Position: SS
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 220 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Born: 12/31/2000
Country: Dominican Republic
Signed: International Free Agent, 2017 (Diamondbacks)
How Acquired: Trade (from Diamondbacks with Brennan Malone for Starling Marte)
Bonus: $475,000
40-man Roster: Yes
Rule 5 Eligible: N/A
Minor League Free Agency: N/A
Options Left: 0
Overview
Peguero was a skinny 16-year-old when Arizona signed him. He impressed them with his hitting ability and athleticism, and since then he’s grown stronger. He has a chance to hit for both average and power. Peguero has well-above-average speed — Statcast rates his speed in the 94th percentile — and good arm strength, and the athleticism to stay at shortstop. Since reaching the upper levels of the system, he’s played a lot at second, given the reality of Oneil Cruz at short. Peguero can be spectacular at times on defense, but he’s also prone to committing errors, sometimes in bunches. The Pirates acquired him with Brennan Malone for Starling Marte.
2018-20
Peguero advanced through four rookie levels over his first two years, hitting very well at the first level each year and then less well at the second. The tools were evident as he showed some power, usually hit for average, and did well stealing bases. After the 2019 season, Arizona traded him to the Pirates. They brought him to their alternate facility during the pandemic season. He was younger than nearly all the other players and struggled a little at first, but he greatly impressed the team.
2021-22
In 2021, the Pirates sent Peguero to Greensboro, skipping him over Low A. He missed a couple weeks with an injury in May, but otherwise played short there all year. He had a good year at the plate, helped by the home park; he had 10 home runs and a .497 slugging average at home, four and .398 on the road. He also stole 28 bases. Peguero committed 23 errors, which was neither great nor alarming. The Pirates added him to the 40-man roster after the season.
Other than a very brief, injury-related callup to Pittsburgh, Peguero spent the 2022 season at Altoona. He got off to a great start, but in the end had a very disappointing season. His OPS by month:
April: .938
May: .792
June: .581
July: .555
August: .569
September: .791
He did manage to cut his K rate from the previous year, although his walk rate also dropped. His erratic play on defense raised concerns. In 94 starts at short, he committed 23 errors. He had another eight in 19 starts at second, which worked out to a dismal .899 fielding percentage at the latter position.
2023-24
In 2023, Peguero had a bad spring, offensively and defensively, got sent back to Altoona, then started off badly there, including a .626 OPS in April. Then he seemed to turn things around, playing better in May and putting up a .969 OPS in June that included a big power breakout. He committed ten errors in his first 26 games for the Curve, then three in the next 43. The Pirates promoted him to Indianapolis in July, then after seven games there brought him up to Pittsburgh. For a while, he hit well in the majors, putting up an OPS of .816 in July and .724 in August. He slumped to .548 in September. His BB:K ratio of 11:67 obviously hampered him a lot. The pattern of hitting prospects struggling once they’ve been in the majors a little is becoming well entrenched in Pittsburgh and should call into question the tenure of hitting coach Andy Haines, but the team’s manager and GM continue to insist nothing is wrong. In the field, Peguero divided his time between short and second. Errors weren’t the problem they’d been in the minors: he had five at short for a .960 fielding percentage, and none at second. By OAA, he was one run below average at short and average at second.
Peguero spent essentially all of the 2024 season with Indianapolis, where he spent two-thirds of his time at short and the rest at second. He had a decent season at the plate, hitting 257/319/410, with 13 home runs. His plate discipline was just OK, with an 8% walk rate and 25% K rate. He had a big platoon split, posting an .864 OPS against LHPs and .678 against RHPs. Peguero got called up once around mid-season but didn’t get into a game. The Pirates didn’t call him back up until the very end of the season and he got just ten plate appearances. It’s difficult to understand considering that he’ll have used three options before 2025, but he’ll probably qualify for a fourth option.
Stats
Transactions
July 2, 2017: Signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks as an international free agent.
January 27, 2020: Traded by the Arizona Diamondbacks with Brennan Malone and $250,000 in international slot space to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Starling Marte and $1,500,000 cash.
November 19, 2021: Contract purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates.