Pirates signed RHP Mike Clevinger to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

The White Sox gave Clevinger a try as a reliever last year, but it didn’t take at all. After returning to the minors, he made 22 starts for Triple-A Charlotte with a 4.20 ERA and a 93/36 K/BB in 100 2/3 innings. He’s enjoyed major league success just once in four years since returning from Tommy John surgery, going 9-9 with a 3.77 ERA for the White Sox in 2023, and he seems like quite a long shot to help the Pirates.

Pirates invited SS Konnor Griffin, INF Duce Gourson, 2B Termarr Johnson, C Shawn Ross, C Omar Alfonzo, RHP Noah Davis and RHP Chris Devenski to spring training.

There hasn’t been any doubt, but now it’s official that Griffin will be at camp. Given the Pirates’ history, it seems unlikely that he’ll have much of a shot at winning the shortstop job prior to Opening Day, but he could well prove to be the best man for the job at age 19 (he turns 20 in April). Griffin hit .333/.415/.527 with 21 homers and 65 steals between high-A and Double-A last season, and he is widely regarded as the game’s No. 1 prospect.

Pirates signed SS Wilton Guerrero Jr. to a minor league contract.

Guerrero, a 16-year-old shortstop, was MLB.com’s No. 19 international prospect and is reportedly getting a $1.95 million bonus. Guerrero’s dad played in the majors from 1996-2004, with the majority of his at-bats coming on Expos teams that also featured Wilton Jr.'s uncle Vladimir. Perhaps Wilton Jr. will one day share the field with his cousin Vlad Jr.

Pirates signed RHP Noah Davis to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

Davis was torched to the tune of an astronomical 12.23 FIP, 2.55 WHIP and 15/6 K/BB ratio across 11 innings over nine relief outings between the Dodgers and Twins this past season. The well-traveled 28-year-old, who has made 27 appearances in the big leagues since the start of 2022, will battle for a spot in Pittsburgh’s bullpen during spring training.

Jared Jones (elbow) has progressed to throwing bullpen sessions.

Jones completed his first bullpen session since undergoing internal brace procedure on his right elbow last May. The electrifying 24-year-old former top prospect represents the ultimate X-factor for Pittsburgh’s loaded rotation mix as he continues his rehabilitation process, which typically carries a shorter recovery timeline than a full Tommy John reconstructive surgery. He was outstanding in his Pirates debut back in 2024, finishing with a sparkling 4.00 FIP, 1.19 WHIP and 132/39 K/BB ratio across 121 2/3 innings over 22 starts. While durability and workload concerns temper his immediate fantasy ceiling, all signs point toward Jones making a meaningful impact at some point in the early portion of next season. He’s a worthwhile late-round lottery ticket in all fantasy drafts this spring.

Pirates designated RHP Chase Shugart for assignment.

Shugart was booted from Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster earlier this week to make room for veteran slugger Ryan O’Hearn. The 29-year-old reliever compiled a decent 4.69 FIP and 31/17 K/BB ratio across 45 innings over 35 appearances for the Pirates this past season. He should attract some interest on waivers as middle relief depth.

Pirates signed RHP Chris Devenski to a minor league contract.

Once a mainstay in the Astros pen, Devenski got hurt in 2020 and has bounced around since, throwing a total of 107 2/3 innings in the majors the last five years. He pitched 16 2/3 innings with a 2.16 ERA for the Mets last year, but apart from that, his best ERA since 2019 is 4.46 in 2023.

Pirates signed 1B/OF Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year, $29 million contract.

He can earn up to $500,000 extra based on plate appearances each season, with the full amount kicking in at 525. Typically a platoon player, O’Hearn will probably get a chance to be an everyday player in Pittsburgh, since the team already has several other candidates to sit against lefties. He could eke out a little mixed-league value, but it’s just not a great situation with the mediocre lineup around him and tough offensive ballpark.

Pirates agreed to terms with C Joey Bart on a one-year, $2.53 million contract.

Bart made $1.75 million last season in his first year of arbitration. With Henry Davis showing few signs of stepping up and Endy Rodriguez having big problems staying healthy, Bart is again in line for a lot of playing time behind the plate in Pittsburgh. He hit .249/.355/.340 in 332 plate appearances last season, as his 20 barrels produced just four home runs.

Pirates agreed to terms with OF Oneil Cruz on a one-year, $3.3 million contract.

