Pittsburgh Pirates Free Agent Target: Jonathan Villar

With the free agency market heating up ahead of the 2021 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates have the money to add pieces. One of those pieces could be utility man Jonathan Villar.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have made a few trades this offseason which has been the primary means of activity for them over the past couple seasons. The Pittsburgh Pirates have not made a big splash in free agency under the guidane of general manager Ben Cherrington, but they are looking to add pieces in free agency ahead of the 2021 season. One of the guys they should be looking at is middle infielder Jonathan Villar.

Villar is 30-year-old veteran who mainly mans shortstop and second base, but has made appearances in the outfield from time to time. 2020 was a down year for Villar, as he only posted a 66 wRC+ while splitting time with Toronto and Miami. It was a tough season for a lot of players, Villar included, but it was a very small sample size.

In 30 games with the Marlins, Villar had an 83 wRC+ to go along with 9 stolen bases and 10 runs scored. After being traded to the Blue Jays, Villar stumbled and hit just .188 in 22 games to go with a measly 37 wRC+, while snagging another 7 bases. Needless to say Villar did not perform well enough to get a huge contract in the offseason, which means he falls within the Pirates’ range of spending.

Villar is projected to cost around $6M under a one-year deal, a deal in which the Pittsburgh Pirates can definitely afford at this point in time. He is a solid contact hitter who can fill in up the middle and possibly in the outfield, providing the Pirates with plus player who can fill in almost anywhere on the diamond.

Prior to 2020 Villar was probably the best player on the Baltimore Orioles, producing a 4.1 fWAR in a full 162-game season where he saw 714 plate appearances. Villar knocked out a career high 24 home runs to go with 111 runs scored, 40 stolen bases and a 109 wRC+ while manning both shortstop and second base. Villar can bring needed speed to the Pittsburgh Pirates having stolen 62 bases in 2016 in addition to the 40 he stole in 2019.

A plus hitter and speedster, Villar can add a lot of strength to this Pirate team, which certainly is lacking in both speed on the bases and power. Villar can be an answer in at least one of those areas, maybe both. He provides the Pirates with a strong option both off the bench and as an everyday candidate at each of the positions he can play, as well as being a possible mid-season trade candidate to continue to add to a strong farm system.

However you look at it, a match between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Jonathan Villar seems plausable and much needed. If the two sides can ink up a one-year deal, the Pirates can add to the roster while also not over-spending. After all, the Pirates have the lowest payroll in the league and have plenty of room to spend. I don’t see the Pirates adding too many free agents this offseason, but if they do add one it should be Villar.