Pittsburgh Review

HOUSTON – The Pirates' first Trade Deadline deal was neither as a buyer nor a seller but involved a change-of-scenery for two former first-round picks. Right-hander Quinn Priester is heading to the Red Sox, while the Pirates receive infield prospect Nick Yorke.

The Pirates approached this Deadline with an abundance of young pitching available for trade at both the Minor and Major League levels. Priester's future with the club had become uncertain compared to a year ago. The 2019 first-round pick was once considered one of the top young pitchers in the system and a top 100 prospect as recently as 2023. However, he struggled in the Majors, recording a 7.74 ERA in 50 big league innings last year and a 5.04 ERA in 10 outings -- six of which were starts -- in 2024.

Manager Derek Shelton maintained that the organization viewed Priester as a long-term starter, but he had been serving as a reliever recently and did not make it into the rotation even with Jared Jones and Bailey Falter on the injured list. With several young arms potentially reaching the Majors soon, including top 100 prospects Bubba Chandler (No. 49) and Braxton Ashcraft (No. 99), along with other controllable young arms like Mitch Keller, Luis Ortiz, and Paul Skenes, Priester faced significant competition for a permanent rotation spot.

Priester was traded from a position of depth for Yorke, who fills a position of need: A young hitter who could contribute in 2024 and beyond.

Yorke, aged 22, was the No. 17 overall Draft pick in 2020 and has posted .278/.363/.422 with ten home runs, sixteen doubles, fourteen stolen bases, and forty-six RBIs across eighty-three games between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester this season. Promoted to Triple-A on June 5th, he has accumulated thirty-eight games and one hundred sixty-nine plate appearances at that level.

Yorke will now rank as the Pirates’ No. 5 prospect on MLB Pipeline due to his right-handed swing and hand-eye coordination that could yield a high batting average over time. He has also made twenty-seven appearances as a left fielder this season while splitting his time between left field and his natural second base position.

The Pirates need assistance at second base and in the outfield. While Nick Gonzales has shown improvement this year and could be their future second baseman, he hit the injured list Sunday with a left groin strain. General manager Ben Cherington stated on his radio show that Gonzales is expected to return this year but will miss weeks rather than days.

Inconsistent performances have plagued Pittsburgh’s outfield except for All-Star Bryan Reynolds. Jack Suwinski was optioned to the Minors after Sunday’s win over the Diamondbacks, potentially opening playing time for current roster members Joshua Palacios, Ji Hwan Bae, Connor Joe or another acquisition.

It remains to be seen how active the Pirates will be at this Deadline; however, their initial trade introduces Yorke into their lineup.