Pirates About to Learn if David Bednar Trade Was Worth It
In this story:
There's no better time than right now for the Pittsburgh Pirates to evaluate whether or not the return from their trade of David Bednar to the New York Yankees at last year's deadline was worth it.
After placing Endy Rodríguez on the 10-day injured list with a left glute strain, the Pirates recalled Rafael Flores Jr. from Triple-A Indianapolis to take his place on the 26-man roster.
Flores Jr. was the centerpiece of a three-prospect package Pittsburgh received from New York for Bednar, and he's currently ranked as the No. farmhand in the club's minor league system by MLB Pipeline.
Now paired with Henry Davis as the Pirates' catching tandem while Rodríguez is on the mend, Flores Jr. has a real opportunity to prove he belongs in the big leagues and make sure the Bednar trade wasn't for naught, as noted by Rum Bunter's Emma Lingan.
"Flores, meanwhile, brings a different kind of offensive upside," Lingan wrote. "He has only nine big-league games under his belt, but he has already flashed with the Pirates this season, going 2-for-3 with a home run in limited action. His Triple-A numbers this year, a .228/.362/.342 slash with four home runs and 38 RBI in 65 games, don't necessarily jump off the page, but the on-base ability is notable."
What Can Pirates Realistically Expect Out of Flores Jr.?
Flores Jr. is in the Pirates' lineup and will hit eighth during their series finale against the Atlanta Braves, meaning he's getting an opportunity right off the bat upon his return to the bigs.
The 25-year-old has excelled over an extremely small sample size in the majors, owning a 1.020 OPS in 22 total plate appearances. The same can't be said for his minor league numbers, however, as he has a .228/.362/.342 slash line with four home runs in Triple-A so far this season.
A right-handed hitter with a 16.4 percent walk rate and 25.2 percent strikeout rate in Indianapolis this year, Flores Jr. has the makings of a three-true-outcome hitter who doesn't have much of a hit tool and will whiff a fair amount while also possessing plenty of raw power and impressive plate discipline.
Defensively, Flores Jr. has a good arm behind the plate but could stand to improve in the more technical aspects of the position, especially in terms of controlling the run game more consistently.
He's a bat-first option at this stage of his career, which is the complete opposite of Davis. Flores Jr. will help further lengthen Pittsburgh's lineup given his thump at the bottom of the order, which is important while Rodríguez, Konnor Griffin and Oneil Cruz are on the IL.
Again, his glove is a work in progress, but as long as Flores Jr. at least holds his own at catcher while producing at a solid level offensively, he could further cement himself as a future piece for the Pirates and help them stay afloat in the playoff race.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Jack is a New Jersey native who graduated from the University of Pittsburgh as a Media & Professional Communications major in 2024 who is now covering the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Yankees for On SI.