The Pirates completed their blockbuster trade for Chris Archer on Tuesday, sending right-hander Shane Baz, their No. 4 prospect, to the Rays as the player to be named in the July 31 Trade Deadline deal.
The PTBNL was believed to be a player of consequence, and Baz certainly fits that bill. The 19-year-old from Texas was the Pirates' first-round Draft pick in 2017 with the 12th overall selection, and signed above slot value for $4.1 million.
Baz, ranked No. 95 among all prospects by MLB Pipeline, projects as a top-of-the-rotation arm with fastball velocity that touches 98 mph and sits between 92-96 to go with a plus cutter that scouting reports suggest can be turned into a true slider.