Cruz was eligible for arbitration for the first time after hitting a disappointing .200/.298/.378 last season. He hasn’t been mentioned in trade rumors, so all signs point to him remaining the Pirates’ center fielder. It’ll be interesting to see if he’s given another chance to play full-time after finishing last year as a platoon player. He’s likely to hit in the bottom half of the order, too, so his fantasy stock is well down from last year.

Pirates agreed to terms with RHP Dennis Santana on a one-year, $3.5 million contract.

Santana finished with a 2.18 ERA and 16 saves in a 2025 season split between closing and setting up for David Bednar. He’s the clear favorite for saves in the Pittsburgh pen as he enters his walk year. A July trade is probably forthcoming if the team fails to contend.

Pirates agreed to terms with RHP Justin Lawrence on a one-year, $1.225 million contract.

After being picked up from the Rockies, Lawrence missed most of last year with elbow inflammation, but he allowed just one run over 17 2/3 innings while healthy. He’ll be in the mix for a setup role as the potential No. 2 right-hander in the Pirates pen.

Pirates signed RHP Dennis Santana to a one-year, $3.5 million contract to avoid arbitration.

Santana was a crucial part of the Pirates’ bullpen in 2025, taking over the closer’s role when David Bednar was demoted to Triple-A and then again later after Bednar was traded to the Yankees. He threw 70 1/3 innings with a 2.18 ERA, 0.867 WHIP, and 60/17 K/BB ratio while recording 16 saves. He will likely form a closer committee in 2026 with newly signed left-hander Gregory Soto.

Pirates signed OF Dominic Fletcher to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

Fletcher first appeared on fantasy radars in 2023 with an intriguing debut with the Diamondbacks. He spent the last two years with the White Sox and failed to produce at the MLB level, but did hit .260/.317/.453 with 17 home runs and seven steals in 105 games at Triple-A. Perhaps the 28-year-old can emerge as a fourth outfielder in Pittsburgh.

Pirates designated INF Tsung Che-Cheng for assignment.

Cheng is removed from the 40-man roster after the Pirates traded for Brandon Lowe, Mason Montgomery and Jake Mangum on Friday evening. Cheng will now be on waivers, and if he goes unclaimed, it seems likely he’ll report back to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Pirates designated INF/OF Marco Luciano for assignment.

Luciano’s time in the Pittsburgh organization is very likely to be short, as the 24-year-old was just claimed off waivers at the beginning of December. The former top prospect could sneak through unclaimed this time, but it seems likely someone will take that chance.

Pirates acquired LHP Mason Montgomery in a three-team trade with the Rays and Astros.

Montgomery was able to strike out 63 hitters in 46 innings of relief for Tampa Bay, which is pretty good. He also walked 27 and had a 5.67 ERA in that timeframe, which is not. He’ll compete for a bullpen spot with Pittsburgh this spring more than likely, but it’s worth noting that he does have starting experience in the minors.

Pirates acquired OF Jake Mangum from the Rays in a three-team deal involving the Astros.

Mangum was solid in 2025 for Tampa Bay in his first chance to be a regular, and he hit .296/.330/.368 with 27 stolen bases in his 118 games. The former Mississippi State star offers very little power, and his fantasy value is limited because of it. Still, he could be a helper in the average and steals category in 2026.

Pirates acquired INF Brandon Lowe, LHP Mason Montgomery, OF Jake Mangum from the Rays in a a three-team trade involving the Astros.

The Astros acquired Mike Burrows from the Pirates in the deal while sending Anderson Brito and Jacob Melton to the Rays. Lowe has been the subject of trade rumors for quite some time, but he finally has a new home after hitting 31 homers with a .256/.307/.477 slash in 2025. He’ll hit in the middle of a Pittsburgh order that is not without talent, and he should be a solid — if unspectacular — fantasy option in 2026.

Chandler Rome, Ken Rosenthal and Stephen Nesbitt of The Athletic report that the Astros, Pirates and Rays have agreed to a three-team, six-player deal.

The framework of the finalized deal is the same that was reported earlier on Friday. Mike Burrows will be heading from the Pirates to the Astros, Brandon Lowe, Jake Mangum and Mason Montgomery will go from the Rays to the Pirates while Jacob Melton and Anderson Brito will go from the Astros to the Rays. The Astros have been inquiring on Burrows for a while now and was an obvious target of theirs to upgrade their starting rotation. The 26-year-old right-hander posted a 3.94 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and a 97/31 K/BB ratio over 96 innings in 23 appearances (19 starts) for the Pirates in 2025.

