Around the Rumor Mill: Musgrove, Brault, Frazier rumors all circulating
We are about a month into the 2020 Major League Baseball off-season and so far the Hot Stove has been more like a low simmer. With only, a couple shot signings taking place, and many of the top free agents on the market are still out there for the taking. After finishing 2020 with the worst record in Major League Baseball, Ben Cherrington and the Pittsburgh Pirates are starting the rebuilding phase of their plan as they try to get back to contention. That means that some of the team's top players are going to be getting interest from teams that are looking to compete right now and in turn, it will allow the Pirates to try and stockpile young talent that will eventually help the team turn things around.
Despite a slow offseason so far, the rumor mill has begun to heat up, and of course, some of the Pirate's top player's names have been circulating. This week, a large focus was on the starting rotation with Joe Musgrove and Steven Brault garnering interest, while Adam Frazier keeps getting interest from teams around the league. All three players could bring back a decent return for the Pirates and are deals that Cherrington and his staff should consider looking into. If the right return is available, it could be a deal that the Pirates should pull the trigger on. We start the week looking at some of the biggest Pirates rumors around the league and see if any of them would benefit the Pirates.
Team's Showing Interest in Steven Brault
One of the Pirate's best pitchers in 2020, and one of my personal favorite players, was Steven Brault. Brault finished the year going 1-3 with 3.38 ERA in 11 games, 10 starts, for the Pirates. He started the year not giving up an earned run in his first five starts, and he ended the year with two of the best starts of his career, including his first career complete game. He has basically pitched his way into the Pirates' 2021 starting rotation and proved he can be a Big League starter consistently. That is if he remains a Pirate for the 2021 season. With the starting pitching market not very strong this season, teams have been showing interest in the Pirate's left-hander.
According to MLB Insider Jon Morosi, several teams have called on Brault asking about his availability this off-season. While Brault doesn't bring over-the-top stuff, he is a consistent left-handed arm to help break up the monotony of right-handed pitchers. And, coming off a career year, his value is higher than it ever has been before. One of the teams rumored to be interested in Brault is the San Francisco Giants with several other mystery teams inquiring. Brault comes at an affordable price and carries three-years of control with him making him an enticing option. However, with the Pirates already getting rid of one starting pitcher in Trevor Williams, they have to decide if the risk of worth the reward.
So, what would Brault bring in a return for the Pirates if they were to trade him? He isn't an elite starting pitcher by any stretch, but with the market being so thin, his value could be up. I could see Brault bringing in at least a Top 30 prospect, and possibly a lower-level prospect in a trade. The Pirates are not forced to move Brault, with the lefty signed through 2023. If the Pirates feel that Brault is a big part of their plans moving forward, look for him to stay. However, if the price is right, anyone on the current Pirates team, aside from Ke'Bryan Hayes and Mitch Keller, are expendable. If the Pirates can get the right price for Brault it might be too hard to pass.
Adam Frazier to the Mets?
One of the Pirates whose name has been on the rumor mill dating back to last season is second baseman, Adam Frazier. It was though that the Pirates would trade the second baseman last off-season, but a deal never materialized and Frazier was back as the starting first baseman in 2020. It wasn't the best offensive year for the second baseman, as he hit .230 with seven home runs and 23 RBI spanning 203 at-bats. However, he was nominated for the second Gold Glove Award of his career at second base as he continued to play solid defense. With the suspension of Robinson Cano for performance-enhancing drugs, one team has emerged as a front runner for Adam Frazier in the trade market.
The New York Mets are currently without a second baseman, and that may make them overpay for an option right now. The best option on the free-agent market right now is former St. Louis Cardinal Kolten Wong, but if his price tag is too high, Frazier is an affordable second option. Frazier still has two years of control attached to him and made just 2.8 million dollars last season. The return for Frazier would have to be at least one top ten prospect and probably two more prospects. One position the Pirates are lacking in is catching depth and one of the Met's top prospects is catcher Francisco Alvarez.
Alvarez is still in rookie ball but was ranked as MLB Pipeline's no. 13 overall international free agent when he was signed in 2018. In 2019, Alvarez combined to hit .312 with seven home runs and 26 RBI between two levels of rookie ball. Alvarez is projected to make the Big Leagues by 2023, which is when the Pirates are looking to be competitive again. It would allow Jacob Stallings to hold down the position for a few years as Alvarez develops in the Minor Leagues. If the Pirates were to move Frazier, they would probably still need a lower-level prospect in addition to Alvarez to pull the trigger. Again, Frazier is a guy with years of control so the Pirates don't have to move him unless the price is right.
Musgrove Garnering Interest Around the League
At the end of 2020, Joe Musgrove was pitching some of the best baseball of his career. After missing almost all of August with an injury, he came back and posted a 2.17 ERA during the month of September. Musgrove has been one of the emotional leaders for the Pirates and his grit and hard-nose style of play has made him a fan favorite. However, with the Pirates in the midst of a rebuild, Musgrove doesn't factor into the team's long-term plans and is likely to be moved this off-season. The spurt at the end of the season raises his value and could make him that much more enticing to other teams.
There have been several rumors surrounding Musgrove that date back to last season. With Musgrove possessing playoff experience with the Houston Astros, he brings a wealth of knowledge to any team looking to make a push. Several teams have been connected including the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays. The Pirates almost pulled off a Musgrove deal at the 2020 Trade Deadline but nothing came to fruition. Musgrove has been the veteran for the Pirates over the last couple of seasons and it wouldn't hurt the Pirates to keep him around either. If the right deal isn't struck up, look for Musgrove to be back in the Pirates rotation in 2020.
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