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The Pittsburgh Pirates' first big deal of this year's MLB trade deadline was a one-for-one swap that saw 2019 first-round pick RHP Quinn Priester shipped to the Boston Red Sox for 2020 first-round 2B/LF pick Nick Yorke. Yorke was a top prospect in the Red Sox system, so what is he bringing to the table for the Pirates?
Yorke has split his 2024 season between Double-A and Triple-A, combining to hit .278/.363/.422 with a .357 wOBA and 116 wRC+ in 366 plate appearances. He has struck out just 18.6% of the time with a respectable 11.5% walk rate. Unfortunately, the second baseman has not hit for much power, only going yard 10 times with a .144 isolated slugging percentage. Yorke got off to a slow start at Double-A, but has heated up since reaching Triple-A.
His Triple-A numbers consist of a .310/.408/.490 slashline, .402 wOBA, and 136 wRC+. His strikeout rate of 18.9% is just slightly worse than what it was at Double-A (18.3%), but he's significantly improved his walk rate from 9.1% to 14.2%. Yorke also saw his ISO jump from just .114 to .179 between the two levels.
Will Nick Yorke's Triple-A leap translate to MLB production with the Pirates?
The numbers under the hood have also been good for Yorke. He has a 91.6 MPH exit velocity, an 11-degree launch angle, and a 6.4% barrel rate. Yorke has only swung and missed 20.9% of the time at Triple-A. He also hasn't significantly overperformed, either. He still has a solid .379 xwOBA. Yorke doesn't seem to have a problem with velocity. He has a .361 xwOBA on pitches 95+ MPH. He also has an advanced ability to hit breaking and off-speed stuff with a .359 xwOBA.
Yorke is a fringy runner. He grades out as a solid defender, but nothing spectacular. His arm strength plays best at second base. It's on the fringy side as well, but he can make accurate throws. The Red Sox have given Yorke time in left field this season, where he has logged 223.2 innings.
Needless to say, the improvements he's made to his game at Triple-A are promising. He's hitting the ball with authority, not swinging and missing at a high rate, and is lifting the ball. Yorke could help provide the Pirates with an option at second base and corner outfield down the stretch this year. With how well he's been swinging the stick, the 22-year-old should at least be on the docket for his major league debut this season.