Alen Hanson
Once a former top prospect in the organization, the speedy Hanson is a case of a guy who simply has no place to play at the major league level.
The Pirates are committed to Josh Harrison at second base for the next few years and they have a guy like Adam Frazier who can also play the position. It also would be nice to see the team bring back Sean Rodriguez for another season next year.
If that is the case, then there simply won’t be a spot on the roster for a guy like Hanson.
Though technically not one of the Pirates top prospects any longer, Hanson should still have value to other teams.
His versatility is intriguing as Hanson has played both second and third base this season as well as all three outfield positions. He is also a guy who can flat out run. His bat isn’t quite where you would want it to be, with only a .654 OPS in Triple-A this season, but he still has an intriguing skill set.
Hanson won’t bring in a great return on his own, but he is a nice chip that Huntington could dangle in a package to potentially bring a starter to Pittsburgh at the deadline.
It is also a case where dealing from a strength could help the Pirates in the short term and not necessarily hurt them in the long term.
There are plenty of other players in the low minors that will obviously be talked about at the deadline, but these are five realistic trade chips that Huntington could use to help get the right deal done.
Will it happen?
We will find out in a few days.
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