Pirates sign low-level 1B/OF to minors deal

Pirates Prospects is reporting (sub. req’d) that the Pirates have signed 1B/OF Connor MacDonald to a minor league contract. MacDonald, who’ll be 22 in late February, played for four years in the Astros’ system. He hit for some power at the rookie levels, but struggled in the New York-Penn League in 2017 and got released.

MacDonald is from Australia and this signing may have more to do with maintaining the Pirates’ presence there than anything else. He’s currently having a big season in Australian winter (well, their summer) ball. His manager is Tony Harris, who scouts for the Pirates.