The Pittsburgh Pirates have made a trade, sending right-handed reliever Colin Selby to the Kansas City Royals. In return, the Pirates acquired minor league pitcher Connor Oliver. This move comes after Selby was designated for assignment by the Pirates following the acquisition of Joey Bart in a trade. By making this trade, the Pirates were able to secure something in return for Selby instead of losing him through waivers, which is considered a positive outcome for the team.
Colin Selby made his Major League debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023, pitching a total of 24 innings primarily as a bullpen arm. Additionally, he was utilized as an “opener” for five games. Unfortunately, Selby struggled during his time in the majors, finishing the 2023 season with a high ERA of 9. Despite his promising pitching repertoire, Selby failed to impress, leading to his omission from the team’s roster.
As a result, Selby found himself on the outskirts of the team, especially after not making the cut during spring training. With others on the 40-man roster showing more promise or consistency, Selby became more expendable for the Pirates. This lack of impact likely contributed to the decision to trade him to the Kansas City Royals.
The acquisition of left-hander Connor Oliver presents the Pittsburgh Pirates with another valuable pitching prospect for their minor league system. Oliver was drafted in the 15th round of the 2023 MLB Draft from Miami University (Ohio). Despite being selected in the later rounds, Oliver received a notable signing bonus of $100,000, which is uncommon for a 15th-round pick. This suggests that the Pirates see potential and upside in him.
Oliver, standing at 6 feet 2 inches tall, is a left-handed pitcher. However, there is limited information available about his performance on the mound, as he has only thrown one inning in his professional career thus far. Despite the lack of extensive data, the Pirates seem to view Oliver as a promising addition to their pitching depth in the minor league system.
The recent series of transactions by the Pittsburgh Pirates is notable for its strategic approach. Initially, the team traded a 2023 college arm, Austin Strickland, to acquire Joey Bart. However, they promptly reversed this move by acquiring another 2023 college arm, Connor Oliver, in the deal with the Kansas City Royals involving Colin Selby.
This sequence of moves indicates that the Pirates likely had their eyes on Oliver as a potential target during the 2023 MLB Draft. Despite parting ways with Strickland earlier in the week, the Pirates seized the opportunity to bring in Oliver, perhaps recognizing his potential and desiring to add him to their organizational depth.
Overall, the Pirates’ ability to execute these transactions in quick succession reflects a proactive and strategic approach to roster management and player acquisitions.