Grading the Pittsburgh Pirates' performance at the MLB trade deadline

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Many Pittsburgh Pirates fans anxiously anticipated what general manager Ben Cherington would do at this year's trade deadline. After being sellers for the last five years (four if you don't count 2020), the Pirates were finally in a position to be buyers this summer.

The deadline has now come and gone, and while it took a minute, Cherington did his part and made the Pirates' better. But overall, how did the Bucs end up doing?

What the Pirates acquired at 2024 MLB trade deadline

The biggest addition was Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the Toronto Blue Jays. The infielder is having a career year with the bat, slashing .292/.337/.420 with a .331 wOBA and 116 wRC+. IKF is striking out at a career-low 13.2% rate but has a sub-5% BB%. This is also the first year he's posted an isolated slugging percentage above .100 at .128. He has some worrying underlying numbers, though, including a .291 xwOBA, which would match what he did between 2020 and 2023.

IKF is an excellent defender between three infield positions. He's seen at least 105 innings at second and third base, along with shortstop, racking up +12 defensive runs saved and +4 outs above average. He also has some experience in the outfield, but only logged a single inning on the grass in 2024. The Pirates can also bring him back next year, as he has another year of control for 2025.

The second most noteworthy player they acquired was Bryan De La Cruz from the Miami Marlins. The outfielder has hit .245/.289/.417 with a .305 wOBA and 96 wRC+. He's provided solid power during his time in Florida. This year, he already has 18 home runs (his career-high is 19) with a .172 isolated slugging percentage. He doesn't walk that often, with a 5.5% BB%, and has a mediocre 26% strikeout rate. Defense hasn't been his strong suit either, with -3 defensive runs saved and -7 outs above average, but he does have a powerful arm and is in the 84th percentile of arm strength.

The Pirates are playing the upside game with De La Cruz. He is above the 50th percentile in xwOBA (.327), xBA (.257), and xSLG% (.465) with a quality 89.7 MPH exit velocity and 11% barrel rate. De La Cruz has an expected weighted on-base average on contact of .422, which is above Francisco Lindor, Ian Happ, and Freddie Freeman. Given that he's only 27 and is controlled through 2027, the Pirates have the chance to have a controllable power-hitting outfielder long-term to bolster their offense.

The Pirates also acquired two left-handed relievers. One is veteran Jalen Beeks from the Colorado Rockies. Beeks has a 4.74 ERA, 4.35 FIP, and 1.36 WHIP through 49 innings. Thus far this season, he's only struck out 18.8% of batters with an 8.5% walk rate and 1.09 HR/9. Beeks holds batters to soft contact. He is in the 85th percentile of average exit velocity at 87 MPH, and in the 70th percentile of barrel rate at 6.5%.

The other lefty reliever joining the club is Josh Walker from the New York Mets. He has only pitched 22.1 big league innings in the last two years with a 6.45 ERA, 4.50 FIP, and 1.66 WHIP. While he has struck out batters at a roughly league-average rate of 22.3%, he's been prone to home runs (1.21 HR/9) and allowing free passes (11.7% BB%). Walker has had a solid season at Triple-A with a 2.83 ERA, 4.10 FIP, and 1.29 WHIP. He has struck out far more batters than most, with a 31% K%, and has limited home runs, posting an 0.63 HR/9. But walks have been an even bigger problem for Walker in the high minors, with a 16.7% BB%.

The best prospect the Pirates traded for is Nick Yorke. The Boston Red Sox selected Yorke in the first round of the 2020 draft. A second baseman who has played some left field, Yorke has hit well this year at Triple-A, slashing .310/.408/.490 with a .402 wOBA and 136 wRC+ through 169 plate appearances. He's struck out less than 20% of the time (18.9%) with a 14.2% walk rate, and has a .179 isolated slugging percentage. Yorke ranked as one of the Red Sox's best prospects heading into this season.

The Pirates also swung a trade with the Baltimore Orioles for utility man Billy Cook. The 25-year-old was a 10th-round pick in 2021. Cook is having a strong year between Double-A and Triple-A this season with a .275/.371/.470 triple-slash, .373 wOBA, and 120 wRC+. A plus base runner, Cook has swiped 25 and 30 bases in each of the last two seasons. He has 16 so far this year. He's also showed off some power potential, going yard 24 times with a .206 ISO in 2023, and has a dozen homers and .195 ISO this season. Cook has cut his K% down each of the last two years. In 2022, he struck out 31.8% of the time, cut that to 25% last year, and is now all the way down to 21.8%. Cook has mostly played first base this season, but has played all three outfield positions, as well as second base, in recent years.

Last but not least, the Pirates also acquired left-handed pitching prospect Ronaldys Jimenez from the San Diego Padres. The 18-year-old only has six frames under his belt as a professional. He's struck out eight batters while walking two, but has also hit two batters and has thrown three wild pitches. Jimenez stands at 5'11", 165 pounds. Despite his young age and smaller stature, Jimenez already sits 93 MPH with a low-80s slider.

What the Pirates traded at the deadline

Quinn Priester was one of the notable names from the major league roster the Pirates dealt away. The 23-year-old was the Pirates' first-round pick in 2019 and has nearly 100 innings in the bigs under his belt. He has pitched 44.2 innings this season, but has a poor 5.04 ERA, 4.81 FIP, and 1.46 WHIP. He'd only struck out 15.4% of opponents with a 1.41 HR/9 prior to getting traded. On the plus side, he walked just 6.5% of opponents, has a 4.5% barrel rate, and has put up much more promising numbers under the hood, including a 4.08 xFIP and 4.15 SIERA. The Pirates traded Priester for Yorke.

