Rum Bunter
FanSided

Ranking 5 Pittsburgh Pirates outfield trade targets with spring training looming

Let's look at 5 trade targets the Pirates should go after, ranked from worst to best.
ByNoah Wright|
May 1, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad (13) reacts after being hit with a eighth inning pitch against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
May 1, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad (13) reacts after being hit with a eighth inning pitch against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
2 of 5

Jesús Sánchez

The Miami Marlins have been in firesale mode since trading Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres in April 2024. They’ve since traded two of their three primary outfielders in Bryan De La Cruz and Jazz Chisholm. However, the last remaining of the three, Jesús Sánchez, could also be out the door in the near future.

Sánchez’s numbers took a step back after a breakout 2023 campaign, but he still managed a respectable .252/.313/.417 triple-slash, .317 wOBA, and 100 wRC+. Sánchez hit 18 homers throughout 537 plate appearances with a .166 isolated slugging percentage. His 7.6% walk rate was slightly below league average, but he struck out over a quarter of the time with a 26.1% K%. According to his projections, though, Sánchez can offer a lot more with the bat.

He was in the 77th percentile or better of xBA (.264), xSLG% (.468), and xwOBA (.343) in 2024. Sánchez’s average exit velocity was 92.5 MPH, which put him in the top 20 in the league. Another batted ball stat he was elite in was barrel percentage at 12.2%; he was top 50 in baseball in that category, ranking above well-known power hitters like Bryce Harper, Gunnar Henderson, and Eugenio Suarez. Sánchez was one of just 16 batters with a hard-hit rate over 50% in 2024, sitting at 51.3%.

Sánchez did not impress with the glove in 2024, with -2 DRS and zero OAA, but he’s graded out as a decent fielder throughout his career, with +9 DRS and +1 OAA in 3,149.1 innings in the outfield. Sánchez has a strong arm as well, and was in the 77th percentile of position player arm strength.

Sánchez's trade value rises, given how affordable he is. He agreed to a $4.5 million contract to avoid arbitration, and is controlled through 2027, giving him three more seasons of team control remaining. The biggest thing that knocks him down here is the Marlins' likely asking price. Most of their large trades over the last year have seen them acquire position player prospects, which makes sense, given their system has a good amount of pitching. If the Pirates make any outfield trade, it will be with a pitcher as a headliner, which could put them at a disadvantage in any trade talks with the Marlins.

Home/Pirates News

Schedule