MIAMI – The Miami Marlins today announced that the team has acquired right-handed pitcher Jun-Seok Shim and infielder Garret Forrester from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for outfielder Bryan De La Cruz.
Shim, 20, is rated as the 17th-best prospect in the Pirates system per MLB Pipeline and was the second-highest rated pitcher in MLB Pipeline’s Top 50 International Prospects list in 2023.
Signed by Pittsburgh as an International free agent on Jan. 26, 2023, the Seongnam, South Korea native posted a 3.38 ERA (3 ER/8.0 IP) in four starts with the FCL Pirates during his first professional season in 2023 with three walks against 13 strikeouts. Eight of those strikeouts came in his first career start on June 10, 2023, as he tossed 4.0 perfect frames, retiring all 12 batters he faced. The 6-foot-4 right-hander attended Duksoo High School in Seoul, South Korea.
Forrester, 22, is rated as the 18th-best prospect in the Pirates system per MLB Pipeline and has slashed .250/.399/.344 (32×128) across 41 games this season between Single-A Bradenton (34 games) and the FCL Pirates (seven games), with nine doubles, one home run, and 11 RBI. The Roseville, Calif. native was selected by Pittsburgh in the third round (73rd overall) of the 2023 First-Year Player Draft out of Oregon State University in Corvallis, Ore., the right-handed hitter owns a career .253/.422/.336 slash line in 47 Minor League games (2023-2024). The infielder has made most of his starts at third base, posting a .962 fielding percentage (2 E/53 TC) in 24 starts (207.0 innings). He has also seen time at catcher (127.0 innings) and first base (11.0 innings).
De La Cruz, 27, played in 105 games for Miami this season, slashing .245/.289/.417 (104×424) with 44 runs scored, 19 doubles, 18 home runs, and 51 RBI. The right-handed hitter is coming off a career year in 2023 that saw him set career highs in games played (153), hits (149), doubles (32), home runs (19), and RBI (78). His 32 doubles and 78 RBI both led the team. In four seasons with the Marlins since being acquired from Houston in July of 2021, the Dominican-born outfielder owned a .258 AVG (395×1531) with 78 doubles, 55 home runs, and 191 RBI in 431 games played. He made 213 starts in left field, 64 starts in right field, and 61 starts in center field, combining to post a .980 fielding percentage (14 E/689 TC).
