The Pittsburgh Pirates have been busy over the last week, with a major injury to overcome, and several additions to the 2024 roster. I’m coming off my latest break from publishing in 2023. I’ll have an update about those breaks and the site for 2024, later this week.
For now, let’s catch up on the news this week…
ENDY RODRIGUEZ OUT FOR THE 2024 SEASON
Endy Rodriguez underwent UCL reconstruction surgery, and will miss 10-12 months, putting him out for the entire 2024 season. Rodriguez was slated to be the Pirates’ starting catcher in 2024, after being promoted to the role the past July.
The Pirates recently signed Ali Sanchez to a Major League deal, and that move makes a lot more sense with the loss of Rodriguez. With Sanchez as a replacement, and Jason Delay as the backup, the Pirates will go into 2024 with an all-defense approach behind the plate. That’s similar to their approach last year, when they added Austin Hedges to be their starting catcher. Hedges recently signed with Cleveland for $4 million.
Henry Davis might find an easier time getting work behind the plate, now that Rodriguez will be out for the year. That could help him get to a point of improved defense for the 2025 season, so both catchers can eventually get to a point of sharing the role.
PIRATES SIGN ROWDY TELLEZ
Rowdy Tellez will play for the Pirates in 2024, after signing a one year, $3.2 million deal, with another $800,000 in potential performance bonuses. A few weeks ago, I wrote this about Tellez in 2023:
In looking for a silver lining, I noticed that Tellez does have some good decision-making trends. His chase rate in 2023 went down to 27.1% from 31% the year prior. This was the second straight year that Tellez reduced his swings on pitches outside of the zone. Tellez has also been making above-average contact outside of the zone. The same trends exist inside the zone. Tellez has reduced his swinging in the zone to 53.3%, which is well down from the league average of 68.8%. As a result, Tellez gets an exceptionally high amount of called strikes against him. The Pirates preach a similar, almost too passive approach at the plate, with an idea of targeting the right areas. In this case, you’d hope that Tellez can continue the trends of laying off pitches outside of the zone, while increasing his looks inside the zone. That’s the ideal hope that would lead to a Tellez breakout. The risk against that is he’s just taking an overall passive approach, without any discernment or increased recognition for the strike zone.
Tellez has a career .233/.304/.446 line in parts of six MLB seasons. He hit 35 homers in 2022, with a .767 OPS that was fueled by his power. He doesn’t get on base at a high rate, but is heading the right direction with his swing decisions to improve in this area.
It would be hard to call Tellez an upgrade over Carlos Santana. The Brewers traded for Santana last year, after Tellez had a series of freak injuries in July. When Tellez returned, he played part-time, with Santana offering the better defense at first base.
The Pirates don’t have a certain situation at first base or with their designated hitter spot. They’ve got candidates for first base, led by Jared Triolo and Connor Joe as a part-time option. Tellez provides the most impact at the plate with his power. Joe is the best defensive option. Triolo might have the most upside, but could also be used at another position.
This move isn’t as exciting as adding a guy like Rhys Hoskins on a multi-year deal. Unless someone like Triolo steps up, the Pirates will be back in this position next year, looking for another answer at first.
Tellez was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 30th round in the 2013 draft.
PIRATES ACQUIRE A PAIR OF OUTFIELDERS
The Pirates are boosting their outfield depth, making two trades this week. The first deal added Billy McKinney from the New York Yankees for international bonus pool money. The money sent was likely from the Austin Hedges trade this past summer, meaning the Pirates essentially traded Hedges for McKinney in 2024.
McKinney is a left-handed hitter who has played all three outfield spots, as well as first base. He has some contact issues, but doesn’t chase pitches outside of the zone nearly as often as the average player. Last year he hit .227/.320/.406 in 147 plate appearances with the Yankees.
What’s weird about this deal is that McKinney was signed by the Yankees to a minor league deal one week prior to this trade. He seemingly has a better shot of making the Pirates’ roster than the Yankees roster, where he would be minor league depth. A week ago when he was a free agent, he chose to be depth in the Yankees system, when the Pirates seemingly could have signed him.
This isn’t the first time the Yankees have traded McKinney. They sent him to the Toronto Blue Jays at the deadline in 2018 for J.A. Happ.
The Pirates also acquired Edward Olivares from the Kansas City Royals, in exchange for minor league infielder Deivis Nadal. Olivares hit .263/.317/.452 in 385 plate appearances for the Royals last year. He will be entering his age 28 season in 2024.
Unlike McKinney, who will be 29 next year, Olivares has an above-average chase rate. He makes average contact outside of the zone, and above-average contact in the zone. Olivares is a speedy, right-handed hitting outfielder who can play all three spots, but doesn’t add a lot of defense. He’s eligible for arbitration, with a $1.5 million estimate.
