Notes: Hill Signing Official; Guys Returning, Guys Going...

Five Weeks ‘Til Pitchers & Catchers Report…

Notes:

• LHP Rich Hill’s one-year/$8M deal, agreed to on December 27th, became official and RHP Zach Thompson was DFA’ed to clear a roster space. A major part of the return for Jake Stallings, Thompson, 29, slashed 3-10/5.18 in 121-2/3 innings over 29 outings (22 starts) for the Bucs and never claimed the starting role the Pirates had envisioned for him.
• The wounded return: The Pirates expect these guys who were injured last year to be able to participate in camp without any limitations: RHPs Yerry de los Santos (lat), Colin Holderman (shoulder) and Blake Cederlind (elbow) along w/OF Canaan Smith-Njigba (wrist). RHP Max Kranick, who had TJ surgery, isn’t expected back until after the All-Star break.

• RHP Bryse Wilson, recently DFA’ed, has been sold to the Brewers. Wilson went 4-13/5.37 as a Buc from 2021-22, with 28 of his 33 Pirates outings as a starter.
• RHP Nick Mears, who was DFA’ed by the Bucs, claimed by Texas, and then released by them, has been taken by Colorado.
• 1B Lewin Diaz, who was briefly part of the Pirates off-season 1B mix, has been DFA’ed by four teams since November 11th. Baltimore, which had taken and then dropped him in December, reclaimed him after Atlanta DFA’ed him. Another on the same treadmill is RHP Junior Fernandez. The Cards released him in September, the Pirates took him in for three games and then let him go. The Yankees claimed him and then DFA’ed him, and now the Blue Jays own his rights.
• The Nats signed IF Michael Chavis to an NRI deal: one-year/$1M with $500K in bonuses if he makes the roster and a June opt-out if he doesn’t. In a season and some change with Pittsburgh (he appeared in 141 games here), Michael hit .242 with 15 HRs/54 RBIs.
• OF Bligh Madris, 27, who since September was DFA’ed by the Bucs, Rays and now the Tigers, was sold to the Astros by Detroit. He had solid farm numbers and still has a couple of options remaining, so he checks the box as a depth guy.

• C Andrew Knapp, 31, who spent last year with the Bucs, Mariners and Giants, signed a minor league deal with an invite to camp with Motown.
• RHP Yacksel Rios signed a NRI deal with Atlanta. He was a Pirate from 2019-20 and spent last season with the White Sox’ AAA club, Charlotte.
• How good is your memory? RHP Drew Hutchison signed a minor league deal with Toronto, the club the Pirates got him from in 2016 as the return for LHP Frankie Liriano, C Reese McGuire and OF Harold Ramirez in another grand Bucco deal.