The Pirates are selling infield prospect Nick Yorke, in accordance with Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Publish-Gazette on X. Yorke will not be but on the membership’s 40-man roster, however the Bucs have already got a emptiness there, so they’ll solely must make a corresponding lively roster transfer.
Yorke, 22, hasn’t been in Pittsburgh’s system for very lengthy. He was drafted by the Purple Sox in 2020, going seventeenth total, however got here to the Bucs by way of a uncommon one-for-one swap of younger and controllable gamers. The Pirates despatched right-hander Quinn Priester to Boston straight up for Yorke in a July commerce.
The street to the massive leagues has been a bit up-and-down for Yorke. It began with a bang in 2021, as he carried out effectively in 97 video games between Single-A and Excessive-A. He hit 14 residence runs and stole 13 bases in that point. He drew walks at an 11.8% clip whereas limiting his strikeouts to a low charge of 15.6%. His mixed line of .325/.412/.516 led to a wRC+ of 149.
There have been questions on his protection, however that offensive efficiency vaulted him onto prime prospect lists. Going into 2022, Baseball America ranked him No. 31 within the league, although a downturn in Yorke’s efficiency would observe. He was returned to Excessive-A and solely bought into 80 video games, battling accidents equivalent to turf toe in addition to again and wrist soreness. When on the sphere, his outcomes had been noticeably worse. His stroll charge fell to eight.8%, his strikeout charge jumped to 25.2% and he slashed .231/.303/.365 for a wRC+ of 84.
He fell off prime 100 lists after that season and hasn’t fairly been in a position to get again, regardless of some improved ends in subsequent seasons. He was promoted to Double-A final yr and performed in 110 video games, slashing .268/.350/.435 for a 116 wRC+. His strikeout charge stayed a bit excessive at 24.1% however he drew walks 10.1% of the time, hit 13 homers and stole 18 bases.
Right here in 2024, Yorke has been having one other good yr. He began out again at Double-A and was respectable, slashing .251/.325/.366 for a 101 wRC+ in 45 video games. The Sox then promoted him to Triple-A, when he bought into a very good groove, slashing .310/.408/.490 in 38 video games for a 138 wRC+.
It was then that he was flipped to the Bucs, maybe as a consequence of a change within the entrance workplace. Yorke was drafted throughout the tenure of chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, who had been fired and changed by Craig Breslow. Maybe Breslow wasn’t as enamored of Yorke as his predecessor and regarded him expendable, although that’s completely speculative.
Both approach, Yorke has stored hitting together with his new membership. In 40 Triple-A video games for the reason that deal, he has hit .355/.431/.507 for a wRC+ of 147. The deal doesn’t look nice for the Sox to this point, as Priester has a 5.67 ERA in eight Triple-A begins since being swapped, although that’s a really small pattern dimension with loads of time for the narrative to flip. Yorke had a .364 batting common on balls in play on the Triple-A stage previous to being traded and a .441 BABIP since, so it wouldn’t be honest to count on him to proceed hitting fairly this effectively within the majors.
Nonetheless, it’s potential that Yorke may very well be a key contributor for the Bucs. He has performed some third base, shortstop and outfield, however his major place is second base, which has been a revolving door for the Pirates currently. The Bucs have used Nick Gonzales, Jared Triolo, Alika Williams and Isiah Kiner-Falefa on the keystone this yr, with none of them locking down the place.
Kiner-Falefa has been taking part in shortstop currently with Oneil Cruz moved to middle discipline, whereas Triolo has been overlaying third base for the injured Ke’Bryan Hayes. Gonzales has been the common at second base not too long ago, however he has a .267/.305/.377 batting line this yr for a 91 wRC+ whereas getting blended opinions for his protection.
The Pirates are 71-78 and out of rivalry, so they’ll use the ultimate two weeks of the common season to get a have a look at Yorke and see how he fares in opposition to big-league pitching. Going into the winter, they should resolve how they really feel about their infield combine. Second base can be one of many clearest areas to improve within the offseason, however Yorke might maybe change their pondering if he looks as if an instantaneous answer. Triolo has additionally been taking part in higher of late, with a .237/.356/.404 line and 115 wRC+ within the second half.
Every of those infielders can play a number of positions, in order that may give the Bucs some creativity in movings issues round for the rest of the season and sooner or later. For now, Yorke could make his major-league debut and get a style of the massive leagues earlier than the winter comes.
