The Indians received outfielder Jordan Luplow and utilityman Max Moroff in exchange for another utilityman in Erik Gonzalez and two pitchers that pitched for the lowest level last season in the Arizona Rookie League.
Jordan Luplow will be given a chance to compete for a roster spot in the suddenly depleted outfield.
The 25-year-old Luplow played in 64 games in Pittsburgh over the last two seasons, in an occasional call-up when the Pirate outfield would have an injury.
Luplow showed power hitting three homers in each of the two seasons, but hit just .194 as a combined total over the two years in 170 at-bats.
Luplow can play all three outfield positions and will challenge for a backup spot off the bench for the Indians.
If Luplow cannot win one of those jobs, he will be a strong option to be an injury call-up from AAA Columbus after hitting .287 with eight homers last year for the Clippers top rival in Indianapolis.
Cleveland is likely to lose as many as four outfielders to free agency (Michael Brantley, Lonnie Chisenhall, Melky Cabrera and Rajai Davis) and three more recovering from injuries/surgeries (Leonys Martin, Bradley Zimmer and Tyler Naquin) that make them unlikely to be counted on at least early in 2019, so an opportunity is there for Luplow should he grab it.
Max Moroff has spent time with the Pirates over the last three seasons, but in none of those has the 25-year-old Moroff distinguished himself other than like Luplow showing a little power with six homers over a 181 at-bat total.
Moroff can play all around the infield and has an excellent glove, so Moroff has a more than fair chance to occupy the utility spot off the Cleveland bench that was held by Erik Gonzalez in 2018.
If Moroff does not win that spot, he has options left and like Luplow, could be a starter for and be a veteran call-up from the Indians AAA squad in Columbus.
Speaking of Erik Gonzalez, it is Gonzalez that is headed to Pittsburgh as their main acquisition in this trade.
The 27-year-old shortstop played in 81 games last season for the Indians, as he was the infielder off the bench in the role that Max Moroff hopes to fill, hitting .265 with a homer in 143 at-bats.
Gonzalez is out of minor league options so Gonzalez will at least be the utility infielder for the Pirates as he can play second and third along with his natural position of shortstop.
Gonzalez has always been a player that I have liked and despite an average at best bat, I've thought that he could be a steady glove-first shortstop or even a second baseman that could start on the right team.
With standout Francisco Lindor at shortstop and the highly-paid Jason Kipnis at second, Gonzalez was always blocked with Cleveland and he may be stopped again in Pittsburgh as, despite their 2018 starter Jordy Mercer leaving via free agency, former number one draft selection Kevin Newman would be their top choice, but Newman struggled with the bat (.209) and with the glove (four errors) in 31 late-season games so Gonzalez may have a crack in the door to slip through with a strong appearance in the Bradenton spring to perhaps win the starting job.
The other two players that the Pirates added are both young pitchers that have not pitched above the Arizona Rookie League and are lottery tickets.
Dante Mendoza turns 20 next month and along with being a 12th round draft pick in 2017, Mendoza's only note of substance is being the cousin of former Baltimore closer Zach Britton.
Mendoza was 2-2 with a 4.58 ERA in Arizona last season but did strike out 37 batters in 37 innings, so that is a stat that I always look for when evaluating low minors numbers.
Mendoza walked 20 though and seven of his ten appearances came from the bullpen, so that lack of control is not an appealing number for a reliever's future.
19-year-old Tahnaj Thomas is perhaps the more interesting of the two after being signed as a free agent from the Bahamas, which isn't exactly the hottest spot for power arms, but despite a 4.58 ERA over just under twenty innings of work, Thomas had two numbers that leaped out at me- batters hit just .188 against him and 27 strikeouts.
Thomas did make some appearances on the Indians top 30 prospect lists at the end of the season, so he is not a throw-in by any means, he's far from a sure thing, but he's very interesting to me.
I suppose both Mendoza and Thomas have chances to begin at the Pirates new affiliate in the South Atlantic League with Greensboro, but either or both could remain in Florida to start in June with the Pirates New York-Penn League franchise in Morgantown WV.
Back later with an early boxing challenge as there is an important fight on a rare Friday night and the PPM as well.
If I remain at the road office today, I will have some time, so I'll try to find time to keep working on that promised post on Dick Slater.
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