3 players the Pittsburgh Pirates should consider in free agency before Grapefruit League play starts

The Pittsburgh Pirates should consider still pursuing these three free agents before Grapefruit League play begins

In recent days, the Pittsburgh Pirates have been the center of trade rumors. Rumors have been swirling around the Pirates and Miami Marlins surrounding starting pitcher Edward Cabrera.

If the Pirates do end up pulling the trigger on a player like Cabrera, it would mark a point where they are nearing a playoff-caliber team. Any good team needs depth throughout the roster, and the Pirates aren't willing to pay much. So, it wouldn't be surprising if they added depth for quite cheap. While these three players won't be the most expensive, they won't be the cheapest.

In the movie Moneyball, you need depth on the roster that helps create runs by reaching bases. These three players would add enough on-base appearances to help the team possibly reach the postseason.

Tony Kemp

The Pittsburgh Pirates should consider a player like Tony Kemp, who, like Belt, also walks a lot, which would help create runs. He would not be an everyday starter, but he is a utility player who has flashes defensively and is likely to rebound in 2024 after struggling with a .209 average in 2023.

Kemp was very unlucky offensively in 2023, with many outcomes that should have been hits ending in outs. That could have been caused by playing in Oakland, but his prospects don’t lie. Kemp has also been connected to the Pirates this offseason.

Kemp can be a solid player who had a very unlucky season in 2023. Playing for a team like the Oakland Athletics in a non-winning environment could have caused some of his hitting woes, but regardless, the hardcore stats say he is due for a major bounce back.

Kemp is very comparable to players like Juan Soto and Tony Gwynn with his ability to not chase the ball often or whiff on it. He also doesn’t strike out pretty much at all and walks at a high rate.

In 2021, many teams were drooling at the chance of signing Kemp due to his ability to walk while never striking out. In 2021, he also was hitting for a high average, and in 2022, he regressed, but he seems to be due for a bounce-back season.

If a trade like the Cabrera one does occur, the package would likely consist of a player like Ji-Hwan Bae. If that trade doesn’t happen, the Pirates should consider adding Kemp to the 40-man roster, at least with a minor league contract and an invite to spring training, over another player like Alika Williams.

Kyle Lewis

Kyle Lewis is a younger player who has proven himself by winning Rookie of the Year in 2020. However, in recent years, he has struggled with consistency and injury health. Acquiring him as a free agent would be a steal, considering he only has 3 years of service time on record, meaning he won’t become a free agent until 2027.

At age 28, he has proven himself to have the talent; he just needs to put it all together in a full sample size. I believe that on the Pittsburgh Pirates, possibly starting on a minor league deal with players like Bryan Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen around him, they could teach him how to find a spot in this league.

In Triple-A this season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, he was on a tear. This could be because he played in the Pacific Coast League, which is known to be very hitter-friendly, but he showed a lot of potential that the Pirates need.

In 63 games, he slugged 17 home runs while knocking in 80 RBIs. However, where he was most successful was his batting average at .371 with an on-base percentage of .457, which you don’t see unless you are playing MLB The Show. He was putting up Barry Bonds-type numbers with an OPS of 1.098, and while he won’t be able to replicate that in the Majors, it shows major promise.

While it was in a shortened season where he won Rookie of the Year, he still shows major promise. He is very good defensively in the outfield, with elite sprint speed and the ability to walk with a decent batting average.

If the Pittsburgh Pirates want to make the playoffs, they need to take risks, Kyle Lewis isn’t risk-free, but he holds so much potential. If Lewis can return to form, you are talking about a player that can earn MVP votes. It would be stupid if they don’t at least offer him a minor league invite with the amount of upside he possesses.