*Photo from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette*
If you're looking for a pretty good catcher because you're trying to compete, why not acquire a gold glove winner? The Miami Marlins have acquired C Jacob Stallings from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for RHP Zach Thompson and prospects Kyle Nicolas and Connor Scott, according to Craig Mish of SportsGrid. The Marlins have confirmed the deal.
The Marlins have an organization that is full of young and talented pitching, so acquiring a catcher with plus defense was a point of emphasis for them this offseason. Stallings tied for the MLB lead with 21 DRS last season, and took home the Gold Glove earlier this offseason. He was the only catcher in baseball to not allow a passed ball all season, and had a +3 WAR in 2021.
Asked about joining the Marlins, Stallings said "I never thought that I would be the centerpiece of a trade, even to this day. I've said this before, but I heard Derek Jeter say it I think in his Hall of Fame speech, he said, 'When you're playing, you're really only concerned with keeping a job and getting a job.' And that's really been my focus. Just trying to keep a job, stay in the big leagues and reach my potential, and just try to get better and be as good as I can be. So that's really my focus and always has been throughout my journey."
Last season with the Pirates, his big breakout season, Stallings hit for a .246 average and a .704 OPS, hitting 8 home runs and driving in 53 runs, drawing 49 walks and hitting 20 doubles in 112 games last season for the Pirates. From being DFA'd to being a backup to in a platoon, Stallings started playing better in 2021 and finally seized a starting job.
In 6 seasons in the major leagues, all in a Pirates uniform, Stallings has a .254 batting average and a .701 OPS, slugging .370 and hitting 17 home runs and driving in 94 runs, stealing one base and drawing 85 walks in 249 career games, never appearing in a playoff game.
Returning to Pittsburgh is Thompson, a pitcher who has experience at the major league level who can help the Pirates right away. He started last season at Triple A Jacksonville, and got called up and moved from the bullpen to the rotation when it was decimated with injuries. He made his debut on June 7 and sticked for the rest of the season, pitching to a 3-7 record with a 3.24 ERA, making 14 starts and 12 relief appearances.
Nicolas is a pitching prospect heading to the Pirates, and was the former 16th ranked prospect in the Marlins system. He spent last season with High A Beloit and Double A Pensacola. In 8 starts at the Double A level, Nicolas had a 2.52 ERA, and had a 4.18 season ERA and threw 99 innings total last season, averaging 12.4 strikeouts per 9 innings.
Scott is an outfield prospect, and was 23rd overall in the Marlins system. He was selected in the first round, with the 13th overall pick, in the 2018 Draft, which was the first pick made by the new ownership group. Spending 96 games at High A Beloit, Scott hit to a .276 average with a .779 OPS, hitting 10 home runs and driving in 46 runs, stealing 14 bases.
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