Arguably the best prospect the Pirates dealt was RHP Jun Seok Shim. Shim was the Pirates' top international signee in the 2022-2023 offseason. Coming out of South Korea, Shim was sitting mid-90s and touching triple-digits during showcase events. He also displayed an above-average slider and promising curveball. But Shim's career has mostly been held back by injuries. Shim pitched just eight innings in the Florida Complex League last year and has been on the shelf for this entire campaign, but he's still only 20 years old. Shim was sent to the Marlins in a package deal for De La Cruz.

The second piece of the puzzle that is also going to Miami is Garret Forrester. The Pirates took Forrester in the third round of the 2023 draft. Coming out of Oregon State, Forrester was primarily a 1B/3B, but the Pirates were attempting to make him a catcher in their system. He possesses a strong arm, and has caught 23% of would-be base stealers. The learning curve was present, as he also allowed two passed balls in just 113 innings with the Pirates in the minors. Forrester had solid hitting numbers between Bradenton and the FCL. He combined to bat .250/.399/.344 with a .372 wOBA and 125 wRC+. Forrester struck out in 25.8% of his plate appearances but also drew a walk 14.7% of the time.

The best position player prospect they dealt was Charles McAdoo, who was sent to the Blue Jays for IKF. A 13th-round pick. McAdoo was doing great work in the Pirates' system, batting .315/.394/.538 between Greensboro and Altoona. He only struck out 22.6% of the time with a respectable 10.6% walk rate. McAdoo had an isolated slugging of .223 with 14 homers in just 376 plate appearances. Overall, McAdoo had a .415 wOBA and 158 wRC+. McAdoo has mostly lined up at the hot corner but has played both outfield corners, first base, and second base this season. The only position he never played throughout his college career was catcher.

Left-handed relief prospect Luis Peralta found himself heading to Colorado for Beeks. The southpaw finally figured something out after struggling in the minor leagues for years. Prior to getting traded, Peralta had an 0.91 ERA, 2.17 FIP, and 0.98 WHIP through 39.2 innings between High-A and Double-A. Peralta had struck out over 40% of opponents with a 41% K%, and allowed just a single home run all year. Peralta isn't known to be a huge control pitcher and has an 11.5% BB% this season. He throws mid-90s with good movement with his four-seamer. His slider also has the potential to be an above-average pitch.

Peralta's former Greensboro teammate Patrick Reilly was also dealt. He will head to Baltimore in exchange for Cook. Another 2023 draft pick, the Bucs took Reilly out of Vanderbilt in the fifth round. Reilly posted some solid numbers at High-A with a 3.53 ERA, 4.65 FIP, and 1.16 WHIP in 88 innings of work. The right-hander struck out 30.2% of opponents with an 11.5% walk rate and 1.43 HR/9. Reilly throws mid-90s with a slider, cutter, and changeup. However, there have been some questions as to whether or not he can start in the long run. He struggles with command, and his fastball is his only offering that projects as plus. That said, he hasn't had any trouble starting games as a pro so far.

The Pirates traded one of their major league veterans off the roster, too, in Martín Pérez, who will go to San Diego. The Pirates signed Pérez to a one-year contract this offseason to help solidify the back of their starting rotation. In his 13th MLB season, Perez put up a 5.20 ERA, 4.94 FIP, and 1.65 WHIP. Although Perez certainly had his moments, he also struggled multiple times for the Bucs.

The pitcher they traded for Josh Walker was lefty Nicolas Carreno. The Pirates signed Carreno in 2022-2023 as one of their international signees. Carreno has pitched 33.2 innings in the Dominican Summer League, allowing more walks than IP (38 free passes), along with 23 earned runs. He has also struck out 53.

Final overview of the Pirates' trade deadline

The Pirates easily got better at the deadline. IKF and Bryan De La Cruz add two bats this lineup needs. They could call upon Nick Yorke later this year, and they've also added some decent LHRP depth. Billy Cook adds an outfield/first base prospect to the upper levels of the minor leagues as well, two positions the Pirates desperately need depth at for the long haul. Jimenez is an intriguing young arm as well.

But the best part of this deadline has been the Pirates' ability to improve the team without having to surrender any of their best prospects. They were able to hold onto all of Bubba Chandler, Termarr Johnson, Thomas Harrington, Braxton Ashcraft, Hunter Barco, Mike Burrows, Jack Brannigan, and every one of their younger recent high school draft picks/international signees.

The one criticism, however (just to play Devil's advocate...), is that because they didn't deal any of their best prospects, the Pirates also didn't add a huge impact bat or arm in return. De La Cruz, IKF, Cook, and Yorke all have the potential to be solid hitters. Beeks might be a decent second lefty in the bullpen. But nobody stands out significantly -- at least, not right now.

But overall, it's tough to see how anyone can call this a bad deadline. The Pirates went out and improved their team, giving themselves some power and a contact hitter, along with bullpen depth. They also imported some prospects who could help out in the very near future.

Final grade: B

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What the Pirates acquired at 2024 MLB trade deadline

What the Pirates traded at the deadline

Final overview of the Pirates' trade deadline

Final grade: B

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