The Pittsburgh Pirates today acquired first baseman/outfielder Connor Joe from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for minor league pitcher Nick Garcia.

Joe spent the entire 2022 season with Colorado, where he hit .238 (96-for-404) with 20 doubles, four triples, seven home runs, 28 RBI, 55 walks and 56 runs scored in 111 games. Joe reached base safely in 90 of his 110 games with a plate appearance during the 2022 campaign.

The 30-year-old also reached base safely in 35 straight games from April 29 to June 9, which was the second-longest on-base streak by any Major Leaguer this past season and tied for the seventh-longest in Colorado Rockies history. Joe also finished 2022 ranked 10th among all National League players with an 11.8 walk percentage (minimum 450 plate appearances) while his .374 on-base percentage at the end of June was the 11th-highest in the National League in that span.

The right-handed hitting Joe started 43 games in left field, 25 at designated hitter, 17 games at first base and 16 in right field. His seven outfield assists were tied with Charlie Blackmon for the most among Rockies outfielders last season. During the 2021 season, Joe hit .285 (51-for-179) with nine doubles, eight home runs, 35 RBI, 26 walks and a .379 OBP in 63 games with Colorado. He hit at a .400 clip with runners in scoring position (16-for-40) and .455 (10-for-22) with runners in scoring position and two outs.

He also hit .274 (23-for84) with five home runs, 16 RBI, 15 walks, a .394 OBP and .500 slugging percentage out of the leadoff spot (his 6.93 BB/PA from the leadoff spot was the second-best rate in the Majors with a minimum of 24 games).

This is Joe’s second stint with the Pirates organization after being the 39th overall selection in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft (the Pirates received the pick in Competitive Balance Round A as a result of trading RHP Bryan Morris to the Miami Marlins). To make room for Joe on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Nick Mears has been designated for assignment.