Closers and Relief Pitchers - 2024 Fantasy Baseball ADP Analysis, Draft Targets, Avoids

As we get into the middle of January, fantasy baseball draft season is gaining speed and momentum. By now, most of you have either already participated in a draft of some sort or are at least beginning your prep work and/or consuming more fantasy baseball content. This relief pitcher position is annually one of the... Read More

Billy McKinney Staying With Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates signed free-agent outfielder Billy McKinney, infielder Sergio Alcantara, outfielder Gilberto Celestino, right-hander Ben Heller, infielder/outfielder Jake Lamb, left-hander Michael Plassmeyer, right-hander Ryder Ryan and right-hander Hunter Stratton to minor-league deals with invites to spring training on Thursday. McKinney was traded to the Pirates from the New York Yankees in December and will... Read More

Pirates Think Paul Skenes Could Benefit From More Development

The Pittsburgh Pirates believe right-handed pitching prospect Paul Skenes would benefit from more development in the minor leagues and that he's not ready for the majors yet, even though he's already better than everyone in their system, according to sources. The Pirates need him to be their long-term ace, so it wouldn't be wise for... Read More

Pirates Avoid Arbitration With JT Brubaker

The Pittsburgh Pirates avoided salary arbitration with right-hander JT Brubaker on Wednesday by agreeing to a one-year, $2.275 million deal, according to a source. Brubaker won't receive any kind of raise after missing all of the 2023 season following his Tommy John surgery in April. The 30-year-old said his goal this year is to return... Read More

Paul Skenes Voted Best Pitching Prospect

In a 2024 MLB Pipeline poll of front-office executives from all 30 organizations, Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes was voted the game's best pitching prospect. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Skenes was the first overall pick in last year's draft, and many viewed the big righty from LSU as the best pitching... Read More

Oneil Cruz Healthy For The Start Of The Season

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz (ankle) is healthy heading into the 2024 season, according to manager Derek Shelton. "He's healthy. He's moving around. That's a really encouraging sign for everybody who's a Pirates fan," Shelton told reporters. The 25-year-old shortstop fractured his left ankle back in April of the '23 season and missed the entire... Read More

2024 Fantasy Baseball Catcher Rankings, Tiers, Analysis - Roto League Drafts

Last season saw multiple catchers across Major League Baseball emerge as potential future stars, the most obvious being Baltimore's Adley Rutschman. But Seattle's Cal Raleigh, Arizona's Gabriel Moreno, Atlanta's Sean Murphy, and New York's Francisco Alvarez also raised their stock and were difference-makers offensively for their respective teams at points during the MLB season. Proven... Read More

Jake Lamb Signs Minors Deal With Pirates

Free-agent corner infielder Jake Lamb and the Pittsburgh Pirates are in agreement on a minor-league pact. The veteran has largely played third base in his big-league career but has also logged more than 400 career innings at first base as well. The 33-year-old most recently appeared in 19 games with the Angels in 2023, hitting... Read More

Pirates Bring Andrew McCutchen Back On One-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Pirates re-signed outfielder Andrew McCutchen to a one-year, $5 million deal on Tuesday, according to sources. The five-time All-Star and former National League MVP with the Pirates in 2013 will return to Pittsburgh for another year after hitting a respectable .256/.378/.397 with 12 home runs, 43 RBI, 19 doubles, 11 stolen bases and... Read More

Martin Perez Signs One-Year Deal With Pirates

Free-agent left-hander Martin Perez signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday. Perez joins the rebuilding Pirates after going 10-4 with a 4.45 ERA (4.99 FIP) and 1.40 WHIP with 49 walks and 93 strikeouts in 141 2/3 innings over 35 appearances (20 starts) during the regular season for the World... Read More

Top 250 Dynasty Fantasy Baseball Prospects Rankings (2024 Update)

Welcome back RotoBallers to the 2024 update of our MLB team's dynasty fantasy baseball prospects rankings for the 2024 season. This update includes a few changes/additions. First, while they may not be considered "prospects" in many leagues, foreign signees from Japanese or Korean professional leagues will be eligible in first-year player drafts, so they are... Read More

Third Base and Shortstop - Early 2024 Fantasy Baseball ADP Analysis

It might only be the second week of December, but 2024 draft season is already beginning to heat up. Sites like NFBC and Fantrax make it easy to scratch that early draft itch and I've already completed one draft for 2024, a 50-round draft champions draft on NFBC. I've been working through my early 2024... Read More

Edward Olivares Being Traded To Pirates

Outfielder Edward Olivares has been traded from the Kansas City Royals to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Olivares will be 28 in March and just received his first extended look in the majors this season. Over 107 games, he produced a 109 OPS+, indicating his offensive output was 9 percent better than the league average. The Pirates... Read More

Pirates Acquire Billy McKinney From Yankees

The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired outfielder Billy McKinney from the New York Yankees on Thursday in exchange for international bonus pool money, according to a source. In 2023 with the Yankees, McKinney saw 147 plate appearances over 48 games and went 29-for-128 (.227) with six home runs and 14 RBI. He will strictly serve as veteran... Read More

Endy Rodriguez To Miss 2024 Season Due To Elbow Surgery

Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodriguez (elbow) will miss the 2024 season due to UCL reconstruction surgery on his right elbow and a repair of his right flexor tendon, per MLB.com's Jake Crouse. The Pirates stated that the 23-year-old initially sustained an injury in mid-November during a Dominican winter league with Estrellas Orientales. Rodriguez was one... Read More

