Pirates may have found new third base trade target in Orioles logjam

The Pittsburgh Pirates have resolved a lot of issues over the winter, but there is still a lingering challenge at third base. Ben Cherington spoke about the club's desire to add an impact third baseman over a month ago, but so far, he hasn't been able to find a fit.

There have been plenty of rumors, with the likes of Isaac Paredes, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos all being floated as potential fits. However, Paredes makes a not-insignificant $9.35 million this season, and despite the assurances that the money spent on Marcell Ozuna does not preclude Pittsburgh from adding more salary, it's hard to believe that the club isn't getting close to its budget.

As for Baty and Vientos, there's a chance the Mets still have roles for both of them, with Baty having a shot to carve out a regular role for them in right field and Vientos leading the charge at DH.

Fortunately, a logjam over in Baltimore might force a cheap change of scenery candidate loose, as word has come out that the Orioles are shopping former top prospect Coby Mayo.

The Orioles putting Coby Mayo on the trade block could present the Pirates with a perfect buy-low third base candidate

Entering 2024, Mayo was MLB Pipeline's No. 30 overall prospect, who, at six-foot-four, 230 pounds, possessed tremendous power and drew comps to Atlanta Braves star Austin Riley. He spent most of his 2024 campaign at Triple-A Norfolk and lived up to the hype, hitting .287/.364/.562 with 22 homers before getting called up for a cup of coffee.

That brief, 17-game stretch did not go well. Mayo struck out an astronomically high 47.8% of the time and slashed a putrid .098/.196/.098. Still, the sample was very small and the alarm bells weren't yet ringing.

The red flags began to show last season. The former fourth-round pick began his 2025 campaign down in Norfolk, but failed to produce at the same level, posting a .226/.318/.452 line. Still, he spent most of his year with the Orioles, but hitting a brutal .217/.299/.388.

The 24-year-old seems like the odd man out now. He's got first and third base versatility, but with Pete Alonso being Baltimore's big splash manning first base, that path to playing time is cut off for him. Jordan Westburg isn't a star, but he is a solid and established third baseman. On the bench, players like Blaze Alexander and Jeremiah Jackson offer the Orioles more versatility than Mayo.

It might just take a change of scenery to get Mayo back on track. The power hasn't dissipated, and Mayo's cannon for an arm plays at the hot corner even if most of his big league experience has come at first base so far. It should also be noted that he looked better in the second half of the season with a .740 OPS, and put up his best month of the season in September when he hit .301/.393/.548.

Baltimore won't just give him away, but they also don't have a ton of negotiating power. Mayo is blocked, and if he struggles again in Triple-A, he could see his value turn to dust. After giving up so much prospect capital in the Shane Baz trade, among others, the Orioles would be wise to replenish what they can.

For the Pirates, this is exactly the kind of gamble they can now afford to take. By fixing their lineup by adding several quality veterans, they can now afford to roll the dice on a 24-year-old who still has several big, loud tools despite his struggles.