Pittsburgh Pirates News: Club Adds Four Players to 40 Man

The Pittsburgh Pirates have added four players to their 40 man roster, and in the process have protected all four players from being eligible in the rule five draft this winter.

With the deadline coming at 8:00, the Pittsburgh Pirates, as is usual with this club, waited until the last moment to announce the four players they have added to their 40 man.  The club added 2014 first and second round picks Cole Tucker and Mitch Keller, 2015 sixth rounder JT Brubaker, and outfielder Jason Martin, who the club acquired in the Gerrit Cole trade last offseason.  This news was originally reported by Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

Tucker is the Pirates fourth overall prospect according to Fangraphs, having a future value of a 50, or an average starter in the majors.  He struggled to start the season in Double-A Altoona, but he had a successful fall league.

Keller is the club’s number two prospect, and has a future value of a 55, or a three starter worth about two to three wins on average.  Keller started the Futures Game last year, and should be ready to make his Major League debut this coming season, though some work will be needed.

Those two players were obvious choices for the Pirates, and with the trading of Tanner Anderson – a groundball specialist, but no strikeout ability – being shipped off to Oakland, the Pirates were able to add Brubaker and Martin.  Brubaker is a relief candidate with his fastball and slider combination, along with shaky command (45 future value), but like Keller he should be able to make his debut this season if needed.

Martin provides the Pirates depth in the outfield, and after last year going unselected in the rule five draft, the Pirates made sure to protect him this year.  The outfielder hit .325/.392/.522 in Double-A Altoona before hitting just .211/.270/.319 in 234 plate appearances in Triple-A Indianapolis.  He projects as a fourth outfielder (40 future value).

The one player the Pirates didn’t add that might be selected in the rule five is Brandon Waddell, a left-hander that a rebuilding club (Orioles, Royals, Tigers) could use either as a left-handed reliever or a backend starter to try to find a diamond in the rough as they won’t contend in 2019.

The Pirates 40 man roster is now full, so a player will have to be designated for assignment for any incoming player in free agency.