Pittsburgh Pirates: Players Who Must Be on Their Radar at the MLB Winter Meetings

The Pirates must keep these players on their radar as we head into the Winter Meetings.

Dec 7, 2022; San Diego, CA, USA; A detailed view of a 2022 MLB Winter Meetings logo at Manchester
Dec 7, 2022; San Diego, CA, USA; A detailed view of a 2022 MLB Winter Meetings logo at Manchester | Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
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Max Kepler

If the Pirates are serious about giving Henry Davis more reps behind the plate, then they’ll need to get at least one outfielder. If the Pirates want to get bold with it, they should look into Minnesota Twins’ right fielder Max Kepler. The Twins are looking to shed some money, and Kepler’s name has been thrown through trade rumors this offseason.

Kepler batted .260/.332/.484 with a .348 wOBA, and 124 wRC+. Although his 21.4% strikeout rate and 9.2% walk rate were career-worst marks for him, they were still above average. He also went yard 24 times with an ISO of .224. Kepler provided plus defense in right field with +2 DRS and +4 OAA. On top of that, he had a 154 wRC+ in the second half of the 2023 season. Kepler is only controlled through 2024, however.

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