The Pittsburgh Pirates have made key moves in international free agency, signing Cuban right-hander Emanuel Chapman and Australian-South Korean shortstop Jayden Kim ahead of the signing period deadline.

Emanuel Chapman
Chapman, a 25-year-old pitcher, signed a $200,000 deal, pending a physical, per Francys Romero. Standing out with a fastball that sits between 93-98 MPH, Chapman left Cuba in April 2023 and showcased his talent for MLB teams in the Dominican Republic last August. While his stats in the Cuban National Series were less than stellar—posting a 9.82 ERA over 51 innings across three seasons—the league’s hitter-friendly nature is a factor to consider. Despite the shared surname, he has no relation to Aroldis Chapman.

Jayden Kim
The Pirates also landed 17-year-old shortstop Jayden Kim for $200,000. Born in Australia, Kim was raised in South Korea and has spent recent years playing in Australia. His father, David Kim, was an 18th-round pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1997 and is now an international scout for the Minnesota Twins. The signing leaves the Pirates with just $62,000 remaining from their 2023 international signing pool, per Ethan Hullihen.

Other Moves & Contexthttps://www.yankeesshirt.com/Lou_Gehrig_Shirt-30
These signings come just ahead of the conclusion of the current international signing period. Earlier, the Pirates had traded $500,000 in international bonus pool money to the New York Yankees in exchange for outfielder Billy McKinney, who later re-signed with New York on a minor-league deal. The Yankees used that bonus slot to sign Dominican catcher Justin Capellan for $450,000.

With these additions, the Pirates continue to build their international prospect depth as they approach the 2024 season.