Pittsburgh Pirates
2026-06-20
Pittsburgh Pirates are open to trading their compensation pick in the upcoming 2026 draft, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The Pirates have the 34th overall pick in the competitive balance round A, slotted in between their first and second round picks. Pittsburgh has the top bonus pool of $19,130,700, but trading their comp pick would sacrifice $2,897,400 from the total. And with a bullpen ranking 20th in MLB with a 4.43 ERA, the Pirates are seeking relief pitchers. Rosenthal notes that compensation picks are sometimes traded for relief pitchers, like last year when the Rays traded the 37th pick to the Orioles for right-hander Bryan Baker. The Pirates made a similar trade in 2014, when they dealt Bryan Morris to the Marlins for the 39th pick, which was used on Connor Joe. So the Pirates are looking to make a deal before the start of this year's draft, which begins on July 11 in Philadelphia. They already completed one trade for a reliever, acquiring right-hander Hunter Stratton from the Braves for Joey Bart on Thursday night. But the Pirates still need more bullpen help, and trading their compensation pick could be the way to get it. With the draft approaching, the Pirates are weighing their options, and a trade could happen soon. The Pirates' front office is working to improve the team's pitching, and a deal for a relief pitcher could be the next step.