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

Brandon Belt

Brandon Belt would be a perfect signing for a team like the Pittsburgh Pirates. He can help create runs with his capacity to hit around .230-.250 while also slugging around 20 home runs a season and walking at around 15 percent, which is one of the most elite rates in the league.

Belt would be a good replacement for a player like Connor Joe due to his ability to play an outfield corner, not well, but still play it, while also performing at a decent level at first base with the possibility of being a designated hitter.

He is likely due for regression in 2024, but he won’t be an everyday starter. However, the amount of talent and run creation he could bring to the Pirates over current players would be an amazing fit.

In the Pirate system, he would probably hit mid-to-late in the lineup. With the number of walks he takes, if the Pirates have a good hitter behind him, they could score a lot more runs. Also, in the second half of the season, he turned it around by slugging 13 of his 19 home runs while playing in 19 fewer games.

If the Pirates hope to make the playoffs in 2024, they would need a player like Belt. However, once they get there, he could pose some problems. He hasn’t been the best playoff hitter, batting just .215 in 39 games, but in 2023, he hurt the Toronto Blue Jays by going 0/8 with five strikeouts.