Pirates Re-sign Malcom Nuñez
p/c: Grace Cooper
According to Francys Romero of beisbolfr.com, the Pittsburgh Pirates are re-signing infielder Malcom Nuñez to a minor league contract. Romero says the deal includes a spring training invite.
Nuñez was acquired by the Pirates at the 2022 trade deadline from the St. Louis Cardinals, as part of the Jose Quintana trade.
Following the 2023 season, Nuñez was eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. After posting a .237/.314/.357 slash line, with AAA Indianapolis, Pittsburgh chose not to protect him. Unsurprisingly, he wasn’t selected.
Nuñez spent the entirety of 2024 playing for Indianapolis. The offensive numbers were subpar, as he slashed .250/.310/.365, while hitting 11 homers, in 526 plate appearances. Defensively, Nuñez split his time at third base and first base.
Although Nuñez will only be 24 next season, he hasn’t shown the ability to consistently hit at the upper level of the minors. At this point, it’s hard to say where Nuñez would fit on a big league roster with the Pirates.