The Pittsburgh Pirates trade Adam Frazier to the Kansas City Royals on July 16, 2025, for prospect Cam Devanney. See why this move kicks off the trade season.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
The All-Star break is supposed to be a quiet time in baseball, but someone forgot to tell the Pittsburgh Pirates' front office. While the team enjoyed a well-deserved rest, General Manager Ben Cherington kicked off the trade deadline season by sending veteran utilityman Adam Frazier to the Kansas City Royals for a promising power-hitting prospect, making it clear that the future is the top priority in Pittsburgh.
In return for Frazier, the Pirates acquired Cam Devanney, a 28-year-old infielder who was tearing up Triple-A with a .931 OPS and 18 home runs.
The trade sends Adam Frazier, in his second stint with the club, to Kansas City. The versatile veteran was solid, posting a .255 average with 10 doubles and 21 RBIs in 78 games. However, the return is what has fans talking. Cam Devanney, 28, brings some much-needed power potential to the organization. He was enjoying a breakout year at Triple-A Omaha, hitting .272 with 18 homers and 55 RBIs. While he'll start at Triple-A Indianapolis, the expectation is he'll get a shot in the big leagues soon. This move is classic Cherington: trading a dependable veteran for a player with higher upside, and it's likely just the first of several deals we'll see before the deadline.
While the trade news dominated the day, the brightest star in the Pirates' universe was shining on the national stage. Ace Paul Skenes delivered a dominant performance in the MLB All-Star Game, helping the National League secure a victory in a dramatic swing-off. His outing was a reminder of the elite, top-end talent the Pirates are building around. Skenes's performance wasn't just a win for the NL; it was a win for Pittsburgh, further cementing his status as one of the most electric arms in the game and offering a tantalizing glimpse of what a competitive Pirates rotation could look like.
The focus on the future extends beyond trades. The Pirates officially wrapped up their 2025 MLB Draft this week, adding 21 new players to the system. The headliner is Jared Jones, a mammoth 6'4" first baseman from LSU who crushed 64 home runs in his collegiate career. He's joined by other intriguing prospects like shortstop Matt King from Arizona State. This new draft class will be injected into a farm system already ranked among the best in baseball, featuring names like Skenes, Termarr Johnson, and last year's top pick, Konnor Griffin. The pipeline is getting deeper and more powerful.
So while the Pirates were idle on the field, the organization was anything but. Between a major trade, a star-making turn from their ace, and a new draft class, the path forward is becoming clearer. The team returns to action on July 18 against the Chicago White Sox, but all eyes will remain on the front office. Who's next to be traded? When will Devanney get the call? The second half of the season is shaping up to be as much about building for 2026 as it is about the games in 2025.
