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.

Max Kepler

Max Kepler has been a staple in the Minnesota Twins’ outfield for years, but the lefty hitter is about to hit the free agent market. He is a consistent hitter with some very good seasons under his belt, and is someone the Pirates should definitely keep on their radar.

Kepler is batting .253/.302/.380 this year with a .298 wOBA and 94 wRC+. He is walking at an uncharacteristically low rate at just 5.2%. His previous career low was 8.3%, which he set in 2017. Kepler has an ISO above .200 in two of his last three seasons (not including 2020), but currently sits at .128.

Granted, Kepler was outstanding in 2023, batting .260/.330/.484 with a .348 wOBA and 123 wRC+. During that season, he walked far more often, with a 9.2% BB%, and hit 24 dingers in 491 plate appearances. Kepler posted a .224 isolated slugging percentage, which was nearly one hundred points greater than his ISO this year.

Kepler has some large platoon splits. When facing a righty, Kepler hits .243/.326/.452. However, he bats just .229/.292/.363 when facing same-handed opponents. That is a 123-point drop in OPS. His strikeout rate and walk rate go from 17.7% and 10.4% against right-handers to 21.2% and 7.8%, respectively, when facing southpaws.

Kepler has consistently graded out as a strong defensive outfielder. While he may have zero defensive runs saved, he has +4 outs above average, an above-average jump, and route-running abilities. He also has a decent arm and is in the 68th percentile of arm strength. Overall throughout his career, Kepler has +50 defensive runs saved and +66 outs above average. Since making his debut in 2015, he has the 15th most DRS and fifth most OAA among outfielders.

At Kepler’s best, he is a 20+ home run hitter with a wRC+ of around 120, but he has only reached that plateau twice in his career. Kepler also has six other seasons where his wRC+ has ranged from 93 to 97. Given his strong defense and platoon splits, he’s managed to stay a viable outfield option for the Twins, even in his down seasons. However, if he does require a platoon partner, the next name on today’s list could be that guy.