Pirates' biggest needs before 2023 season – MLB.com

November 24th, 2022This story was excerpted from Justice delos Santos’ Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.Needless to say, the 40-man roster has undergone a pretty notable metamorphosis since the calendar flipped to November, headlined by the acquisition of Ji-Man Choi and the trade of Kevin Newman. With several moves completed, what are the Pirates’ most pressing needs as of right now?First and foremost, the team needs a catcher. With Tyler Heineman designated for assignment, Pittsburgh currently has two catchers on the 40-man roster: Ali Sánchez and Endy Rodriguez. Rodriguez, the Pirates’ No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, likely won’t be on the Opening Day roster. Sánchez, 25, has seven Major League games under his belt and projects as a backup.In an ideal world, the Pirates would sign a veteran who could help serve as the bridge to Rodriguez and the club’s No. 1 prospect, Henry Davis. That shouldn’t be an issue given the plethora of free agents who fit that billing, a list that includes Roberto Pérez, Austin Hedges, Tucker Barnhart, Curt Casali and Jason Castro, among others.On the pitching side, the Pirates need lefties. After Manny
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