The Pittsburgh Pirates plan to make much of their roster available for trade this summer due to a disappointing start to their season. Infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa has drawn interest on the trade market, showcasing a notable offensive season with a .304 batting average. Despite his strong defensive reputation, concerns about potential regression linger due to unsustainable metrics. Nevertheless, his performance makes him an appealing trade prospect, especially in a market that is not particularly strong for infield talent.
Given Kiner-Falefa's strong reputation as a defender, he'd be a very impactful addition for a team in need of infield help if he can maintain this above average offense going forward.
Although Kiner-Falefa is enjoying a strong season, there are clear red flags in his profile that suggest he’s likely to regress in the future.
Kiner-Falefa’s .296 xwOBA is almost a perfect match for the .299 wOBA he put up last season, which indicates he's likely to resume being a below-average hitter going forward.
The good news for the Pirates is that even if Kiner-Falefa regresses to the mean, he'll be a very attractive trade candidate in a market that looks fairly weak.
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