Olivares was signed on July 2nd, 2014 as an international free agent by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Nadal hit .212/.344/.377 in Single-A during his age 21 season, with eight home runs. The Pirates designated Roddery Munoz for assignment to make room on the 40-man for Olivares.
MINOR MOVES
The Pirates signed right-handed reliever Ryder Ryan to a minor league deal, according to Jason Mackey. Ryan made his MLB debut last year with a single appearance for the Seattle Mariners. During his time in Triple-A, he had a 3.76 ERA in 55 innings, with a 56:22 K/BB ratio. He’s previously been traded in deals for Jay Bruce and Todd Frazier.
Ryan has never been in the Toronto Blue Jays system.
In other minor moves, the Pirates didn’t add anyone from the MLB portion of the Rule 5 draft, but they were busy in the minor league phase…
RULE 5: ADDED IN THE MINOR LEAGUE PHASE
Last year’s minor league phase saw the Pirates add Joshua Palacios, which is the ceiling you should expect from any of these players below. Palacios now has a more difficult path to return to the majors, with new competition from McKinney and Olivares. The Pirates aren’t likely to find a sleeper MLB starter from this group, but they could find a depth contributor at the big league level at some point in 2024.
Fineas Del Bonita-Smith, RHP – Taken from the Rockies system with the first pick, Bonita-Smith had a 5.40 ERA in 45 innings in Double-A last year. He had a 10.4% walk rate, and a 23.1% HR/FB ratio. In the previous season, he had a 3.96 ERA in 50 innings, with a better walk and home run rate. Bonita-Smith will be entering his age 27 season next year. Despite that, he was one of the picks that caught the attention of Baseball America, due to the movement on his four-seam fastball.
Seth Beer, 1B – Beer has spent some time in the majors, with 136 plate appearances at the big league level. He’s hit .208/.294/.292 during that time. He spent last year split between Double-A and Triple-A, putting up better numbers at the Double-A level. There he hit .290/.387/.482 with 13 homers in 359 plate appearances. He struggled in Triple-A, but has had success there in the past. The Pirates added him prior to Tellez. Beer will be in his age 27 season, but was a first rounder in 2018, and will have an easier opportunity in the Pirates’ system to reach the big leagues again.
Marcos Cabrera, 3B – Cabrera is more of a prospect who can develop in the Pirates’ system, rather than an older player who might benefit from a change of scenery. Last year he hit .212/.288/.354 in High-A with the Yankees across 250 plate appearances. He’s got some raw power, but a lot of swing and miss issues. Entering his age 22 season next year, the Pirates can further his development with one of the A-ball teams.
P.J. Hilson, OF – Hilson has been at the Single-A level for the last two years, batting .247/.283/.420 in 307 plate appearances this year. He was one of the top 200 prospects in the 2018 draft, getting 70-grade marks for his speed. He doesn’t walk much, but also doesn’t strike out often, and has developed some power. He plays all three outfield positions, with good arm strength.
RULE 5: LOST IN THE MINOR LEAGUE PHASE
The Pirates lost four in the minor league phase, with the first name being the highest upside guy from the list.
Dariel Lopez, INF – The Giants drafted Lopez in the minor league phase, taking the highest upside player among this group of four. Lopez missed all of 2023, and missed some time at the end of 2022. He’s a middle infielder with power potential who probably grades similarly to Hilson above in overall value. The Pirates drafted Hilson from the Giants. If this was a trade, it would be pretty even, with both teams hoping for a once-promising athlete up the middle to develop with power and reach the upper levels. The Pirates now take over the stalled development of Hilson, and the Giants take over the stalled development of Lopez — who was mostly stalled by an injury and enters his age 22 season next year.
Omar Cruz, LHP – Cruz was one of five players acquired by the Pirates in the Joe Musgrove trade that brought Endy Rodriguez and David Bednar. The lefty has been in Altoona the last three seasons, combining for a 4.12 ERA in 181.1 innings of work. He’s an upper level pitcher who could make it to the majors in a depth role, due to the movement on his offspeed stuff.
Rafael Escalante, C – The Pirates had Escalante in rookie ball for the last two seasons, where he reached base at a .407 rate. The catcher is entering his age 22 season, and hasn’t played in full season ball yet.
Roelmy Garcia, RHP – Garcia has been reported to hit triple digits in the past, but hasn’t made it out of rookie ball. That’s due to serious control issues that result in a walk per inning. Next year will be his age 21 season.
SONG OF THE DAY
Ooh-ooh, la-la-la-la-la
Let’s live in the moment
Come back Sunday morning, oh my, oh well
When you’re gone, goodbye, so long, farewell
