Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Ben Cherington's International Free Agent Signings

2019-2020

The biggest signing from the Pirates’ 2020 international class was Po-Yu Chen. He’s also one of the more interesting signings, as the Pirates were able to land the Taiwanese right-hander after acquiring bonus pool money in exchange for Jarrod Dyson at the 2020 trade deadline. Considered one of Taiwan’s best high school prospects at the time, Chen signed for over $1 million.

Chen made a phenomenal first impression, pitching 26 innings at the Pirates’ Florida Complex League affiliate and allowing just two earned runs, zero walks, and striking out 29. His brief stint at Low-A Bradenton didn’t go so well, but he did have a solid 2022, where he managed a 4.58 ERA but 3.76 FIP and 1.26 WHIP across 98.1 innings. 

Chen isn’t a hard thrower, hitting just 90-93 MPH on the gun, but he has a great splitter and decent curveball. Command is his best trait, but he could add another tick of velocity. After all, 2023 will only be his age-22 season at Greensboro. He could be sitting closer to 91-94 when he makes his major league debut.

Another big signing Ben Cherington made was landing Australian outfielder Solomon Maguire. The Pirates inked Maguire for $594,000, making him their fifth-highest international signing bonus. Last season, Maguire hit just .217/.311/.278 with an abysmal 74 wRC+. On the plus side, he had a quality 10.5% walk rate and 18.8% strikeout rate. Maguire is highly athletic with good bat control. Despite his minor-league struggles so far, he’ll only be 20 years old next year, so the jury is far from out on the man from the Land Down Under.

The Pittsburgh Pirates also landed Wilber Dotel, Reyson Santos, Luis Brito, Luis Gonzalez, Eduardo Zapata, Weslyn Touissant, and Juan Machado after Ben Cherington took over as general manager. However, Neal Huntington made a handful of signings prior to his firing.

2020-2021

Breakout candidate Shalin Polanco was the Pirates’ big signing from the 2020-2021 international class. Considered the 10th-best international prospect per MLB Pipeline, Polanco has shown some talent in his minor league career but is still a very raw player. Last season, Polanco had a .250/.324/.371 slashline, .337 wOBA, and 97 wRC+. Those weren’t impressive numbers, but only slightly below the league average. Polanco had a solid 8.1% walk rate, albeit with a 27% strikeout rate. It’s also worth noting Polanco had a 118 wRC+ from mid-July through the end of the season.

Polanco is a well-rounded prospect, with FanGraphs projecting his hit tool, raw power, and game power, as well as his fielding, to come out to a 50-grade. Speed isn’t his strong suit, though MLB Pipeline grades him as an above-average runner. Again, he’s a very raw and projectable talent as he stands at just 5’11”, 168 pounds. Next year is only his age-19 campaign, 

The Pirates signed more than just Polanco. Other notable names the Pittsburgh Pirates snagged from the international market in 2020-2021 included Miguel Sosa, Alessandro Ercolani, Eddy Rodriguez, Esmerlyn Valdez, Darlin Diaz, Antwone Kelly, and Andres Silvera. Sosa produced the most at the plate in a catcher/corner outfield role, but Ercolani has posted great numbers in two minor league seasons. 

2021-2022

The Pirates were the only team to land two prospects in the top 15 of MLB Pipeline’s top international prospects list. The first was infielder Yordany De Los Santos. Signing for $1.2 million, De Los Santos was MLB Pipeline’s 12th-best prospect. He showed off decent stuff at the Pirates’ Dominican Summer League affiliate in just his age-17 campaign.

De Los Santos has a decent hit tool. While he might not make contact at a Kevin Newman rate, he had a sub-20% strikeout rate and projects to have an average tool in this department. However, he has a solid 6’1”, 170-pound build, and also projects to hit for above-average power. He plays shortstop primarily right now, but given his so-so range already, a move to third base could be in his future. 

Tony Blanco Jr. was certainly one of the most interesting prospects of the international class. Standing at a hulking 6’6”, 245 pounds, he already weighed in at Giancarlo Stanton’s height and weight at 16 years old. When Stanton was about Blanco Jr.’s age, he was still a tall 6’5”, but only weighed in at 205 pounds.

Of course, that size at his age comes with massive power potential. Blanco is projected to eventually reach 70-grade raw power. But that frame will always come with questions about the hit tool. FanGraphs gives this area of his game just a 40 grade. He’s a decent defensive LF/RF right now, though it’s much harder to project a guy of Blanco Jr.’s size.

Tony Blanco Jr. signed for $900,000, and De Los Santos was acquired for $1.2 million. Their third-highest-signing player was Pitterson Rosa, who signed for $700,000. Rosa pitched 22.1 innings at the Pirates’ Dominican Summer League affiliate, allowing just eight earned runs, striking out 24, but walked 11. Rosa also didn’t allow a single home run. Rosa is a projectable pitcher who stands at 6’2”, 178. He was already hitting 94 MPH in just his age-17 campaign.

Hung-Leng Chang was another very notable signing, landing a $500,000 bonus. The Taiwanese prospect looked pretty good at the Pirates’ Florida Complex League affiliate, striking out 27 with eight walks and no home runs allowed in 22.2 innings. Although he isn’t a hard thrower, he, like many other international pitchers, is a very projectable frame. He’s a lanky 6’3”, 160 pounds, and has an advanced arm. Next year will be his age-21 season, and he will likely start the year at Bradenton.

Some other notable players the Pittsburgh Pirates signed during this period were catcher Axiel Plaz, first baseman Carlos Tirado, infielder Roinny Aguilar, and southpaw Angel Camacho.