Cam Devanney, a 28-year-old third baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates, is set to join the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). This move comes as a surprise, given Devanney's limited impact in the MLB. He was a 15th-round pick by the Brewers in 2019 and made his big league debut with the Pirates in 2025 after a trade with the Royals. Devanney's performance in the minors was impressive, with a .272/.366/.565 slash line, 18 homers, and 14 doubles in 69 games. However, his MLB debut was less than stellar, with a .139/.184/.167 slash line in 14 games and a 55.3% strikeout rate in 38 plate appearances. Despite this, the Pirates decided to trade for him, hoping he could provide depth. But Devanney's future with the team was already uncertain, as he was unlikely to displace Jared Triolo at third base. The Pirates' decision to let Devanney sign with the Hanshin Tigers is a strategic move, allowing him to pursue a higher level of competition and potentially earn more money than he would in the MLB. This move also opens up opportunities for other players on the bubble to make the jump to NPB, as the Pirates have depth in the infield with Tsung-Che Cheng and Enmanuel Valdez already on the 40-man roster.
