Grading the Pirates Trades at the Deadline

The MLB Trade Deadline has finally hit, and the Pirates were a part of several deals. Let’s look at who was dealt and who was brought in:

Trade #1: Pirates trade RHP Quinn Priester for INF Nick Yorke from Boston. The Pirates made a good trade here, adding a top 5 prospect to their system. Quinn Priester has been up and down during the early part of his career so getting a talented prospect playing well in Triple-A seems like a steal. Don’t expect Yorke to come up to the Big Leagues soon, but he should be a big factor in the future.

Trade Grade: A

Trade #2: Pirates trade LHP Luis Peralta for LHP Jalen Beeks from Colorado. Known more for his unorthodox pitching mechanics, Beeks can be a solid contributor to the bullpen. He has posted a 6-4 record but also has a high 4.74 ERA this year. If he can drop his ERA, he can help for a playoff run. But losing Luis Peralta might be a big loss for our future. He has posted a 4-0 record with a 0.91 ERA this season. He also has good strikeout numbers (64 SO’s in 39.2 IP). 

Trade Grade: D+

Trade #3: Pirates trade LHP Nicolas Carreno for LHP Josh Walker from the Mets. Walker who was recently DFA’d by the Mets has struggled in his opportunities at the major league level. This season, he has a 5.11 ERA in the MLB. He also has been amazing in Triple-A this year and he has a 2.83 ERA with good strikeout numbers. If what he has done in Triple-A can translate for the Pirates, it will be a good pickup. Carreno has been solid for the Pirates DSL Gold team, posting a 3.74 ERA in eight starts.

Trade Grade: C-

Trade #4: Pirates trade RHP Jun-Seok Shim and INF Garret Forrester for OF Bryan De La Cruz from Miami.  Finally, the trade Pirates fans were waiting for. No, it’s not the star Ben Cherington could have traded for, but it is still a significant upgrade to their lineup. De La Cruz is under contract through the 2027 season, which fits right in their window. Plus, his power will be a huge boost for their offense. Losing two top 20 prospects always sucks, but Shim and Forrester would have been in the minor leagues for at least a few more years, so this trade is worth it.

Trade Grade: B+

Trade #5: Pirates trade INF/OF Charles McAdoo for INF/OF Isiah Kiner-Falefa from Toronto. Charles McAdoo was one of my favorite prospects in the Pirates system. Losing him is tough, but if you give up big you need to receive big. And that’s what the Pirates did. The Pirates added another Gold Glover who immediately has the best batting average on the team. Kiner-Falefa can play all positions, has excellent defense and is a good bat. He is an immediate upgrade and will be under contract throughout the 2025 season.

Trade Grade: A-

Trade #6: Pirates trade LHP Martin Perez for LHP Ronaldys Jimenez from San Diego. Let’s be honest, the Martin Perez experiment has been a complete bust so far. He started out strong but has fallen off over his last several starts. Ronaldys Jimenez will start with the DSL Pirates Black. In three games, he has a 1.50 ERA and a 0.67 WHIP. I don’t know much about Jimenez, but losing Perez is the definition of addition by subtraction. And his time in Pittsburgh has run out.

Trade Grade: C+

Trade #7: Pirates trade RHP Patrick Reilly for OF/2B Billy Cook from Baltimore. Billy Cook is one of those players, like Yorke, who got blocked in their system. The Orioles 28th ranked prospect has played well in the minor leagues this year. He has a .275/.371/.470 slash line and an OPS of .841. He, like Nick Yorke, will have an opportunity to be a future contributor to the Pirates. Patrick Reilly has had a good season so far, but with all the pitching talent, it was a smart trade. 

Trade Grade: B

Overall, the Pirates got better. If the new acquisitions can contribute at the Major League level, Pittsburgh can be a dangerous looming team. Keep your eye out for the Wild Card race, it will be a good one.