Notes: Bye-Rey; Carlos Officially Signed; Winter Meetings Start; Player Moves & Honors; MLB & Ex-Bucco News

And into the holiday stretch and winter meetings...

Notes:

• Both the national and local media hounds have confirmed that OF Bryan Reynolds has requested a trade.  He reportedly turned down an offer that was the biggest ever made to a Pirate, which now is the $70M deal inked by Ke'Bryan Hayes. The years/amount involved were undisclosed and the contract dispute may well be the core of the issue. 

Bryan Reynolds - 2021 Topps Fire

• The winter meetings began on Sunday at the Marriott Marquis in San Diego, and will continue through Wednesday, December 7th, ending with the Rule 5 draft. The Pirates are looking for catching, outfield help and pitching, so let the patchwork begin.
• Fangraph's Dan Szymborki's ZiPS projections are out and not lookin' real promising...
• The Pirates began to unjam the crowd at first; recently acquired Lewin Diaz was DFA'ed to make room on the roster for Carlos Santana, who was officially signed Tuesday.
• Diego Castillo missed a week of Winter ball (he's playing in Venezuela) with a sore knee, but returned to action on Tuesday (and is raking), so it appears his down time was more precautionary than worrisome.
• Baseball America has the Bucs projected 2026 lineup/rotation and Top Tools prospects. The Top Ten Prospects are available behind a paywall with their reports. If you don't subscribe, they are: 1. C Endy Rodriguez 2. IF Termarr Johnson 3. C Henry Davis 4. RHP Luis Ortiz 5. RHP Quinn Priester 6. RHP/SS Bubba Chandler 7. SS Liover Peguero 8. 2B Nick Gonzales 9. RHP Mike Burrows and 10. RHP Thomas Harrington.
• The Pirates were awarded the sixth pick of Round B, Competitive Balance Draft, for 2023. This section falls between the first and second rounds, and although the Bucs landed the 14th and final spot, it is the only draft pick that can be traded if the FO decides to package it rather than select a player.

Endy - 2022 photo South Atlantic League

• The Giants claimed RHP Miguel Yajure, who was out off options and DFA'ed by the Bucs. he was a part of the Yankee deal for Jameson Taillon. Earlier, C Ali Sanchez was claimed by the D-Backs, leaving the Bucs with just Endy Rodriguez remaining as a rostered catcher. This takes the 40-man down to 38, so the Pirates can participate in the Rule 5 Draft now, and with Sanchez gone, may be nearing a deal for a backstop.
• 1B Lewin Diaz, DFA'ed for Carlos Santana, was claimed by Baltimore.
• The Marlins inked RHP Geoff Hartlieb to a minor league deal. He made big league appearances with the Bucs from 2019-21 and was in the Boston system last year.
• C Luke Maile, 32, who was with the Bucs in 2020 but never appeared (he broke his finger in an exhibition game just before the short season started and missed the year) signed a one-year/$1.175M deal with the Reds to be their back-up backstop.
• The Dodgers and RHP Shelby Miller (Pirates - 2021) agreed on a major league contract. The deal, pending a physical, reportedly comes with a $1.5M salary and performance bonuses.
• Righty reliever Sean Poppen, who made a brief stop here in 2021, was claimed by the Padres from the D-Backs, his home club last year. 
• Crime Dog Fred McGriff was the only player elected to the Hall of Fame by the Contemporary Era Committee; no one else was close.