PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have bolstered their lineup with a fresh face via a recent trade deal.
The Pirates snagged outfielder Alexander Canario from the New York Mets in exchange for cash, as noted on the transactions log.
Hailing from Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic, Canario first joined the San Francisco Giants as an international free agent on July 2, 2016.
In 2017, he shone in the Dominican Summer League with the Giants, posting a .294/.391/.464 slash line, smashing 17 doubles, five homers, and driving in 45 RBIs—good enough for third, third, and second in the league, respectively. His standout performance earned him a spot as a Baseball America DSL All-Star.
In 2019, Canario suited up for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes at Low-A, where he hit an impressive .301/.365/.539, ranking fourth in the Northwest League. He racked up 17 doubles, nine homers, 40 RBIs, and 38 runs—claiming top marks in several categories.
Later that fall, he dominated with the Arizona League Giants, slashing .395/.435/1.000 with nine homers in just 43 at-bats, earning All-Star nods from MiLB.com, Baseball America Short-Season, and Northwest League Post-Season honors.
The 2020 season was a wash for Canario, with the minor leagues sidelined by the COVID-19 pandemic. He kicked off 2021 with the Single-A San Jose Giants, hitting .235/.325/.433 with nine homers, 14 doubles, three triples, 29 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases across 65 games.
On July 30, 2021, the Giants shipped Canario and pitcher Caleb Killian to the Chicago Cubs in a blockbuster deal for third baseman Kris Bryant.
Canario finished 2021 with the High-A South Bend Cubs, then split 2022 between South Bend, the Double-A Tennessee Smokies, and the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.
He started 2023 with Iowa before getting the call-up to the Cubs late in the season.
Canario logged 15 games with Chicago from mid-April to early May, plus two more in July, spending the rest of the year with Iowa.
On February 20, the Cubs designated him for assignment, and four days later, traded him to the Mets for cash. During Spring Training with the Mets, Canario slashed .306/.419/.611 over 17 games, tallying 11 hits, two doubles, three homers, eight RBIs, and seven walks against 15 strikeouts in 36 at-bats.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Pirates shifted pitcher Jared Jones from the 15-day to the 60-day Injured List, paving the way for Canario to potentially crack the big-league squad.
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