The Pirates announced Wednesday that they’ve designated outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba for assignment. His spot on the 40-man roster will go to newly signed reliever Aroldis Chapman, whose previously reported one-year $10.5MM deal is now official.
One of four players the Pirates acquired in the trade sending Jameson Taillon to the Yankees, Smith-Njigba made the team’s Opening Day roster and started in right field this past season, but he’s yet to find much success in a tiny sample of playing time. Through 44 MLB plate appearances, he’s a .135/.250/.243 hitter.
Things have gone much better for the former fourth-round pick in Triple-A. Smith-Njigba has spent parts of three seasons at the minor leagues’ top level, posting a combined .273/.366/.439 output there. That includes this past season in Indianapolis, when he turned in a quality .280/.366/.473 showing (110 wRC+) with 15 home runs, 28 doubles, a triple and 21 steals (in 26 tries) in 445 trips to the plate. Smith-Njigba walked in a hearty 11.9% of his plate appearances but also struck out far too often (26.5%).
As a prospect, Smith-Njigba drew praise for above-average to plus raw power and average speed. He comes from an extremely athletic family — his brother, Jaxon, is a wide receiver for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks — and was seen as a potential bat-first left fielder. The raw power hasn’t yet carried over into game settings with much regularity, however. Smith-Njigba’s 15 homers this past season were a career-high and marked just the second time he’s reached double-digit homers in a season since being drafted back in 2017.
Smith-Njigba does have a minor league option remaining, so a team looking for some left-handed corner outfield depth could place a claim if he’s placed on waivers or try to work out a small trade before things reach that point. He’s consistently shown plus plate discipline, evidenced by a gaudy 14.4% walk rate in the minors, and has posted above-average numbers at every minor league stop from A-ball onward. The Pirates will have a week to trade him or attempt to pass him through outright waivers.
No chance he clearsm
I know. Dang. The Oviedo/Endy injuries have lost us CSN and Kranick who I’m sure the wanted to keep
Hmm, I was hoping that Alika Williams would get the axe instead. Speedy defensive first middle infielders where you’d be happy with an 80 wRC+ are everywhere. Smith-Njigba may never be an all-star but he has a ton of raw pop, just needs to lift the ball more frequently. He has had a ground ball rate over 50% the last two minor league seasons. I hope he clears.
Pretty impressive he hit 15 Hrs and 28 doubles with a GB rate that high
Jerry Dipoto needs to acquire him so he can be in Seattle with his bro.
I was wondering why that hyphenated last name sounded familiar
he was getting training at Driveline this offseason IIRC. they’re pretty good typically about helping hitters improve their mechanics
I remember seeing that on Driveline and CSN’s Instagram accounts. He definitley has potential.
I agree. Rather have CSN than Alika.
I don’t get it either, BC loves athletic middle infield types. Williams is just Clint Barmes 2.0. Whatever though, I am not in the war room and they might know something I don’t. Maybe they’ll be able to include him in a larger trade.
Alika will be gone sooner than later as well. Both headed into this winter as candidates to lose their Roster spot as new faces got signed. Alika will be gone the next 40 man spot is needed.
Ben will likely sit tight now until Pitchers and Catchers report date. On that date, they’ll put Oviedo, Rodriguez, Brubaker, and Burrows on the 60 day IL and open up 4 spots on the 40 man. Then they won’t have to DFA anyone else to make additions.
Alika is a ss. One who doesn’t hit the ball hard so not a valuable one. CSN is nothing. Minor league depth. If he can hit the ball in the air he is something. Pirates had their chance. Time to move on.
Well, again, they gave everyone and their grandmother a long look in the middle infield last year…far more than what this kid got
And yet, you must be right. They must’ve seen enough during his progression to know that he’s not their answer moving forward
It’s strange that the Pirates have been so overloaded with infielders—particularly shortstops and 2nd basemen—for the last few years in the farm system but not where outfielders are concerned. Or was it just a matter of the guys they drafted or brought in just never progressing?
If you can’t hit ball in air at minors you can’t in majors. MLB he couldn’t hit at all. Just strike out.
Pirates can’t develop hitters good period. They traded Marte for a SS. Really promising but bat hasn’t reached potential. Can’t make throws from ss accuracy wise. Not a great fielder there despite being athletic enough. Drafted a 2b Gonzales who looks bad. Loved Marcano. Wanted him in Musgrove trade. Got him in Frazier trade. Had no power. Never grew into any. Drafted another 2b Johnson. He could should be finally a starter for them in 2026. Probably debuts June 2025. They keep getting 2b and keep failing to develop them.
