Pirates sign former Dodgers, Angels minor-leaguer as first base wild card

A day after the Pirates signed a veteran reliever to a minor-league deal in Tanner Rainey, Pittsburgh got right back to filling up their minor-league system with another signing. This time, they signed slugging outfielder and first baseman Imanol Vargas to a minor-league deal.

Vargas is 26 years old and has yet to reach above Double-A, a level he attained in 2023 before he spent 2024 all the way down in Single-A. He was in the less-than-impressive Angels farm system at the time, and was used as filler at the lower level, aplitting time between first base and DH after playing more often in the outfield earlier in his career.

Pirates sign career minor-leaguer Imanol Vargas to 2025 contract

Vargas has been a consistently solid bat in the minor leagues, but it is surprising that he hasn’t reached higher than Double-A. Every season, he has had a wRC+ over 100, and has posted five straight seasons with double-digit home runs. He has not had an OPS below .800 since 2017. The only issue he has displayed consistently is a whiff problem, striking out at a rate over 30%. That did come down in 2024, but was still nothing exceptional at 26.1%.

Last season, Vargas belted 14 home runs, 31 doubles, and two triples to produce a solid slugging percentage of .463. That went with a solid on-base percentage of .364 to generate an OPS of .828. On top of that, he put together a wRC+ of 119 and a batting average of .275. Not a bad season at all, but that was as a 26-year-old at Single-A.

The year prior in the Dodgers organization, he played at Double-A and had very similar numbers, posting a wRC+ of 114, an OPS of .821, and belting a career high 22 home runs. It is quite strange to see him drop two levels in the minor leagues, but the Angels took him from the Dodgers and used him as organizational filler rather than giving him an opportunity.

It is unknown at what level he'll start in the Pirates organization, but it is likely that it will be in the higher levels, with either Altoona or Indianapolis, after both clubs lost a lot to free agency. It will be interesting to see what this unique prospect can put together in the Pirates' minor-league system.