Pirates Acquire Phillies Prospect in Trade
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates made a recent move that gave them a prospect who may turn into an important part of their future in the coming years.
The Pirates traded right-handed relief pitcher Chase Shugart to the Philadelphia Phillies for infield propsect Francisco Loreto on Jan. 13.
Pittsburgh previously designated Shugart for assignment after the new free agent signing Ryan O'Hearn, making room for him on the 40-man roster.
Loreto is a young prospect, but an intriguing one with good potential who could develop into a solid player for the Pirates.
What the Pirates Are Getting in Francisco Loreto
The Phillies signed Loreto as an international free agent out of Venezuela during the 2024 International Signing Period on Jan. 15, 2024.
Loreto spent his first season playing in the Dominican Summer League with the DSL Phillies Red, one of two teams the franchise has in the country.
He slashed .230/.358/.322 for an OPS of .680 in 30 games in 2024, with 20 hits in 87 at-bats, three doubles, a triple, a home run, 28 total bases and 11 RBI, plus 12 walks to 24 strikeouts.
Loreto then moved up to the Florida Complex League (FCL) Phillies for the 2025 campaign, playing Rookie-Level ball.
He slashed .237/.332/.396 for an OPS of .728 in 47 games, with 40 hits in 169 at-bats, 10 doubles, one triple, five home runs, 16 RBI and 19 walks to 46 strikeouts.
Batting Avg. | On-Base % | Slugging % | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|
.234 | .341 | .371 | .712 |
Stat | Total |
|---|---|
Games | 77 |
Hits/At-bats | 60/256 |
Runs/RBI | 44/27 |
Doubles/Triples | 13/2 |
Home Runs/Total Bases | 6/95 |
Walks/Strikeouts | 31/70 |
He joined the Phillies as a catcher and played 11 games there in 2024, while also serving as a designated hitter in 18 games.
Loreto struggled defensively at catcher, only catching three players stealing on 29 attempts, allowing four passed balls and making two errors.
He transitioned to third base last season, starting 42 of 43 contests played there, while also playing two games at second base.
Third base provided issues defensively for Loreto as well, committing 23 errors, and only six double plays turned, while possessing a fielding percentage of .822.
Loreto isn't the quickest athlete, with just nine stolen bases on 13 attempts, including just two stolen bases last season.
He stands 6-foot and 178 pounds and turns 19 years old in June, so there's still time for him to develop in the player he wants to become.
Loreto will also most likely start with the FCL Pirates, getting a chance to figure out his fielding problems, but also more time at the plate going forward.
The Pirates acquired infielder Francisco Loreto from the Phillies today. He played in the FCL last year, which streams its home games. Here are two of his five home runs from 2025. The first one had an EV of 99.7, the second 105.6 mph. pic.twitter.com/mryuChGxUa
— Anthony Murphy (@__Murphy88) January 14, 2026
He'll need to lower his strikeout rate going forward, as it sat at 24% in 2025, but his five home runs and 10 doubles are promising for what power he might have in the future
Loreto might not have scouts raving about him yet, but he's got a few years where he can work on his problems and improve in the minor leagues.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.