The Pittsburgh Pirates will hopefully be aggressive come the trade deadline. They need bullpen help in the worst way possible. They have a good farm system with plenty of prospects that should entice teams looking to sell. One of their prime trade candidates is infielder Sammy Stafura. The middle infield prospect could very well be on the move, given his outstanding 2026 and the number of infielders the Pirates have.
Sammy Stafura Is Becoming a Prime Trade Candidate for the Pittsburgh Pirates
How The Pirates Acquired Stafura
The Pirates acquired Stafura at the 2025 trade deadline. He was the Cincinnati Reds’ second-round pick in 2023 and was traded to the Pirates in the Ke’Bryan Hayes swap. Along with Stafura, the Pirates also acquired veteran left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers, whom they flipped the same day as this trade to the Chicago Cubs for Ivan Brethrow. While the trade was mostly a salary dump so the Pirates could get Hayes’ contract off their payroll, Stafura was a legit prospect, and his 2026 performance only further solidifies his status.
Astounding Breakout Campaign
Stafura has spent most of his season at High-A Greensboro. He is slashing .299/.363/.638 with a .420 wOBA, and 139 wRC+. Stafura already has 17 home runs over 201 plate appearances, and has gone 15-for-16 in stolen base attempts. Stafura has a 9.5% walk rate for the Grasshoppers, but has other issues regarding his plate discipline. He has struck out at a 30.3% clip with a called and swinging strike rate of 30%.
Stafura’s Scouting Report
Stafura is a potential future power-speed threat. He has shown good raw power and has plenty of pop to his pull side. Both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline project his running at 60 grade or better. He used that speed to have back-to-back 30-steal seasons in 2024 and 2025. Plus, that quickness gives him range up the middle. His defensive prowess at shortstop looks good. Along with his range, BA praises his “sure hands and reliable internal clock.” His defense, speed, and pop give him a strong floor of a utility infielder, and his ceiling will be determined by how much his hit tool and plate discipline develop.
Stafura Isn’t The Pirates’ Only Middle Infielder
Stafura’s path to the Major Leagues isn’t going to be easy, even if he continues to rake throughout the minor leagues. Nobody is pushing Konnor Griffin off shortstop anytime soon. Nick Gonzales is having a solid season, and the Pirates picked up Jacob Gonzalez right before this year’s draft. Top third base prospect Murf Gray has done nothing but hit at every level of the minor leagues and is off to a promising start since his recent promotion to Double-A Altoona. That’s not even mentioning the likes of Jared Triolo, Nick Yorke, or Jack Brannigan. Their depth chart only gets more complicated if they re-sign Brandon Lowe in the offseason.
Stafura isn’t the Pirates’ only middle infield-capable prospect either. Both Jhonny Severino and Yordany De Los Santos are having solid seasons at High-A as well. Wyatt Sanford has also risen in prospect rankings with a breakout 2026 campaign. Termarr Johnson is having a down season, but is another former first-round pick. The Pirates also took some middle infielders early in the draft. Second-round pick Aiden Ruiz was considered one of the best defenders of his draft class. Their next pick after Ruiz was college second baseman Chris Rembert.
The Pirates should take advantage of Stafura’s breakout season. They already have another half-dozen infield prospects and a deep MLB depth chart with players who can play his primary positions. The Pirates could likely use Stafura in a trade for a quality reliever. There’s no reason for the Bucs not to move him at the deadline if the opportunity arises.
Main Photo Credits: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
