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Less than 24 hours before the 2026 MLB Draft gets underway, the Pittsburgh Pirates made a trade involving one of the top draft picks.
The Pirates agreed to a deal with the Chicago White Sox that sends Pittsburgh’s Competitive Balance-A round (No. 34 overall) and LHP Jaden Woods to the American League team, as the Pirates acquire INF Jacob Gonzalez (CWS’s No. 28 prospect) and LHP Brandon Eisert.
There were reports on Friday that the Pirates were fielding calls and were open to trading the No. 34 overall pick, and now the team has done just that, getting back two players who can impact the big-league roster right away.
“We believe in this team, and we discussed multiple ways to use the compensation pick to strengthen it,” said Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington in a press release.
Gonzalez has appeared in 30 games with the White Sox big-league team this season, and owns a .244/.323/.360 slash line with six extra base hits in that small sample size. In a larger sample size with two seasons at Triple-A, the 24-year-old has a .882 OPS.
May 31, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Jacob Gonzalez (7) runs after hitting a single against the Detroit Tigers during the seventh inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The Pirates plan to give Gonzalez an immediate role, especially in the wake of Konnor Griffin’s recent injury, which could keep him out until the middle of September, and potentially, the rest of the regular season.
“Jacob Gonzalez can complement Nick Gonzales and Jared Triolo on the left side of the infield in Konnor Griffin’s absence,” continued the Pirates exec.
“He’s also a versatile, left-handed hitter who has taken significant steps this season, and who we believe in long-term.”
On the pitching side of things, Eisert has appeared in 25 games, four starts, in 2026. In those outings, he has a 5.93 ERA and 1.24 WHIP, with a strikeout rate of 27.4 percent (80th percentile) and a whiff rate of 31.2 percent (88th percentile).
Cherington continued, “Brandon Eisert makes us even deeper in left-handed relief.”
The Pirates will need to make a corresponding 40-man roster move, but as of Friday night, the team said that move will be announced at a later time.
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The Pirates agreed to a deal with the Chicago White Sox that sends Pittsburgh’s Competitive Balance-A round (No. 34 overall) and LHP Jaden Woods to the American League team, as the Pirates acquire INF Jacob Gonzalez (CWS’s No. 28 prospect) and LHP Brandon Eisert.
There were reports on Friday that the Pirates were fielding calls and were open to trading the No. 34 overall pick, and now the team has done just that, getting back two players who can impact the big-league roster right away.
“We believe in this team, and we discussed multiple ways to use the compensation pick to strengthen it,” said Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington in a press release.
Gonzalez has appeared in 30 games with the White Sox big-league team this season, and owns a .244/.323/.360 slash line with six extra base hits in that small sample size. In a larger sample size with two seasons at Triple-A, the 24-year-old has a .882 OPS.
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May 31, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Jacob Gonzalez (7) runs after hitting a single against the Detroit Tigers during the seventh inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The Pirates plan to give Gonzalez an immediate role, especially in the wake of Konnor Griffin’s recent injury, which could keep him out until the middle of September, and potentially, the rest of the regular season.
“Jacob Gonzalez can complement Nick Gonzales and Jared Triolo on the left side of the infield in Konnor Griffin’s absence,” continued the Pirates exec.
“He’s also a versatile, left-handed hitter who has taken significant steps this season, and who we believe in long-term.”
On the pitching side of things, Eisert has appeared in 25 games, four starts, in 2026. In those outings, he has a 5.93 ERA and 1.24 WHIP, with a strikeout rate of 27.4 percent (80th percentile) and a whiff rate of 31.2 percent (88th percentile).
Cherington continued, “Brandon Eisert makes us even deeper in left-handed relief.”
The Pirates will need to make a corresponding 40-man roster move, but as of Friday night, the team said that move will be announced at a later time.
Pirates Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Pirates. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.
Continue reading...
