This is a fun one! While it might not satisfy either fan base’s hope to add immediate big-league impact amidst a push for a postseason spot, this deal makes a ton of sense in the context of each team’s organizational depth. Boston has not been shy about seeking young pitching and had a wealth of upper-level position prospects to deal from — the kind sorely lacking in a Pirates farm system chock-full of exciting arms. Naturally, these two teams managed to link up on an exchange of former first-round picks with the idea that both players are more likely to flourish in another organization based on both their recent trajectories and the depth charts surrounding them.
We’ve already seen Priester in the big leagues in both a starting and a relieving role, but it’s a safe bet that Boston views him as a possible long-term rotation option with the right tweaks. Priester has thrown strikes and gotten a good amount of ground balls but has struggled to find a weapon that consistently garners whiffs. I like Boston’s chances of helping him find such an offering.
As for Yorke, his prospect stock seemingly plateaued after he broke out in his pro debut in 2021, but he has gotten back on track with a solid sample of performance at Triple-A as a 22-year-old. He’s a righty-hitting second baseman by trade who could also play some left field. Pittsburgh is buying that his bat could be a fixture in its lineup in some form, likely at some point in 2025, if not sooner.