Pirates Jack Wilson and Ian Snell Traded to Mariners

Jack Wilson traded finally!  Ian Snell also traded!  The Bucs traded Wilson and Snell to the Mariners for first baseman Jeff Clement, shortstop Ronny Cedeno and right-handed pitchers Aaron Pribanic, Brett Lorin and Nathan Adcock .

The Pirates don’t appear to be done either with several discussions continuing with other clubs.  The next 48 hours could see Sanchez, Capps, Duke, Maholm and as always probably a surprise player.  The building continues…

“Our scouts have consistently projected Clement to be an everyday Major League contributor with the power to hit 20-plus home runs,” said Huntington. “He has been an extremely highly-regarded prospect since he was drafted third overall in 2005 and has performed consistently since then, showing the tools to be a quality offensive player.”

Cedeno spent his entire career with the Chicago Cubs organization before being acquired by Seattle in January in a three-player deal. The 26-year-old infielder played in 59 games this year for the Mariners and entered today’s action with a .238 career average (259-for-1090) with 39 doubles, nine triples, 18 home runs and 105 RBI in 388 games in parts of five years in the big leagues.

Cedeno made 40 appearances (39 starts) at shortstop, 13 appearances (eight starts) at second base, seven appearances (four starts) in left field and two appearances (two starts) at third base this year with the Mariners.

“Ronny is a solid Major League defensive-oriented shortstop,” said Huntington. “We feel we can help him become more productive with the bat, while his defense helps our pitching staff.”

Pribanic went 7-6 with a 3.21 ERA (87.0ip/31er) while surrendering just one home run in 17 starts for Single-A Clinton of the Midwest League this year while being named to the league’s mid-season All-Star team. He was charged with two earned runs or fewer in 12 of his first 13 outings, won six of his first eight decisions, had an ERA below 3.00 after his first 15 starts and entered today’s action ranked 10^th in the league in that category.

  The 22-year-old righthander was Seattle’s third-round selection (98^th overall) in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. At the time he was drafted, Aaron was the highest Husker taken since 2006, when Joba Chamerlain was selected by the New York Yankees in the first round.

“Aaron has been highly regarded since he was drafted in the third round out of the University of Nebraska in 2008 by Seattle,” said Huntington. “He put up excellent numbers in his first full professional season. He has a heavy four-seam fastball that reaches up to 93 miles per hour and a two-seam fastball with significant sinking and tailing life low in the zone that has allowed him to get ground balls.”

Lorin went 5-4 with a 2.44 ERA (88.2ip/24er), 87 strikeouts and just 25 walks in 16 starts this year for Single-A Clinton. The 6-foot-7 righthander was named to this year’s Midwest League All-Star team after leading the league with 77 strikeouts at the All-Star break. The 22-year-old righthander entered today’s action ranked third among all Midwest League pitchers in ERA (2.44) after allowing two earned runs or fewer in nine of his first 10 outings, which included a 0.75 mark after his first four starts (24.0ip/2er).

Lorin was selected by Seattle in the fifth round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft from Cal State University-Long Beach. He began his professional career with Single-A Everett of the Northwest League last year, where he was named the club’s Pitcher-of-the-Year after going 1-0 with a 2.82 ERA (22.1ip/7er) and 29 strikeouts in five starts. He was then promoted to Single-A Wisconsin of the Midwest League, where he was charged with two earned runs or fewer in five of his six starts.

“Brett has been noted by our scouts for his plus makeup, competitive nature and desire to win and succeed,” said Huntington. “He complements his solid fastball that can touch the mid-90s with a curveball that has shown tight rotation and the form to project to an above-average Major-League curveball.”

Adcock went 5-7 with a 5.29 ERA (102.0ip/60er) in 21 games (19 starts) with Single-A High Desert of the California League. He went 5-3 with a 3.70 ERA (82.2ip/34er) in 14 starts before the All-Star Game and was charged with three earned runs or fewer in 10 of his 19 starting assignments.

The 21-year old Adcock was selected by Seattle in the fifth round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft from North Hardin (KY) High School, where he was named a third-team All-American by the National Baseball Coaches Association during his senior year.

During his first professional season in 2006 with Peoria of the Arizona League, Adcock posted a 3.31 ERA (35.1ip/13er) in 10 games, including a 1.64 ERA in six starts. Last year with Single-A Wisconsin of the Midwest League, he allowed three earned runs or fewer in all but three of his 14 starts and two or fewer in seven of his starting assignments.

  “Nathan has shown our scouts quality pitching instincts, including a curveball that was ranked the best in Seattle’s system by Baseball America,” said Huntington. “Despite pitching in the worst pitcher’s park in baseball in High Desert of the California League, Adcock has shown the ability to get ground balls with an advanced three-pitch mix and the ability to locate his 91-plus mile per hour fastball, which are crucial tools in a Major League pitcher.”

Ronny Cedeno will join the Pirates. Jeff Clement has been assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis. Aaron Pribanic and Brett Lorin have been assigned to Single-A West Virginia of the South Atlantic League and Nathan Adcock will join Single-A Lynchburg of the Carolina League.