Pirates should consider this former player after impressive KBO stint

It's been a slow start to the offseason thus far for the Pirates, but there are still lots of players available on the market in their price range. Although the Pirates don't often sign many big-name players due to their tight financial budget, they are still capable of making some under-the-radar deals.

One player that could be a sneaky solid signing is a former Pirate that has revived his career in the KBO: Socrates Brito. He is one of two former Pirates who are gaining interest after jumping from the KBO, and both make sense for a reunion. Although he never made an appearance in a game on the Pirates or with one of their minor-league teams, he did sign a minor-league contract with the team right before the COVID-19 pandemic. He sat at the Pirates' minor-league camp during the 2020 season before opting out of his contract.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post recently reported that a handful of teams are showing interest in the former MLB outfielder after three strong seasons in the KBO. This could be an opportunity for the Pirates to improve their depth throughout their organization after losing a big group of minor league free agents.

Pirates should look overseas at Socrates Brito to replenish minor league depth

Brito has had three excellent seasons in the KBO, but his best came in 2024. Last season, Brito put up a batting average of .286 with 26 home runs and 97 runs driven in. His OPS was at .875, which came from an on-base percentage of .359 and a slugging percentage of .516. On top of that, he had a wRC+ of 121 and strikeout percentage of 15.1%.

His last season with a major league organization was in 2021, when he played with the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate. He did not perform well, posting an OPS of .691 with nine home runs and a wRC+ of 86. After that mostly unsuccessful stint with New York, he went overseas and quickly found success in Korea.

That success he found in the KBO could be valuable in his return to the MLB, and the Pirates should consider taking advantage of that by sending a minor-league contract out to him. Let Brito compete during spring training and see if he could be a productive bench outfielder. Adding him is a possible low-risk, high-reward situation.