Pirates Could Make Big Trade Before MLB Draft
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have the 2026 MLB Draft ahead of them this weekend, but they don't have to wait years before they improve their roster.
The Pirates have a valuable pick at 34th overall, that they can trade and entice other teams with easily, but have less than 48 hours to do so and must act fast.
Pirates insider Jason Mackey said on 93.7 The Fan that the Pirates should try and use the pick in trade talks, especially if they can bolster their woeful bullpen.
“I’ll throw another wrench at you while we’re on this topic is their comp pick in the MLB Draft this weekend. That’s tradeable. That’s something they can use. They can dangle out there to go make a move.
“I don’t know if they’re going to do it or not, but they are fully aware that this bullpen has not performed up to its capabilities.”
Why Pirates Can Trade This Pick
MLB forbids their teams from trading draft picks, except for those in Competitive Balance Rounds A and B.
Teams that acquire these competitive-balance picks can't trade them afterwards, but it is the big difference from the rest of the draft.
The Pirates hold the 34th overall pick, the sixth selection following the first round, where they already have the fifth overall pick.
This pick has a slot value of $2,897,400, making it one of the best picks in the draft, post-first round, and one that teams without a big bonus pool might have great interest in, compared to the Pirates who have the largest bonus pool at $19,130,700.
Competitive Balance selections help those teams, either in the 10 smallest markets or 10 smallest revenue pools, with a selection after the first round or after the second round.
The Pirates picked after the second round last year, taking third baseman Murf Gray out of Fresno State with the 73rd overall selection in Compeitive Balance Round B, and so go back to Round A this season.
Will the Pirates Trade This Pick?
While teams can trade these selections, it has only happened twice, so it is still quite a rarity.
The Pirates have one of the worst bullpens in baseball and are looking for any fix they can find, so this pick is one way, as Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported back in June.
Pittsburgh still has 24 days until the trade deadline on Aug. 3 and waiting that long before making a move for their bullpen could put them out of the competitive National League Wild Card race.
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington has reiterated in his recent radio shows that more trade action happens after the draft, but the team knows that they also can't wait forever to make a big move.
“...I’m just not buying it. There are trades to be made," Mackey said on if the Pirates would move the pick. "Is this an ideal trading time? No, it’s not an ideal situation with their bullpen either. It’s a sort of desperate time. They need to go do something. They need to get help. I don’t know what that comp pick would net you, but I know that they need help. Go find it. There’s an opportunity there. Trade talks are going to pick up more traditionally after the draft, but there’s no rule against it."
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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.