The Indians designated Andy Marte for assignment today, giving them ten days to trade him or place him on waivers. Marte is a former top prospect who hit very well against minor league pitching at a young age before falling apart at the major league level. He reached the major leagues at the age of 21 in 2005. Over the past three years, Marte has been about replacement level while receiving sporadic playing time.
Marte may be a good buy-low candidate, and the Pirates may be in the right situation to give him a shot. They have a few open spots on the 25-man roster, where Marte must be placed. The team is not expecting to contend, and they should have an interest in young reclamation projects with some upside. Marte is still just 25, and it is possible that he could suddenly regain the magic from a few years back. The Pirates have been looking for a right-handed option for the bench. Despite his recent struggles, CHONE still projects Marte to post a .324 wOBA. That is nothing spectacular, but it’s not bad for a backup. Combining that with average defense at third would make Marte about a one-win player over 400 plate appearances. That is similar to the value that Eric Hinske projects to provide off the bench.
Marte’s potential upside would be worth giving him a look. Neal Huntington certainly knows Marte well from his time in Cleveland, so we will see if he is thinking the same thing.
