Ketel Marte trade chatter may reveal the truth about Nick Gonzales’ Pirates future

Jon Heyman stirred the pot this week when he dropped that the Pittsburgh Pirates are interested in Ketel Marte, turning Pirates Twitter into a conspiracy lab. Of course, Heyman later announced that the Pirates are on Marte's no-trade list, thus ending the firestorm he started. But who's counting?

Nobody actually believed Ben Cherington could've pulled off the trade anyhow, which would likely need to come at the cost of a top pitching prospect like Bubba Chandler or Seth Hernandez –– but the rumor still matters. Because if the Pirates are window-shopping for second basemen, what does that say about the guy who’s already playing there?

If the Pirates were fully convinced that Nick Gonzales was their long-term second baseman, they would not be poking around on Marte trade possibilities. You don’t browse Zillow unless — deep down — you’re open to moving.

And look, Gonzales is not a bad player. He was actually one of Pittsburgh's few offensive bright spots in 2025, despite missing months due to an ankle fracture. Pirates fans want to believe in him. They want the first-round pedigree to finally pay off. But his 2025 season painted a very complicated picture: a .260/.299/.362 slash line, 84 OPS+, 0.7 oWAR, -0.9 dWAR and -11 DRS in 408 plate appearances of evidence that he's fine –– but not someone you rearrange your infield for.

Gonzales wasn’t a black hole, but he wasn’t a solution, either. And that’s exactly the type of player teams tend to quietly shop or quietly demote into a super-utility role.

Let's start with the defensive problem no one can ignore. Second base was supposed to be Gonzales’ “safe” position, as his glove at shortstop was already viewed as questionable when he was drafted. But in 2025, he didn’t just struggle defensively — he actively hurt the team.

Gonzales posted –11 DRS at a position where anything below zero raises eyebrows. He had routinely poor range metrics, and there is enough tape on him to convince even the most optimistic fans that he may never be more than a passable defender.

If this were 2017 and the Pirates still prioritized vibes over defense, maybe it wouldn’t matter. But this modern front office loves versatility, run prevention and athleticism. Gonzales only grades positively in one of those three categories.

And then, there's the Konnor Griffin of it all. When the Pirates drafted him in 2024, they stamped a giant "future starting shortstop" label on his forehead the second he signed. Everything about his trajectory screams, "2026 debut. Everyday role. Don't get in his way."

So even if Gonzales doesn’t stick at second? Shortstop isn’t waiting for him. Griffin is the Ferrari in the garage. Gonzales is the used Subaru the Pirates keep meaning to get around to. One is a future franchise cornerstone. One is… well… maybe a helpful piece.

Ketel Marte rumors may be saying the quiet part out loud about Nick Gonzales' Pirates future (even if a trade doesn't actually happen)

So what is Gonzales now? A trade chip? A super-utility guy? Both? Ultimately, there are two paths forward, and neither ends with him being the full-time second baseman of the future.

Let's start with the trade chip option. Gonzales still has team control, first-round pedigree, a decent offensive floor and a semi-believable "change of scenery" breakout narrative. Teams love that. If the Pirates trade him, they almost certainly add him to a multi-player package for an MLB-ready bat.

But the Pirates might decide they want Gonzales playing at second base, capable of playing shortstop in a pinch, and perhaps even taking reps at third base and outfield. Think Adam Frazier Lite. It’s not glamorous, but guys like this are valuable on a contending roster — and right now, the Pirates are supposedly trying to build one of those.

Even if Marte never comes to Pittsburgh — and he almost certainly won’t — the Pirates’ interest reveals a truth fans need to acknowledge: The Pirates don’t see Nick Gonzales as a locked-in, cornerstone starter. They see him as replaceable. They see him as movable. They see him as someone who may not have a defined long-term role once Griffin arrives and the roster gets deeper.

If Gonzales is part of a 2026 Pirates contender, it will likely be as a utility weapon or as the guy who helped land a bigger piece in a trade. Either way, Marte didn’t break the Pirates’ depth chart. He just exposed how the Pirates really view one of the players already on it.