This week’s mailbag will get into the Pirates‘ third base scenario, one of the best shortstop of 2026, projections for Kazuma Okamoto and Cody Ponce, and ideas on the Nationals, Cardinals, and Mets.
Don asks:
Is Isaac Paredes the Pirates‘ best choice for a commerce improve at third base? What would possibly that value be in prospects/gamers?
John asks:
I feel the Pirates ought to give some critical prospects as much as purchase CJ; the Bucs appear to be one bat brief. What do you assume? Will Jared Jones do it?
Jared Triolo is the projected starter on the sizzling nook for the Pirates. The 28-year-old gained a utility participant Gold Glove in 2024 and can play a robust third base. It is a place the place a 96 wRC+ on the plate is common, and Triolo initiatives round 90. He was capable of reduce his strikeout price final 12 months, however hasn’t actually proven any energy since A-ball.
Triolo is a 2-WAR man per 650 PA. Whole value-wise, he is arguably on par with offensive-minded additions Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn. It is simply simpler to get excited a couple of 30-homer bat like Lowe, even when he offers a ton of his worth again as one of many worst defensive second basemen within the sport. And Triolo is making close to the league minimal, not eight figures.
I went into this train considering Triolo could be one of many sport’s worst common third basemen, however I did not understand how bleak that panorama is. On a per 650 PA foundation – which is sort of beneficiant to injury-prone „regulars“ such Royce Lewis and Yoan Moncada – Triolo’s 2.0 WAR projection from The Bat X ranks 18th. There is no actual motive to assume guys like Caleb Durbin or Nolan Arenado will out-perform Triolo this 12 months.
Of the three gamers instantly forward of Triolo – so shut as to be thought-about a wash – two of them are Alec Bohm and Paredes. They each appeared considerably obtainable this winter, they usually make much more cash than Triolo, however they are not clearly higher.
I would say 14 third basemen signify a transparent improve on Triolo for 2026. Right here they’re together with ideas on whether or not the Pirates may’ve acquired them:
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