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Braves: Pirates Could be Good Trade Fit for William Contreras

By Jake Mastroianni

ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 02: William Contreras #24 of the Atlanta Braves watches as he hits a home run during the fourth inning of the game against the New York Mets at Truist Park on October 2, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 02: William Contreras #24 of the Atlanta Braves watches as he hits a home run during the fourth inning of the game against the New York Mets at Truist Park on October 2, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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With the depth the Atlanta Braves have created at the catcher position many have speculated they could trade prospect William Contreras. 

The Atlanta Braves certainly don’t have to trade William Contreras, but if healthy, they seem pretty set at the position for the next couple of years with Travis d’Arnaud, Manny Pina, and Shea Langeliers.

And with the catcher market being as hot as it is, now may be the time to move William Contreras and get the best value.

The Pittsburgh Pirates may be a good trade partner for the Braves

They just traded Jacob Stallings to the Miami Marlins opening up a starting catcher’s role with the Pirates.

Ken Rosenthal already reported they are showing interest in free-agent catcher Roberto Perez, so we know they’re in the market for a catcher or two.

The Pirates currently don’t have a single catcher on their 40-man roster, that’s why I say they could be looking for a couple of backstops.

Their top prospect, Henry Davis, was just drafted in 2021 and likely won’t be ready for several years.

I believe William Contreras is ready for an opportunity at the big league level, but he’s not likely to get that on a Braves team that is ready to compete now and needs a more proven, veteran behind the plate.

That’s why Pittsburgh seems like the perfect fit for him as they can allow him to continue developing at the big league level and give him plenty of playing time.

What Would Braves Want in Return

Bryan Reynolds is the obvious want from the Braves and their fans, but it would take a much more significant package for that to happen.

Maybe you could do a Ben Gamel and/or Chris Stratton along with a lower-level prospect. That would add depth to the bench and bullpen for cheap.

That’s probably not enough to entice me to trade him — I’d probably rather just keep the depth.

But I would not be expecting a King’s ransom for Contreras in any deal unless he’s part of a bigger package.

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There are other teams out there that may be better fits for what the Braves need, but I do feel like Pittsburgh would be an ideal landing spot for Contreras if the two teams can find a deal that makes sense for both parties.

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