Pittsburgh Pirates DFA Brother of Seattle Seahawks Receiver, Canaan Smith-Njibga
The Pittsburgh Pirates have designated outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba for assignment, the team announced Wednesday.
Pittsburgh executed the move to make room for closer Aroldis Chapman on the 40-man roster. Reports first surfaced of the Pirates' one-year contract with Chapman on Jan. 22, and the deal became official Wednesday.
The 24-year-old Smith Njigba – who is the older brother of former Ohio State and current Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba – spent the majority of 2023 in the minor leagues. The New York Yankees selected him in the fourth round of the 2017 MLB Draft before trading him to Pittsburgh in January 2021.
Smith-Njigba made his MLB debut in 2022, playing in three games for the Pirates before a fractured wrist sidelined him. He returned to the big league club in 2023, drawing the start in right field on Opening Day.
The left-handed hitter only made 15 big league appearances in two stints over the course of the season, however.
In his limited time in Pittsburgh, Smith-Njigba went 5-for-37 with two doubles, a triple, five RBI and a stolen base.
Smith-Njigba spent the rest of 2022 and 2023 with Triple-A Indianapolis, where he hit .279 with 16 home runs, 93 RBI, 29 stolen bases and an .825 OPS in 157 games.
The corner outfielder will now either be hit the waiver wire or get traded. If he remains unclaimed seven days from now, Smith-Njigba can be sent back to Indianapolis.
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