Pittsburgh Pirates: Jameson Taillon Trade Rumors Continue

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 01: Jameson Taillon #50 of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington on May 01, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 01: Jameson Taillon #50 of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington on May 01, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)

After finishing with the worst record in baseball in 2020, the Pittsburgh Pirates have started to trade away their best players.  Another play is drawing interest in a trade.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are a small market team and thus need to continuously have a farm system that is ranked in the top 10.  They’ve acquired some upside talent in trades last offseason, acquiring Liover Peguero and Brennan Malone from the Arizona Diamondbacks.  They were able to draft one of the better bats in the 2020 Draft in Nick Gonzales and a top international free agent in Shalin Polanco.

The Pirates have been aggressive in acquiring talent, and have four prospects ranked in Baseball America’s top 100.  The Pirates have traded Josh Bell for Wil Crowe and Eddy Yean, who looks like a faster rising prospect in the game.  Ben Cherington and the front office have been aggressive in trades, acquiring more young players in a Joe Musgrove trade, headed by outfielder Hudson Head.

While second baseman Adam Frazier and pitcher Steven Brault appear to be the most likely players traded, Jameson Taillon has been connected with the Yankees.  A connection of Taillon to the Yankees came about from Pittsburgh Post Gazette writer Jason Mackey back in early May.

Further connection has come from Yankees MLB.com beat writer Bryan Hoch posted on his Instagram story how the Yankees have done their homework on Taillon.  This is a further connection on the Pirates right-hander who is coming off his second Tommy-John surgery and he is owed $2.25 million for the 2021 season.

The 29-year-old right hander is projected for a 4.23 ERA by ZiPS and would help solidify the Yankees rotation.  Considering this is the second connection of Taillon to the Yankees, perhaps that a trade will come closer to spring training.  The Pirates are looking to compete towards 2023 and 2024, so Taillon along with Frazier, Brault, and maybe Chad Kuhl could be on the move at some point over the season.  Check back on the site for any other rumors regarding trade rumors.

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