Rowdy Tellez Signs With Pirates

Free-agent first baseman Rowdy Tellez is signing a one-year, $3.2 million deal on Tuesday with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The deal comes with $800,000 in performance bonuses. Tellez sticks in the National League Central division following two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, where he hit .218/.300/.430 with 48 home runs, 32 RBI, a triple, 136 RBI... Read More

Angel Perdomo Inks One-Year, Non-Guaranteed Split Contract With Braves

The Atlanta Braves and left-hander Angel Perdomo have agreed to a one-year, non-guaranteed split contract for the 2024 season. The club claimed the southpaw off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates last month but he will miss the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in October. The contract ensures he remains within the organization after... Read More

Johan Oviedo Undergoes Tommy John Surgery Wednesday

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Wednesday that right-hander Johan Oviedo (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. The surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister. The 25-year-old Cuban hurler will now be forced to sit out all of the 2024 season. Oviedo was a part of Pittsburgh's starting rotation all year for the... Read More

Marco Gonzales Traded To Pirates

The Atlanta Braves traded newly-acquired starting pitcher Marco Gonzales and cash considerations to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday in exchange for a player to be named later. The Braves acquired the left-handed veteran from the Seattle Mariners on Sunday night as part of a deal for outfielder Jared Kelenic. Gonzales will now slot into a... Read More

Oneil Cruz Appears In Instructional Games

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz (ankle) has appeared in instructional games this offseason in the Dominican Republic. "Watching his at-bats made me smile," manager Derek Shelton said. Cruz is rehabbing from a fractured left ankle that he suffered way back in early April that knocked him out for the rest of the 2023 season. As... Read More

Pirates Checking In On Jack Flaherty

Free-agent pitcher Jack Flaherty is being eyed by the Pittsburgh Pirates for a short-term deal should he be unable to land a longer deal on the open market. The right-hander burst onto the scene with a 3.34 ERA across 28 starts as a 22-year-old in the 2018 season, but injuries and underperformance have been constant... Read More

Pirates Sign Ali Sanchez To One-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Pirates signed free-agent catcher Ali Sanchez to an undisclosed one-year major-league deal on Friday. The team also claimed right-hander Roddery Munoz off waivers from the Washington Nationals. Sanchez made his big-league debut in 2020 with the New York Mets but hasn't appeared in the majors since 2021 with the St. Louis Cardinals. The... Read More

Arizona Fall League Wrap-Up: Fallers (Kevin Parada, Max Muncy, Carson Williams, Jake Eder)

Every year since 1992, each MLB team sends a handful of prospects to the desert to compete in the Arizona Fall League. Players are sent here to get additional reps as a hitter or as a pitcher in order to further prepare them to make the leap to the major leagues or to get some... Read More

Fantasy Baseball Prospect Risers - Arizona Fall League Wrap-Up for Jakob Marsee, Liam Hicks, Carson Spiers, more

That's a wrap! Congratulations to the Surprise Saguaros on their second consecutive Arizona Fall League (AFL) Championship, downing the Peoria Javelinas 6-5 in the final contest thanks to a four-run outburst in the fifth inning. Now that the final out has been recorded, we can take a look back at individual player performances to see... Read More

Johan Oviedo To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

Pittsburgh Pirates Cuban right-hander Johan Oviedo (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery in the coming days, according to sources. Tommy John surgery was on the table for Oviedo once the 2023 season ended, and now it's become a reality that will knock him out for the entire 2024 season. The 25-year-old went 9-14 with a... Read More

Fantasy Baseball Top 100 Prospects for 2024 First-Year Player Drafts (FYPD)

This year's draft has one of the most talented player groups in many years, and this offseason looks to have multiple major players come over from Japan and Korea. As a result, this year's first-year player drafts (FYPDs) in dynasty leagues will be some of the most interesting in many years. It's rare to have... Read More

Pirates Sign Gilberto Celestino To Minor-League Deal

The Pittsburgh Pirates signed free-agent outfielder Gilberto Celestino to a minor-league deal on Monday, according to sources. Celestino made his big-league debut with the Minnesota Twins in 2021 and hit just .136 (8-for-59) with two homers and three RBI in 23 games before getting more of a chance in 2022 over a 122-game span. In... Read More

Yankees Sign Yerry De Los Santos

The New York Yankees signed free-agent right-hander Yerry De Los Santos to a minor-league deal on Monday, according to his representatives. The deal includes an invitation to spring training. The 25-year-old Dominican uses a sinker-heavy approach and has a 54.5 ground-ball percentage over 48 major-league appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates and a career ERA of... Read More

Osvaldo Bido, A's Reach Major-League Deal Monday

FanSided's Robert Murray reported Monday that free-agent pitcher Osvaldo Bido and the Oakland Athletics agreed to a major-league contract. Further details were not provided. The 28-year-old righty made his big-league debut last season with the Pirates, making 16 appearances (nine starts) with a 2-5 record, 5.86 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and 20.3% strikeout rate. It remains... Read More

Top 250 Dynasty Fantasy Baseball Prospects Rankings (November 2023 Update)

Welcome back RotoBallers to the November update of our MLB team's dynasty fantasy baseball prospects rankings for the 2023 season. We've now entered the "dead" time of the season as far as major impact to lists is concerned. The players still playing in the Arizona Fall League and winter leagues can impact their views, but... Read More