The Pittsburgh Pirates spent much of the trade deadline chasing bullpen help, but they did kick the tires on a move that would have been far more surprising: Colorado Rockies All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman.
Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Pittsburgh considered Goodman at some point near the Aug. 3 deadline. It would have been a major swing for a club that, up to that point, had mostly been tied to right-handed hitting outfielders on the position-player side.
Goodman is the kind of player who naturally draws attention. He has been one of baseball’s best hitters over the last two seasons, and this year he has put together a big line in 102 games, batting .258/.329/.559 with an .888 OPS, 99 hits, 16 doubles, 33 home runs and 65 RBI.
That power jumps off the page. His 33 homers are second-most in baseball this season and the most by any non-designated hitter. Among catchers, he leads in runs scored, slugging percentage and OPS, while ranking second in RBI and third in hits.
The underlying numbers back it up, too. Goodman’s 17.0% barrel rate is among the highest in MLB, and his 75.3 mph bat speed helps explain why the production has been so loud.
For the Pirates, the fit is obvious in one area that has been a problem all season: catcher. The offense has been strong overall, but the position behind the plate has not given them enough.
Henry Davis, the first overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, has still not hit the way Pittsburgh needs, slashing .175/.271/.325 with a .596 OPS in 72 games. Endy Rodríguez has been better, putting up a .250/.366/.425 line with a .791 OPS in 40 games, but his injury history remains a real concern after two surgeries on his right elbow over the last two seasons.
Goodman would check a lot of boxes for Pittsburgh. He brings impact at the plate, he has been durable, and he comes with three years of team control.
Of course, getting him would not be easy. Goodman is the top catching prospect on the market, so the competition would be intense, especially with other teams carrying even bigger needs behind the plate. The Rockies also have their own reasons to hesitate, since he has three years of arbitration left and they are trying to climb back into contention, not strip away one of their better young players.
There is also the matter of price. Goodman’s talent and control make him the kind of player who would require a significant return, and that raises the real question for Pittsburgh: would the Pirates meet Colorado’s asking price?
As things stand, it does not seem likely that the Pirates land Goodman. Their need for bullpen help - along with that right-handed outfield bat they have been pursuing - appears to matter more than making a splash at catcher. Still, they could look to upgrade the position in a less expensive way.
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