Pittsburgh Pirates Outfielder Goes Unclaimed On Waivers; Sent Outright

On Opening Day, the Pittsburgh Pirates designated Ryan Vilade for assignment.

On Tuesday, he cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Furthermore, RHP Edwin Uceta was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. Tribute video forthcoming.

Ryan Vilade cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis. https://t.co/rRRQlPHh3L

— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) April 4, 2023

Vilade has only had seven plate appearances in his MLB career so far and this move provides him with the opportunity to further develop his skills and potentially work his way back up to the majors in the future.

The 24-year-old outfielder was claimed off waivers from the Colorado Rockies in November. While once ranked among the Rockies' top prospects, he struggled during his second stint at Triple-A, hitting just .249/.345/.352 with five homers and ten steals in 99 games.

For his minor-league career, however, Vilade holds a solid .281/.357/.410 triple-slash line, with 35 home runs, 221 RBIs, 69 stolen bases, and 341 runs scored across 504 games played.

The Pirates will retain Vilade as a player for their organizational depth. Photo Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports