Pirates land prospect Jeter Martinez from Mariners for Ferguson

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Pirates continue to be active as Thursday’s Trade Deadline nears, as they sent lefty reliever Caleb Ferguson to the Mariners on Wednesday for Minor League right-hander Jeter Martinez.

Ferguson signed a one-year deal with the Pirates this past winter and added some stability to the Pirates’ bullpen, going 2-2 with a 3.74 ERA over 43 1/3 innings. He showed he could pitch in a variety of roles, whether it was late-inning leverage or multi-inning middle relief, and he neutralized left-handed hitters, holding them to a .439 OPS.

TRADE DETAILS
Pirates receive: RHP Jeter Martinez
Mariners receive: LHP Caleb Ferguson

“He was really an unsung hero on the team, as far as not a lot of fanfare and talk about him, but he was so consistent, so good for us, meant a lot to us this year, and how he went about it and the performance on the field,” manager Don Kelly said. “We wish him the best.”

The seven-year vet was set to be a free agent at the end of the year, and with the Pirates out of contention, he was a logical trade candidate. The Pirates are also slated to get Ryan Borucki back from the injured list soon. The veteran lefty rejoined the team in San Francisco on Tuesday, though he has yet to be activated.

Martinez, 19, is listed at 6-foot-4 and has seen his fastball grow into the 94-95 mph range since signing as one of the top international free agent pitchers in 2023, but he’s also dealt with command issues in the early part of his career. He has made 16 starts for the Mariners’ Single-A affiliate in Modesto, where he has gone 2-6 with a 6.18 ERA, 60 strikeouts and 38 walks over 62 2/3 innings.

Martinez was ranked as the Mariners’ No. 13 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, and he'll slot in as the Pirates' No. 21 prospect.