3 out of options pitchers to watch during Spring Training

Due to being out of minor league options, these three pitchers could be designated for assignment this spring which could make them targets for the Pittsburgh Pirates

At the end of Spring Training, teams will need to make roster cuts. Some will go to the minor leagues, but others are out of options. That means their team will have one of two options: either go into the regular season with them as part of the team’s Opening Day roster or get designated for assignment. If they get DFA’d, any team could put in a claim to acquire them. They will still have no options, but that team can then opt to put them on their Opening Day roster.

Sometimes, you can find some interesting players in DFA limbo at the end of Spring Training. Most of the Pirate bullpen is already set in place, but there is likely one, maybe two more spots left for them to fill. Although they have some internal options, I definitely would not be upset if the Pirates decided to claim any of the following three pitchers if they hit waivers at the end of Spring Training.

Sixto Sanchez

Sixto Sanchez once looked like a future ace. Originally a Philadelphia Phillies prospect, Sanchez was the headliner in the JT Realmuto trade. Sanchez made his debut a few years later in 2020 and was awesome, pitching to a 3.46 ERA, 3.50 FIP, and 1.21 WHIP in his first 39 MLB innings. While his 20.9% strikeout rate was unimpressive, he had a great 0.69 HR/9, 58% ground ball rate, and 7% walk rate.

Then, just 21 and already averaging 99 MPH on his four-seam fastball, Sanchez had a lot going for him heading into 2021. Many had him taking the league by storm, and after his 2020 debut, who wouldn’t think that? But injuries then started to set in.

Shoulder troubles led to season-ending surgery in 2021. The shoulder issues lingered into 2022, and while he was expected to return in 2023, even more shoulder soreness kept him out of action. It wouldn’t be until mid-September that Sanchez would return to the mound. He only pitched one inning at Double-A, the first time he pitched in a game since his NLDS start against the Braves in 2020.

It’s unknown just what Sanchez has in the tank. After all, he’s pitched just one inning in three seasons and 40 (plus eight Postseason innings) since 2020. But obviously, that long of a layoff because of constant shoulder troubles is extremely worrying. However, what’s more questionable is his condition. There have been some pretty unflattering photos of Sixto in camp that make it look like he’s gained a significant amount of weight.

Now, Sanchez was never lanky and thin like Kent Tekulve, but compared to just a few years ago, he’s definitely gained some pounds. Sanchez recently faced batters in Spring Training, with the Marlins hitters who did square off against him estimating that he’s hitting about 93-95 MPH, a far cry from the 97-100 MPH he was sitting at in 2020.

I wouldn’t expect Sanchez to all of a sudden reclaim his 2019-2020 form, but I don’t think it would be a bad idea to see what he has. I would not mind having him in the bullpen as a long relief man to see if he can work as a solid reliever. But that’s assuming the Marlins want to try the same idea. We shall see how he performs in Spring Training.

Thyago Vieira

I mentioned Thyago Vieira as a free agent target for the Pirates a few years ago. At the time, Vieira was coming off three quality seasons with the Japanese team, the Yomiuri Giants. Vieira did not sign that off-season, but rather last off-season on a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. Although he spent most of his 2023 season with the Brewers’ Triple-A team, he did reappear in the big leagues with the Brewers but only pitched two innings. However, Vieira is now out of options.

The hard-throwing right-hander spent 37.2 innings at Triple-A, pitching to a 3.35 ERA, 3.33 FIP, and 1.22 WHIP. Vieira had a strikeout rate of 31.7% and a 0.72 HR/9 rate. After having an 11.5% walk rate in the NBP, Vieira cut that down to 9.2% at Triple-A. What’s most impressive about this is that he had to adjust to the automated strike zone, and walks across the league had gone up because of it.

Vieira throws a slider, sinker, and four-seam fastball. Both his sinker and fastball average out around 97-98 MPH. Vieira topped out at 99 MPH in his few Major League appearances in 2023. Meanwhile, his slider sits in the upper-80s and peaked at 90.8 MPH in the Majors. He has consistently gotten swings and misses between the minor leagues and Japan.

While the Pirate bullpen is pretty set, they probably have at least two bullpen spots remaining. One will likely go to a long reliever, with the other going to one of their multiple options in camp, including Kyle Nicolas, Hunter Stratton, Ben Heller, Colin Selby, Jose Hernandez, Ryder Ryan, or Brent Honeywell. The Brewers have their bullpen options, but Vieira isn’t guaranteed to land a spot.