There aren't a ton of under-the-radar players this offseason for the Pittsburgh Pirates to pursue, but there are a few players I’d like them to get involved in who likely won't cost them a whole lot.
One of those players is Jorge Polanco, who is coming off a great postseason with the Seattle Mariners.
In Polanco’s career, I think it's fair to say that he's just been a steady professional.
He doesn't wow anybody with anything he does on either side of the baseball, but if the Pirates aren't willing to give out the necessary deals for a player who can do that, Polanco might be the best player for them to pursue.
It might seem far-fetched in some sense, too, just due to him being a veteran who likely wants to compete for a World Series, but others seemingly don't think that, including MLB Trade Rumors, which recently predicted that he’d take a deal in Pittsburgh.
Whether he signs as a second baseman, a third baseman, a hybrid option or even as “a first baseman/designated hitter, the calling card is his bat. Even with last year’s struggles and an ugly showing in the shortened Covid season, Polanco is a .260/.330/.450 hitter over his past 3,355 plate appearances. That’s 16% better than average, per wRC+.
“Polanco should find at least two years, if not three, in free agency,” they wrote.
Polanco wouldn't really be a buy-low candidate at this point, just due to how old he is, and probably being the player he's shown to be for the length of his career.
However, he seemingly figured some things out in the postseason for the Mariners throughout some massive moments, and while I don't expect the Pirates to make the postseason next year, if they can get him on a two or three-year deal and he continues to swing the bat at that level, he’d certainly help them reach their goals.
As I've continued to say about the Pirates, as long as there are some offensive additions, I really think something big could be brewing in Pittsburgh. That doesn't mean I think the Pirates will win the World Series, but why can't they compete in the NL Central with that young pitching staff?