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The Pittsburgh Pirates Officially Complete The Ivan Nova Trade

By David Slusser

Aug 23, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Ivan Nova (46) takes a drink in the dugout before heading to the mound to pitch the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at PNC Park. The Pirates won 7-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 23, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Ivan Nova (46) takes a drink in the dugout before heading to the mound to pitch the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at PNC Park. The Pirates won 7-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Pittsburgh Pirates traded for Ivan Nova on August first, the trade deadline. They sent two players to be named later to the New York Yankees.

The two players the Pirates have sent to the Yankees are outfielder Tito Polo and pitcher Stephen Tarpley. Tarpley was originally acquired by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2015 off-season as part of the Travis Snider deal. Polo was signed out of Columbia.

Titio Polo ranked 27th on MLB Pipeline’s top 30 prospects for the Pirates. He is a right-handed hitting outfielder, who is hitting .289/.360/.451 with a .373 wOBA and a 126 wRC+ in West Virginia (A) and Bradenton (A+). The recently turned 22-year-old owns a career slash line of .271/.352/.402 with a .359 wOBA and a 121 wRC+. Two weeks ago, editor Nick Caporoso wrote this about Polo:

"In the games I have seen Polo play this year, there have been a few things that have stood out to me.  First, his athleticism.  This is the most obvious thing, as the term that is repeatedly used with him is toolsy.  Polo has the ability to play all three outfield spots, showing plus speed and a strong-arm.  Also, as mentioned earlier, he has a great blend of power and speed that he shows off at the plate.  He can beat out an infield hit, but he can also clear the wall."

Nick also pointed out that, “Many view Polo as a potential fourth outfielder, based on his all around game.  The big question is whether or not he will continue to develop as an all-around hitter.” Also mentioning that if Polo continues this trend, he could be an everyday outfielder.

Left handed pitcher, and Pirates number 17 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Stephen Tarpley has posted a 4.32 ERA and a 3.92 FIP in his 100 innings in Bradenton (A+). This is coming off a year in which he produced a very solid 2.48 ERA and a 2.86 FIP in 116 innings in West Virginia (A). In his four years of pro ball, Tarpley possesses a 3.33 ERA and a 3.37 FIP in 303 innings pitched. The lefty has been about the average age each season as well.

Related Story: Pirates Activate Glasnow, Send Him To Indy

So far out of Ivan Nova, the Pirates have gotten pitcher with a 2.87 ERA and a 3.18 FIP. Nova has shown excellent control so far in his five starts with the Pittsburgh Pirates, as he has walked just one of the 121 batters faced.

*Numbers from baseball-reference and fangraphs

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