The Pirates yesterday chose right-handed pitcher Carter Baumler from the Orioles with the fifth overall selection in baseball’s Rule 5 Draft, then traded him to Texas for 20-year-old right-hander Jaiker Garcia and the $100,000 price tag for taking a player in the draft. Garcia is a former infielder who converted to pitching in 2023.
The Bucs lost 26-year-old right-hander Jack Carey to Cleveland, He was 5-1 with a 3.86 ERA for Greensboro and Altoona last season, pitching in three games for the Curve.
In the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft, the Pirates selected three relievers: Junior Flores from the Giants, Brandon Neeck from the Dodgers, and Kyle Larsen from the Rangers.
At the winter meetings in Orlando, Pirates manager Donnie Kelly appeared on MLB.com and talked about the team’s offseason goals.
Kelly says the Pirates’ biggest need is obviously more good bats, and he’s actively involved in the search.
Kelly says the Pirates had a disappointing season in 2025 and they urgently need to improve.
Kelly believes the Pirates have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, led by Paul Skenes, and they need to take advantage of it.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal says the Pirates have had trade talks with the Astros involving pitcher Mike Burrows, hinting that the team could be after Houston outfielder Jake Meyers, a five-year veteran who hit .292 with 3 home runs and 24 RBIs last season.
MLB
Scratch Pete Alonso’s name off your Pirates wish list. The former Mets slugger has agreed to a 5-year deal with the Orioles worth $155 million.
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