Pittsburgh Pirates: Why Each Connected Team Can’t Afford Bryan Reynolds

Seattle Mariners

Finally, we have the Seattle Mariners as one of the teams who has checked in on Reynolds. The Mariners would have the pieces to get it done. Julio Rodriguez and Noelvi Marte are essentially consensus top 10 prospects. Emmerson Hancock and George Kirby are consensus top 50 prospects. Don’t forget they also have Jarred Kelenic, who graduated prospect status this year, but went into 2021 as a consensus top 5 prospect.

But again, the Mariners aren’t about to deplete the farm system for one player when they still have holes on their major league roster that Reynolds wouldn’t fix on his own. Reportedly, the Pirates want both Rodriguez and Marte. It wouldn’t be all that shocking if they wanted one of Hancock, Kirby, or Kelenic to go with JRod and Marte. After all, the Pirates asking price back at the deadline was three, consensus top 50 or better prospects. I don’t see why that would change. If anything, it’s gone up given that Reynolds was better in the second half of 2021 and then was a Silver Slugger, Gold Glove finalist, and is a good bet to finish top 10 in National League MVP voting.

The M’s are in a situation the Pittsburgh Pirates could find themselves in by the end of next year or 2023. They have a ton of top prospects making their way to the major leagues. While they’ll probably trade-off some prospects, the likes of Rodriguez, Marte, and potentially Hancock are probably as untouchable as Reynolds.

Rodriguez is considered part of their future outfield. By the time J.P. Crawford reaches the end of his contract, Marte will be about 22-23 years old and will be groomed to take over for the former’s position. You also have to consider that the Mariners don’t usually trade their high-end young commodities. The last time they traded a top 50 or better prospect was Tyler O’Neill, which ended up being for another high-ranking prospect in Marco Gonzales.