Pirates Trade Analysis: Adam Frazier Deal a Good Start
The Pittsburgh Pirates made their first notable trade of the month by sending infielder/outfielder Adam Frazier to the Kansas City Royals for infielder Cam Devanney.
Frazier was a logical trade candidate for the Pirates. Not only does his versatility appeal to contending teams, but the 33-year-old will hit free agency at the end of the season.
Frazier returned to the Pirates this season after spending parts of six seasons in Pittsburgh from 2016-21. In 78 games this year, Frazier hit .255/.318/.336 with 10 doubles, three home runs, 21 RBI and seven stolen bases.
In Devanney, the Pirates are getting a prospect whose next game in the big leagues will be his first. The Royals promoted the 28-year-old from Triple-A Omaha on July 8, but he has yet to appear in a game.
Despite his age, Devanney gives the Pirates a fairly intriguing hitter with some power who is capable of manning shortstop. In 69 games with Omaha this season, Devanney whacked 18 home runs and posted a .565 slugging percentage. He hit .272 with a .931 OPS and drove in 55 runs.
He will begin his career in the Pirates’ organization with Triple-A Indianapolis but will likely join the big-league roster at some point in the not-too-distant future.
The Pirates will be in need of a shortstop both this year and next. Isiah Kiner-Falefa is widely expected to be traded in the coming weeks, and there’s no other clear shortstop option on the 40-man roster.
Nick Gonzales has slotted in nicely at second base. The Pirates have seemingly soured on Liover Peguero. Jared Triolo was recently optioned amidst prolonged struggles at the plate, and Tsung-Che Cheng has a .618 OPS with Indianapolis this year.
Though he’s only in High-A Greensboro, 2024 first-rounder Konnor Griffin looks like the shortstop of the future, and that future could become the present much sooner than anyone originally anticipated.
Griffin breezed through Low-A Bradenton and is off to a good start in Greensboro. He’s currently considered Baseball America’s second-best prospect in baseball, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him in Double-A Altoona by the end of the season.
It’s at least a possibility that he makes his MLB debut sometime next season if he continues on his current track.
Despite a pretty strong track record in his minor league career, Devanney was blocked at shortstop by Royals two-time All-Star Bobby Witt Jr, which is undoubtedly a reason Kansas City was willing to make this trade for Frazier.
The best case scenario is Devanney becomes a capable shortstop until Griffin is deemed ready and can then stick on the roster as a useful bench bat who bounces around the infield. The worst case scenario is he at least gives the Pirates an option at shortstop for the final couple months of the season before looking for an upgrade this winter.
With a dire need for more bats, the return is about as good as you can expect for a rental player like Frazier.
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