After an offseason of trade rumors and speculation, the Pirates traded Starling Marte to the Diamondbacks Monday for two prospects and an increase in their spending limit in the international talent pool. The Pirates are also sending $1.5 million in cash considerations to Arizona.
The trade was first reported to be close by John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7.
Marte tweeted out a message to the Pirates' fans afterward:
I will be eternally grateful for the support that the Pittsburgh community has given me since I arrived at the club. I want to thank the fans for these memorable years. Thanks to the Pirates' organization for giving me the opportunity, and to my teammates thanks for the support. pic.twitter.com/DRUQKNIsDk
— Starling Marte (@Starlingmart) January 27, 2020
In return, the Pirates will get two prospects: shortstop Liover Peguero and right-handed pitcher Brennan Malone. Both players are 19 years old who played in A-ball in 2020.
According to FanGraphs 2020 prospect ratings, Peguero is the fifth-best prospect in Arizona's deep system and Malone the 10th best. Baseball America ranks Peguero as the Diamondback's seventh best prospect and Malone the ninth.
MLB Pipeline slots Peguero and Malone as the number seven and eight prospects in the Pirates' system currently.
"In total, there was a [talent] threshold that we felt like we needed to cross to consider trading someone who's been a really good player for the Pirates and been a part of the Pirates organization for a long time," general manager Ben Cherington said Monday. "We weren't going to do that lightly, but we felt like this opportunity with the DBacks brought to us two young players who we're really excited about."
Malone was the Diamondbacks' first round pick, 33rd overall, in last year's draft. Per FanGraphs, he has four pitches: A plus fastball that sits 92-96 mph and can approach triple digits, a potentially above average slider, a curve and a changeup. He pitched eight innings in the Diamondbacks' farm system last season.
"He's got the physical...capability and the delivery traits we feel to be a starting pitcher," Cherington said. "He's got exceptional arm-strength and velocity and the makings of good secondary stuff."
Baseball America wrote in their scouting report of Malone that he "might have the best combination of current stuff and future projection of any prep pitcher in the 2019 draft class."
Cherington and assistant GM Steve Sanders, then with the Blue Jays, and the Pirates both considered drafting Malone in the first round last year.
Malone already has taken to Twitter to express his excitement to join the Pirates.
First of all I wanna thank the Diamondbacks organization for giving me a great first professional season and thank all of the staff, teammates and true friends I’ve made this past season! That being said I’m am very excited to start the next chapter as part of the Pirates! pic.twitter.com/H9nDvZSCek
— Brennan Malone (@BrennanRMalone) January 27, 2020
Peguero was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2017. He is still developing as a hitter, but scouts praise him as someone who could hit for a high average with some power. Defensively, he projects to be average.
Peguero made the jump from rookie ball to A-ball after hitting .364 with five home runs and eight stolen bases in 38 games. After the jump, he held his own in a handful of games.
"We see someone whose got all the capabilities to stay at shortstop, stay at a premium position," Cherington said. "He's gotten off to a really good start in his professional career offensively. He's hit well as a really young player in minor-league baseball."
Cherington also praised Peguero's contact rate, decision-making skills, intelligence and base running abilities.
"He's the type of young player that scouts get excited about and our analysts get excited about because he does a bunch of things good major-league players, when they were 19, did," Cherington said.
Both players have high-ceilings, but are also a high risk of being busts. This flies in the face of other big trades the Pirates have made in recent years, namely the Gerrit Cole deal where then-GM Neal Huntington traded for mostly major league ready players with lower ceilings.
During PiratesFest Friday, Cherington talked about needing to acquire more high-upside players, even if they are less proven. Such is the case with Peguero and Malone.
"In our situation, in order to get access to that kind of upside, sometimes you have to assume some risk along the way," Cherington said. "So in this case, the risk is that they're young."
Marte, 31, a former All-Star and two time Gold Glove winner, just completed the best offensive season of his career, slashing .295/.342/.503 with 23 home runs and 82 RBI. He was worth 2.9 WAR.
A lifelong Pirate, Marte had 1,047 hits, 108 home runs, 239 stolen bases and 29.1 WAR over his eight year career.
Marte was not a part of PiratesFest this weekend, but Cherington said the absence was excused.
With all but $1.5 million of Marte's $11.5 million salary off the books, the Pirates' opening day payroll is now about $50 million.
Cherington said the money saved from the deal will be reallocated into the team.
"That could happen in 2020, it could happen past that," Cherington said. "We need to look opportunistically at when is the best to put that money back into the team, and that'll be done strictly through the lens of what gives the best chance to win.
"If there's opportunities to get closer to that in 2020, then that's what we'll do. If we feel like it's better to invest past 2020, then we'll consider that too."
Cherington is not done exploring additional moves, but it likely won't be as a seller. One such move will be adding another outfielder, ideally one who could play center.
"I am hopeful that we'll add to the group in some way before we get to Bradenton," he said. "I don't anticipate anything happening in the other direction."
If no move is made, the Pirates opening day outfield will like be Gregory Polanco in right, Bryan Reynolds in center and Guillermo Heredia in left.
