching hot start this year and were leading the National League Central for a time but they are in a bad skid now. They have lost 10 straight and put Bryan Reynolds on the injured list yesterday. It seems they don’t want the season to slip away from them and are willing to turn to their farm for reinforcements, promoting Henry Davis earlier this week and now Gonzales.
Pirates Open To Adding Middle Infielder
The Pirates’ middle infield is fairly open at the moment, with several talented young players who could eventually seize jobs on a more permanent basis but haven’t done so just yet. To that end, general manager Ben Cherington told members of the media, including Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, that the club wouldn’t rule out another external addition.
“I think we want to create competition there certainly, whether it’s guys that are already here. Wouldn’t rule out adding an infielder, either,” Cherington said. “I would emphasize the competition, but there will be a runway to be part of that competition and continue to earn it.”
At first glance, the idea of Pittsburgh adding a depth infielder is a little odd since they just traded Kevin Newman to the Reds. That move opened up the path for younger players to seize playing time, but evidently left them not totally satisfied with their remaining options. There’s possibly a financial component, as Newman was projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to make an arbitration salary of $2.8MM, which the Bucs will no longer have to worry about. They could redirect some of those funds to replace Newman, while having added reliever Dauri Moreta, the return in the trade.
It doesn’t seem like bringing in a reinforcement is a must, just something that’s on the table as the club gauges the temperature of the offseason. That’s a fairly logical approach, since they do have plenty of in-house options, though they are written in pencil and not in ink. Oneil Cruz is now the clear top shortstop with Newman out of the picture. He has tantalizing tools, such as elite exit velocities, sprint speed and arm strength. However, he struck out in 34.9% of his plate appearances last year and has long faced questions about whether he and his 6’7″ frame can stick at short in the long run. The reviews in 2022 were mixed, as Defensive Runs Saved gave him a 1 while Ultimate Zone Rating and Outs Above Average were much more pessimistic, giving him a -.7.5 and -9, respectively.
The corners seem to be fairly set for next year, with Ke’Bryan Hayes at third and Ji-Man Choi at first. The latter is an impending free agent and a midsummer trade candidate, though perhaps today’s waiver claimee Lewin Diaz can take over at that point. Cruz seems likely to get some more time to continue the shortstop experiment for the near future, with several candidates on hand to take over a full-time second base job or utility role.
Rodolfo Castro had a solid showing this year, hitting 11 home runs and stealing five bases in just 71 games. He finished the year with a batting line of .233/.299/.427, which amounted to a wRC+ of 102, or 2% above average. He played between 19 and 32 games at each of second, third and short and is a switch-hitter, making him well-suited to a utility role. Though it’s also possible he separates himself from the pack and seizes the job at the keystone.
Ji Hwan Bae got a cup of coffee towards the end of the year, hitting well in 10 games while showcasing his speed. He added three steals at the big league level to go with the 30 he tallied in the minors prior to his call-up. He played some second base with the big league club but also center and left field.
Diego Castillo didn’t hit much last year but did play all four infield positions as well as right field. Hoy Park and Tucupita Marcano didn’t hit much either but both played the outfield corners and each infield position except for first base. Prospects Liover Peguero and Nick Gonzales played both second and short at Double-A last year and could be factors in 2023.
The Pirates are obviously rebuilding and very few expect them to emerge as surprise contenders in 2023, which means this jumble will likely be straightened out as the season goes on. If they look into adding a more established player to the mix, they surely won’t be going after top free agents like Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts or Dansby Swanson. Even the next tier of free agents like Elvis Andrus, Jean Segura and Jose Iglesias will likely be looking for more secure jobs than just the placeholder gig in Pittsburgh. That means the Bucs will likely be in contact with options like Hanser Alberto, Yu Chang, Tyler Wade or Danny Mendick. On the trade market, guys like Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Cavan Biggio could be available, though it’s also possible that Cherington keeps working the waiver wire.
Pirates To Add Nick Gonzalez, Liover Peguero To 60-Man Player Pool
3:39pm: The Pirates also plan to add shortstop prospect Liover Peguero to their player pool, general manager Ben Cherington told Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and other reporters. The 19-year-old Peguero was part of Pittsburgh’s return from Arizona for outfielder Starling Marte in the teams’ offseason trade.
12:01pm: The Pirates are bringing recent top draft pick Nick Gonzales to the club’s auxiliary Summer Camp at Altoona, Adam Young of FOX Sports reports on Twitter. He’ll be formally added to the 60-man player pool once he clears coronavirus testing.
Gonzales just signed on with the Bucs after being taken with the seventh overall pick of the recent amateur draft. The New Mexico State second baseman is a highly polished collegiate hitter.
The 21-year-old’s overall track record is impressive as it is, but Gonzales’s shortened 2020 season was flat out ridiculous. In 82 plate appearances, he launched a dozen home runs and drew 21 walks, producing an outlandish .448/.610/1.155 slash line.
There’s every reason to think that Gonzales will be a rather quick mover up the ladder of the Pirates farm system … once he gets a place to start, at least. By gaining exposure now to MLB and near-MLB pitching, he’ll have a chance to earn a rather lofty affiliate placement next spring.
First-Rounder Nick Gonzales Plans To Sign With Pirates
Pirates first-round pick Nick Gonzales will take a physical on Wednesday, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets. Assuming there aren’t any issues, Gonzales plans to sign with the team, according to Mackey. As the seventh overall pick, he’s expected to sign for the slot value of $5,432,400, per Mackey.
The 21-year-old Gonzales was a star at New Mexico State, where he played in the middle infield (primarily second base) and slashed .399/.502/.747 with 37 home runs in 596 plate appearances from 2018-20.
On the heels of his stellar college career, Gonzales entered the draft as a top seven prospect according to MLB.com (No. 5), Baseball America (No. 5), FanGraphs (No. 6) and Keith Law of The Athletic (No. 7). Gonzales “has as much pure hitting ability as just about any bat in the 2020 class,” per MLB.com, which notes that some compare him to Brewers second baseman Keston Hiura.
Orioles Notes: Minor League Pay, Kjerstad, Draft
The latest from Camden Yards…
- On Friday, the Orioles announced that they will continue paying the $400 weekly stipend to their minor league players through the first week of September (or what would have been the end of the minor league season). All 30 teams have publicly committed to paying their minor leaguers through at least the end of June, with clubs such as the Twins, Royals, Padres, Mariners, Reds, Astros, Red Sox, Marlins, and — after some controversy — Athletics all joining Baltimore in keeping the stipend going for the entire season.
- The Orioles went against conventional wisdom when they selected Heston Kjerstad with the second overall pick of the amateur draft, as Kjerstad was generally projected to fall somewhere in the 9th-12th pick range. As Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun writes, the Arkansas outfielder on the team’s radar for a while — area scout Ken Guthrie has known Kjerstad’s family for years and Guthrie took note of Kjerstad’s hitting potential when he was still a high schooler. The Orioles continued to observe Kjerstad as he developed into a star at Arkansas, with both analytics and pure numbers revealing his improvement at the plate. “It’s a really special bat in our opinion. He took some steps forward this year,” GM Mike Elias said. “I think had he been able to finish that season, he probably would have just continued to cement it. I think if we hadn’t taken him, he was going to go pretty quick after us.”
- Of course, signability also played a role in Baltimore’s choice, as Kjerstad might be willing to agree to take less than the second pick’s recommended $7,789,900 slot price. As per Meoli, the Orioles “explored similar such deals” with other top prospects such as Nick Gonzales (who went seventh overall to the Pirates) and Zac Veen (ninth overall to the Rockies).