Can he play football?
Crazy that the Pirates of all teams don’t have room on the 40 for a prospect like CSN. I bet they swing a trade, I’d take a chance on him.
He was given ample chances to make the parent club and failed each time though I would have preferred Williams being DFAed
Bats right but can’t hit lefties
44 plate appearances over 2 seasons qualifies as “ample chances”? No wonder the Pirates always stink.
and in those 44 plate appearances he was horrible
4 hits in 32 ABs, 16ks
yeah he was horrible
He was bad, but 44 plate appearances is still not ample chances. Mike Trout had about the same OPS through his first 47 plate appearances. That’s not to say that CSN is Mike Trout 2.0, but isn’t enough to say “Yeah, he’s a bust.”
Anthony Rizzo’s first 128 AB’s: .141 avg/1 HR/36% SO rate.
Within 3 years, he was an all star, and mvp candidate.
44ab’s is nothing.
You know, TheMan3, I agree that he had some chances. But they bent over backwards with any and all middle infield guys last year to see what they could do over protracted periods. Not sure CSN, among a couple other OF prospects, ever got the same look
Yea i would hope my jays claim him if he gets that far, they have no OFers in AAA worth talking about
Didn’t deserve any chances.
4 injured players they can’t DFA
Reads like a poor man’s Akil Baddoo.
Get him on the A’s . Raising Canaan
Maybe he should’ve followed his younger brothers footsteps…
Wishing he was as talented as Jaxon right now…
I hope CSN can bounce back.
With David gone, there’s no chance. Saw them twice though!
He’s just Helplessly Hoping!
The Padres should be all over this kid.
Left handed OF 44 AB’s in MLB
I guess I see a potential for catching lightning in a bottle. I feel bad for young players who get judged with such a small sample size
U nvr kno, 44 ABs does seem abbreviated for real opportunity to figure it out@ highest level in world. Maybe, the reason he can’t hit is he can’t get around on hard stuff in or he can’t layoff sliders away. Are MLB Ps exploiting a weakness ? Sumthin, ud hope organizations kno their players better than any1, but it is the Pirates.
Absolutely. I remember Anthony Rizzo’s first 150 or so AB’s, he looked HORRIBLE. Smith-Njigba‘s power/speed combo, and his upper minors numbers make him absolutely worth the small gamble it would take to get him.
For as poor as the Pirates have been, they sure are taking a relative beating in this year’s offseason DFA cycle.
A lot of people upset about this but I think CSN is just another in a long line of Quad-A type outfielders the team seems to have accumulated over the years.
A lot of drama queens
While the Pirates don’t have much in the way of outfielders at the higher minor league levels they have gotten three guys at the major league level that this guy could not beat out.. They are Palacios, Joe and Olivares..
I’d have kept CSN over fellow lefty Palacios who’s four years older.
@Terrier You hit the “head of the nail on that one”. Palacios doesn’t field well and his bat is decent. CSN should have been given a full run this year in RF instead of Davis. Somethings just don’t make much sense. If letting CSN goes elsewhere and he does well, it will be another one that bites the Pirates in the a$$. Like Morton, Glasnow, Meadows, and Elias Diaz to name a few.
Palacios can hit mlb pitching. CSN can’t. He hasn’t made any progress with the Pirates. Time for him to go.
3 players who were traded by the past GM, and one who was non-tendered after a bad season. Not exactly an apples to apples comparison. I think Williams would have been the better choice for a dfa, but can’t say this surprised too many people.
@Dream With a career wRC+ of 72, over three seasons, I’d say Palacios has proven he CAN’T hit major league pitching. Why drop the guy four years younger when they’ve had similar minor league careers and are both corner leftys?
If Palacios sees any time in the bigs this season, the Bucs are in trouble. Let’s hope they sign MA Taylor and the discussion is moot.
His career wrc is irrelevant. Right now he is the better bat and it’s not close. They could keep CSN another 5 years. They aren’t making him any better.
There’s little evidence to prove that Palacios is the better bat right now, but I’ll concede that the projection models like Palacios slightly more than CSN.
Still nowhere near enough to keep a 29yo over a 25yo, but hey-ho….. that’s baseball.
MA Taylor is the man for the Buccos.
The evidence is Palacios played more games and had better numbers. Evidence is CSN bye bye Palacios still here. Pirates don’t give a it about age nor should they.
What about the Seahawks?
A+ dfa
Ate his way off the 40-man.