Pirates' latest addition allows Pittsburgh to hedge its bets on 2024 trade deadline deal

Out of the blue, the Pittsburgh Pirates traded away Adam Frazier to the Royals for Cam Devanney, a 28-year-old shortstop in Triple-A. Sending away Frazier is the first of potentially many similar deals at the trade deadline as the Pirates evidently are gearing up towards selling.

Another name that is expected to go is Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Pittsburgh's shortstop on an expiring contract. Like Frazier, Kiner-Falefa brings an above average glove with impressive bat-to-ball skills that many playoff teams will value off the bench. That will mark two middle infielders that the Pirates would unload from the big-league roster. Doing so will open up a void, and until this point, Nick Yorke has been the only middle infielder in Triple-A who would've been considered for the call-up. He comes with an issue that the addition of Devanney really solves.

Pirates' acquisition of Cam Devanney fills the void that could follow the MLB Trade Deadline.

Devanney will join Yorke in the conversation for the starting shortstop job in August. If Kiner-Falefa were traded today too, Devanney would probably be their choice at shortstop, due to Yorke's season in Triple-A thus far. Yorke has generated a 97 wRC+ with just six home runs and a .731 OPS. Additionally, his experience at shortstop is limited and he has seen the majority of his reps this season at second base, another position he is blocked off by with the emergence of Nick Gonzales.

Adding Devanney into the mix gives Pittsburgh a lot more wiggle room to let Yorke work out of his season slump, instead of just throwing him out there - at a non-primary position - when he is clearly struggling to find consistency at the plate.

So now that Devanney is likely the shortstop to follow IKF, what does he really bring to the table? His biggest tool is his power, belting 18 home runs and 14 doubles this season. His average exit velocity is above average at 90.4 mph, with a great 48.6% hard-hit rate. The only problem for him has been his bat-to-ball skills. He has struck out at a 24.3% rate this season, while swinging and missing at a 33.9% rate. That is not good by any means, and is a factor as to why he still has not debuted.

Players with high whiff rates typically struggle and fail to find consistent success. Oneil Cruz is a prime example of that, whiffing at a 34.1% rate and constantly falling into long slumps.

Devanney is doing this in Triple-A, sure, but has not exactly been exposed like Cruz has with an MLB cameo to his name. Pittsburgh will likely take a good look at this new bat after they deal Kiner-Falefa. Devanney is the favorite to get a chance at the big leagues over Yorke, due to the lack of innings Yorke has gotten this year at shortstop and the inconsistent bat he has brought. Devanney's numbers in Triple-A this season also deserve a chance at the big league level, since he was blocked off by a strong infield in Kansas City, headlined by Bobby Witt Jr.

The Royals do not have a strong farm system by any means, ranked 23rd in all of baseball per MLB Pipeline. FanGraphs has Devanney as their 10th-best prospect in the organization, a ranking that appears better than his true talent level. Still, Ben Cherington definitely got an intriguing return for a backup second baseman with a below-average bat. It will be very exciting to see what they have with Devanney in the near future.