Report: Pirates Claim Former Marlins Infielder

Simón hails from La Romana in the Dominican Republic and signed with the Chicago Cubs as an international free agent on July 7, 2018.

He only slashed .185/.321/.262 for an OPS of .583 in 25 games with the Dominican Summer League Cubs in 2018, but improved the following season, slashing .333/.411/.571 for an OPS of .982.

Simón didn't play in 2020 after the MilB didn't have a season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cubs traded Simón to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Nov. 5, 2020, as the player to be named later in the trade for left-handed pitcher Andrew Chafin.

He spent the 2021 season at both Single-A Visalia and High-A Hillsboro, slashing .245/.329/.454 for an OPS of .783, with 94 hits, 23 doubles, three triples, 17 home runs, 63 RBIs, 46 walks to 101 strikeouts and 19 stolen bases.

The Diamondbacks traded Simón to the Tampa Bay Rays on Nov. 26, 2021 for outfielder Jordan Luplow.

Simón spent three season in the minors with the Rays, playing for High-A Bowling Green and Double-A Montgomery in 2022, Double-A and Triple-A Durham in 2023 and then Durham again in 2024.

His best season came in 2024 with Durham, where he slashed .283/.356/.429 for an OPS of .785 with 132 hits, 30 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs, 56 RBIs, 47 walks to 99 strikeouts and 20 stolen bases.

Simón elected free agency after that season and signed a minor league contract with the Marlins.

He starred with Triple-A Jacksonville this season, slashing .354/.441/.521 for an OPS of .962 in 15 games, with 17 hits, one double, two triples, a home run, nine RBIs and nine walks to 10 strikeouts.

The Marlins added him to the 40-man roster on April 20 and promoted him to the MLB for the first time. He made his debut on April 21 vs. the Cincinnati Reds at loanDepot Park, with an RBI-single for his first hit.

Simón moved around as a fielder, starting eight of nine games played at second base, playing one game at shortstop, starting three of six games in left field and four starts as designated hitter.

He made national news after making three errors in four innings at second base vs. the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on May 27. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough pulled Simón, who shed tears as he left the field and ran into the dugout.

The Pirates made a corresponding move, where they designated right-handed pitcher Tanner Rainey for assignment, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com.