The Pirates took some steps toward what we all hope will be a significant restructuring of their roster. It’s time for them to shift their focus from temp agency fill-ins (aka the waiver wire) to putting a competitive major league team on the field. This off-season should provide one of the more pronounced shifts in focus that we’ve seen with this team in a long time, so I thought I’d produce a scorecard to show where things stand now, just as a reference. The next key date, of course, is November 19, when eligible players have to be added to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 draft.
First, the guys who could or should be candidates to come off the roster. This is an expansive list, just to show possibilities. Some guys, of course, could be traded rather than being dfa’d.
Pitchers
Tanner Anderson
Anthony Banda
Wil Crowe
Eric Hanhold
Sam Howard
Nick Mears
Dillon Peters
Cody Ponce
Duane Underwood, Jr.
Catchers
Taylor Davis
Michael Perez
Infielders
Phillip Evans
Kevin Newman
Cole Tucker
Outfielders
Greg Allen
Jared Oliva
And these are players who could or should be added to the roster. Again, this is an expansive list, although I’m not including Yerry De Los Santos or Cristofer Melendez. They obviously aren’t going to be added or they would have been already.
Pitchers
Osvaldo Bido
Omar Cruz
Tahnaj Thomas
Cody Bolton
Travis MacGregor
Santiago Florez
Eddy Yean
Jose Maldonado
Hunter Stratton
Oliver Mateo
Catchers
Abrahan Gutierrez
Infielders
Mason Martin
Liover Peguero
Outfielders
Travis Swaggerty
Canaan Smith-Njigba
Cal Mitchell
Jack Suwinski
Jonah Davis
Lolo Sanchez
