Teams across MLB remain extremely active as the new league year opened after the World Series ended last week. The Pittsburgh Pirates have been among the teams making a handful of transactions.

On Monday evening, the Pirates claimed outfielder Akil Baddoo off waivers shortly after the Milwaukee Brewers outrighted him.

Baddoo was once a key piece to the Detroit Tigers’ future following his stellar rookie season in 2021. However, the outfielder was never able to replicate that same production in the batter’s box and bounced between the Major League and Minor League rosters over the next

The 28-year-old owns a career .224/.305/.369 slash line in just over 1,000 plate appearances. Baddoo has always been known for his speed on the basepaths, which has also translated into solid defense in the outfield.

The Brewers signed Baddoo as a free agent last offseason, but he spent the majority of the season on the injured list or rehabbing a left quad strain he suffered at the end of March. He appeared in seven games with the Brewers and logged two hits in 17 at-bats (.118 average).

Baddoo’s numbers were a little more encouraging at the Minor League level, and could give the Pirates hope that he could end up being a depth piece for the team next season.

Baddoo played in 66 games at Triple-A in 2026, and ended up with a .252/.342/.469 slash line, including 11 home runs. Those numbers and stats came out to a wRC+ of 113.

The bottom line is that the Pirates need more outfield depth, and Baddoo provides just that. If he exceeds Pittsburgh’s expectations, the team could also have a quality depth piece for years to come, too.

He’s arbitration-eligible in 2027 and is under team control through the 2030 season.

However, the 28-year-old is out of Minor League options. So, he’ll need to show up to Spring Training and win a spot on the roster to have a chance to be a piece of Pittsburgh’s roster starting next season.

Claiming Baddoo off waivers is an incredibly low-risk move for the Pirates, but it could come with high upside if Pittsburgh can help the veteran get back to being the player he was five years ago.

The Pirates had until Monday at 5:00 pm to offer free agent Bradon Lowe the qualifying offer, and they did just that. Now, Lowe has until November 17 to decide whether or not he wants to sign the one-year deal.