Pirates signed INF Davis Wendzel to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

Pirates signed INF Davis Wendzel to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

Wendzel represents a depth addition for the Pirates heading into next season as a potential bench option. The 28-year-old got into 27 games for the Rangers back in 2024 and hit .251/.346/.428 with 13 homers in 98 games at the Triple-A level with Cincinnati this past season.

Pirates signed LHP Gregory Soto to a one-year, $7.75 million contract.

The deal, which was originally agreed to last week, is now official. Soto figures to operate in a setup capacity ahead of incumbent closer Dennis Santana for the Pirates after registering a respectable 4.18 ERA — 3.42 FIP — 1.43 WHIP and 70/24 K/BB ratio across 60 1/3 innings between the Orioles and Mets this past season.

Pirates selected RHP Carter Baumler with the fifth pick of the Rule 5 draft.

Baumler, 22, was very effective in his time in the Baltimore organization this summer as seen in a 2.08 ERA and 46/19 K/BB ratio while working for High-A Aberdeen and Double-A Chesapeake. The former fifth-round pick will need to stay on the active roster all year in order to remain with the Bucs, but a good showing in the Grapefruit League will give him that opportunity.

Pirates selected RHP Carter Baumler from the Orioles with the fifth pick of the Rule 5 draft.

He’s getting dealt to Texas for right-hander Jaiker Garcia, according to MLB.com’s Alex Stumpf. Baumler, 23, was very effective in his time in the Baltimore organization this summer as seen in a 2.08 ERA and 46/19 K/BB ratio while working for High-A Aberdeen and Double-A Chesapeake. The former fifth-round pick will need to stay on the active roster all year in order to remain with the Rangers.

Pirates re-signed INF/OF Ronny Simon to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

Simon fortifies Pittsburgh’s bench depth heading into next season after being non-tendered last month. The 25-year-old former prospect hit .234/.299/.273 with seven RBI and one steal in 27 games this past season between the Pirates and Marlins. He figures to have a decent shot at making the club’s season-opening roster in a versatile utility role.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports that the Astros “have spoken to the Pittsburgh Pirates about Mike Burrows.”

The Astros are looking to use offseason trades to acquire young starting pitchers and have also been linked to Shane Baz and Connelly Early. Burrow is 26 years old and coming off a decent season with the Pirates, in which he posted a 3.94 ERA in 96 innings with a 24 percent strikeout rate. Burrow has decent velocity on his fastball with decent shape and a changeup that eats up left-handed hitters. His slider has flashed the ability to get swinging strikes against righties, so there is a path here for him to become an interesting starter if he can develop that slider a bit more.

Pirates claimed INF/OF Marco Luciano off waivers from the Giants.

Luciano is not long removed from being considered one of the top hitting prospects in baseball, but the 24-year-old has seen his stock drop considerably due to poor play in both the minors and brief stints in the majors. He’ll get a chance to shine in a new organization, but this is definitely a wait-and-see type of profile from a fantasy perspective.

Pirates acquired OF Jhostynxon Garcia and RHP Jesus Travieso from the Red Sox for RHP Johan Oviedo, LHP Tyler Samaniego and C Adonys Guzman.

The trade is now official. Garcia’s path to an everyday role was blocked in Boston’s overcrowded outfield entering next season, but that obstacle disappears in Pittsburgh, where he should have a clear opportunity to play right away. “The Password” appeared in five games for the Red Sox this past season after batting .267/.340/.470 with 21 homers and seven steals across 114 games between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. He’s an intriguing fantasy prospect with real upside, despite some plate discipline question marks, and this move turbocharges his short-term relevance — though he’ll have to fight the realities of PNC Park, a notoriously unforgiving backdrop for right-handed pop. The 22-year-old power-hitting prospect could open next season as the Pirates’ starting left fielder and represents a potential late-round sleeper candidate in deeper fantasy formats.

Pirates acquired RHP Jesus Travieso and OF Jhostynxon Garcia from the Red Sox for RHP Johan Oviedo, LHP Tyler Samaniego and C Adonys Guzman.

If Garcia is the clear headliner in the five-player swap then Travieso is the metaphorical scratch lottery ticket in the deal. The 18-year-old hurler has yet to throw a pitch above Low-A and is several hyperspace jumps from the majors. His fastball/slider combination would make him a decent relief prospect if he fails to make it long-term as a traditional starter.