The Pittsburgh Pirates are forever hoping to find diamonds in the rough.

It's really the only way general manager Ben Cherington can do business when owner Bob Nutting annually gives him one of MLB's lowest payrolls. So, Cherington has to trade for undervalued players, sign lower-tier free agents, or hope to strike gold on the waiver wire.

So, it was not surprising that the Pirates' first addition of the offseason was someone claimed off waivers. Some cynics call it dumpster diving, but that's terribly unfair considering that just 23,614 men have ever played in the big leagues.

The Pirates' new player is outfielder Will Robertson, who made his major-league debut this season. Robertson played 27 games combined with the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox, hitting just .129/.173/.143.

That slash line gives little hope that Robertson will be a factor for the Pirates. Throw in the fact that he had only one extra-base hit – a double – in 75 plate appearances, and the odds seem even slimmer of Robertson helping the Pirates break a streak of eight straight losing seasons.

Yet, the 27-year-old profiles as someone worth looking at.

He is a left-handed hitter, which plays well at PNC Park. Robertson also has shown some power in the minor leagues, and the Pirates are in desperate need of pop after finishing last in MLB with 107 home runs this season.

Robertson hit 19 home runs for the Blue Jays' Double-A New Hampshire farm club in 2023 and matched that number the next season with Triple-A Buffalo. This year, he had 20 homers in 89 games at the Triple-A level between Buffalo and Charlotte.

The Blue Jays drafted Robertson in the fourth round of the 2019 amateur draft from Creighton University.

Like most players who land on waivers, Robertson has flaws. He has a below-average arm and does not run well, though he gets praised for his aggressiveness and hustle.

If Robertson becomes a productive player for the Pirates, it's good news for them. If not, it's no big deal.