Notes: Heredia, JR Sign; Mo' Coaches; Arbs Inked; Fraze Range; Papa Willy; Exes Move On, RIP Hal

Still pretty quiet in Buccoland:

• The Bucs have signed free agent OF Guillermo Heredia, 28. The Cuban native has played as a fourth outfielder for Seattle and Tampa, where he was a strong defensive corner player and not-so-strong batter with a lifetime .240 BA (82 OPS+). He's considered a speedy baserunner, but not a base stealer with just six swipes in 18 tries. Heredia, who was DFA'ed by the Rays, looks like some depth in a position the Pirates are thin at, especially if Starling is dealt or Gregory still isn't at 100%. Pittsburgh inked him to a one-year/undisclosed salary deal and DFA'ed Pablo Reyes to clear a 40-man spot. 
• C John Ryan Murphy, 28, has agreed to a Bucco minor league contract with camp invite. He's played parts of seven years with four clubs (Yankees, Twins, D-Backs, Braves) and hit .219 w/66 OPS+ in that time. JR is another good-glove depth piece to bolster a spot that needs some capable warm bodies.
• Mike Rabelo, 39, has replaced Jacob Cruz, who jumped to the Brewers, as the ass't batting coach. He started as a minor league hitting coach for the Tigers, and since 2014 has been a Motown minor league  manager, with his latest job at AA Erie. This is his first big league coaching gig.
• The Pirates have hired former Astros assistant Oz Ocampo as Ben Cherington's Special Assistant for Player Personnel. Ocampo was previously Houston’s international operations director from 2012-17 before becoming Jeff Luhnow's special assistant. Before that, he was involved in international operations for MLB and scouting/player development for the St. Louis Cardinals. Oz was used as a translator by the 'Stros, too, so he and the international players (ie, Latino ballers) basically speak the same lingo in a variety of ways.

• The Bucco arb class of 1B Josh Bell, 2B Adam Frazier, starting pitchers Joe Musgrove, Trevor Williams, Chad Kuhl & Jameson Taillon, and relievers Keone Kela & Michael Feliz all agreed to deals, so no drama from that front.
• Hey, guess who led all MLB second basemen in Statcast's Outs Above Average? Yep, Adam Frazier with 11. He was the only Pirates infielder to actually save some runs in 2019.
• Congratulations to Trevor Williams and his wife, Jackie, who just added a baby boy, Jude Michael, to the fam.
• The Rockies reportedly have struck a minor league deal with C Elias Diaz.
• RHP Dario Agrazal, claimed off the Pirates by the Tigers, has been DFA'ed by Motown.
• RHP Tyler Eppler, a Bucco minor-league hurler until last year, signed a MiLB deal w/the Nats after spending 2019 in Japan.
• Jay Bell has been named manager of the Angels' new AA team, the Rocket City (Madison, Alabama) Trash Pandas. He had been managing in the Yankees minor leagues prior to the hire.
• C Hal Smith, who was a Rocky Nelson tag away from being the 1960 World Series GOAT, passed away at the age of 89 in Texas. Smith's three-run homer in the eighth put the Pirates up by two runs in Game Seven of the WS, but the Yanks tied it in the ninth when Mickey Mantle eluded the Rock's glove at first, setting the stage for Billy Maz.