Final Josh Bell Trade Piece Departs Pirates

Recap of the Josh Bell Trade

The Pirates traded their first baseman to the Nationals on Dec 24, 2020 for right-handed pitching prospects in Wil Crowe and Yean.

This trade came as one of many under general manager Ben Cherington, who undertook a rebuilding strategy following the Pirates posting the worst record in baseball in 2020, 19-41, with the 60-game schedule

Other trades the Pirates made during that time included sending right-handed starting pitchers in Joe Musgrove to the San Diego Padres for five prospects on Jan. 19, 2021 and Jameson Taillon to the New York Yankees for four prospects on Jan. 24.

Yean's Tenure with the Pirates

Yean joined the Pirates as a 19-year old out of Sabana Grande de Boya in the Dominican Republic.

He originally worked as a starter with Single-A Bradenton, but quickly transitioned to the bullpen, where he stayed with the rest of his time in the Pirates minor league system.

There was hype surrouding Yean early on, as MLB Pipeline had him ranked 13th in the Pirates farm system in 2021.

Yean spent the next two seasons with High-A Greensboro, posting a 6.75 ERA in 2022 and a 5.01 ERA in 2023,

He then got his ERA down to 3.45 in 46 appearancs with Double-A Altoona in 2024 and then to a career-low 3.06 with Triple-A Indianapolis this past season.

Yean struggled with command, not making many strikeouts for a reliever, and giving up far too many hits.

The lowest opposing batting average he had during his time in the Pirates system was with Bradenton in 2021 at .224. He posted a .292 opposing batting average in both 2022 and 2023 with Greensboro, then .266 the past two seasons at Altoona and Indianapolis.

Yean also didn't have a K/9 higher than 10.00 past Greesboro in 2022, which marks strikeouts averaged over nine innings, with a 7.87 K/9 in 2023, a 8.28 K/9 in 2024 and a 6.88 K/9 in 2025.

He gave up far too many walks as well, allowing 45 walks to 54 strikeouts in 2025 for a poor 1.20 K/BB (strikeouts divided by walks), the lowest of his career.

Yean, as a result, was never effective as a closer, with 20 saves in 33 opportunities over his five seasons in the minors.

His WHIP also was far too high for a good relief pitcher, with the lowest at 1.32 in 2024 and the highest around 1.71 with Greensboro in 2022.

Yean elected free agency after the season, as he was eligible for it, following six full seasons in the minor leagues, and will hope his second tenure with the Nationals will lead him to making the MLB roster.

Wil Crowe Fairs No Better Than Yean for Pittsburgh

Crowe spent two full seasons with the Pirates, both of which didn't bring back much value for the franchise.

He served as a starting pitcher in 2021, with 25 starts in 26 appearances, a 5.48 ERA over 116.2 innings pitched, a 4-8 record, 111 strikeouts to 57 walks, a .276 opposing batting average and a 1.57 WHIP.

Crowe then transitioned to the bullpen for the 2022 season, where he posted a 6-10 record over 60 appearances, a 4.38 ERA over 76.0 innings pitched, 68 strikeouts to 38 walks, a .235 opposing batting average and a 1.39 WHIP.

He only pitched in five games for the Pirates in 2023, before dealing with right shoulder discomfort, which sent him on rehab assignments, before the Pirates designated Crowe for assignment on July 19 then released him on Nov. 16.

Crowe pitched for the Kia Tigers in the KBO League in South Korea in 2024 and spent time in the Philadelphia Phillies minor league system this season, before announcing his retirement.

Why the Josh Bell Trade for the Pirates Ultimately Failed

Bell never quit became the star slugger with the Pirates that they wanted when they signed him for a record $5 million bonus in the 2011 MLB Draft, but he still had success with the franchise.

He played five years for the Pirates from 2016-20, slashing .261/.349/.466 for an OPS of .814 in 552 games, with 496 hits, 105 doubles, 13 triples, 86 home runs, 309 RBis and 260 walks to 417 strikeouts.

Bell had his best season in 2019, slashing .302/.376/.648 for an OPS of 1.024 before the All-Star Break, with 102 hits, 30 double, three triple, 27 home runs and 84 RBIs. 

His play earned him his sole All-Star nod and an appearance at the Home Run Derby, where he didn't make it past the first round.

Bell had great success with the Nationals in 2021 and 2022, with 47 home runs over 247 games, plus winning a Silver Slugger Award in 2022.

He moved around to different teams, including the Juan Soto trade to the Padres in 2022, signed with the Cleveland Guardians ahead of the 2023 season, went to the Miami Marlins in a trade that year, joined the Arizona Diamondbacks in a trade at the 2024 deadline and re-signed with the Nationals for last season.

Bell has posted a 5.7 WAR in the five seasons since leaving the Pirates, who struggled finding a first baseman in his place.

The Pirates have had a different main starter at first baseman since Bell's trade. This includes Colin Moran for 84 games in 2021, Michael Chavis for 107 games in 2022, Carlos Santana for 83 games in 2023, Rowdy Tellez for 124 games in 2024 and then Spencer Horwitz for 102 games in 2025.

Santana and Horwitz had successful tenures, 1.5 WAR and 1.6 WAR respectively, but Moran, Chavis and Tellez finished with a negative WAR, combining for a 2.2 WAR for main Pirates first baseman starters since 2021

Cherington made the right decision for rebuilding, but this trade didn't work out for the Pirates at all.

His trade of Luis Ortiz, who is now facing serious jail time for gambling charges in baseball games, to the Guardians for Horwitz, is fairing much better, as the Pirates now have a competent, starting first baseman for the future, if he stays healthy.