3 free agents the Pirates should chase if Bryan Reynolds moves to first base

The Pittsburgh Pirates might move All-Star outfielder Bryan Reynolds to first base next season. He’s already begun getting workouts at the position, and while he may not make the move this year, it seems like a likely possibility it will happen during the 2025 campaign.

But if the Pirates move Reynolds to first base, that will leave a hole in left field. While the Pirates could venture to the trade market to find a replacement, the free agent market should have some options that will likely be in the Pirates’ budget, too. 

Corner outfield free agents who could replace Bryan Reynolds with Pirates

Michael Conforto

Veteran outfielder Michael Conforto is having a very solid season for the San Francisco Giants. He is slashing .234/.306/.450 with a .325 wOBA and 110 wRC+. Although he is walking at a career-low 8.8% rate, he has hit 20 home runs and has a .216 isolated slugging percentage, the most homers and ISO he has hit for since 2019. Still, Conforto has a lot more untapped promise.

He has some massive home/away splits. When playing at Oracle Park, Conforto has hit just .208/.284/.337 with a .274 wOBA and 79 wRC+. But, when he is on the road, Conforto is slashing .253/.323/.530 with a .362 wOBA and 133 wRC+. Oracle Park is the third least hitter-friendly ballpark in baseball; PNC, on the other hand, slightly favors batters, according to Baseball Savant.

A look under the hood also shows some room for improvement. His 90.3 MPH average exit velocity is the best he has ever put up since his 2015 season, which only consisted of 194 plate appearances. His 12% barrel rate nearly matches a career-high, which he set in 2018 at 12.2%. He is in the 84th percentile of xwOBA (.352) and the 88th percentile of xSLG% (.490). 

Conforto has never graded out as an outstanding defender, but he can hold his own. He has -4 outs above average, but zero defensive runs saved, and a +0.9 UZR/150. He does have a strong arm and is in the 82nd percentile of arm strength, averaging 89.5 MPH on his outfield throws. Although he runs solid routes, he ranks 84th in outfield jump. All of Conforto’s playing time this year has come in left field. 

Conforto is coming off his most promising season since his days with the New York Mets. He is one of the more underrated players on the market this year, and the Pirates should take advantage of that.