Socrates

Brito

Brito, 32, has hit .302/.352/.491 with 63 homers in 409 games for the Kia Tigers over the last three years. He played in 99 MLB games from 2015-19, hitting .179/.216/.309 in 218 plate appearances for the Diamondbacks and Blue Jays.

It’ll be the third straight season that the 31-year-old outfielder has played for the Tigers. He’ll earn a total of $1.2 million. Brito enjoyed another outstanding season there in 2023 — slashing .285/.344/.463 with 20 homers, 96 RBI, 15 stolen bases and an 80/52 K/BB ratio across 608 plate appearances.

Brito will receive $1.1 million in addition to a $300,000 signing bonus to return to Korea for the 2023 season. The 30-year-old outfielder last appeared in the majors back in 2019. He hit .311/.354/.494 with 17 home runs and 12 stolen bases in 554 plate appearances last year in his first season in Korea.

Brito spent the entire 2021 campaign at Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre in the Yankees’ minor-league system, hitting .251/.315/.376 with nine home runs and 23 stolen bases across 419 plate appearances. The 29-year-old outfielder last appeared in the majors with the Blue Jays back in 2020.

Felix Peguero, his manager with the Estrellas in the Dominican Winter League, confirmed the news. Brito spent the 2021 season in the Yankees organization where he slashed .251/.315/.376 with nine homers, 53 RBI and 23 stolen bases in 107 games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Brito was with the Pirates on a minor league deal this past season but didn’t see any action in the majors. The 28-year-old has posted some good numbers in the minors but has really struggled during his brief chances in the big leagues.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports that Brito’s brother tragically died from COVID-19 last week. The 27-year-old outfielder signed a minor league contract with the Pirates in December and had yet to appear in a game this season. He himself tested positive for COVID-19 before the start of summer camp workouts.

Brito, in camp on a minor league contract, will face an uphill battle to win a spot on the Pirates bench. He hit .282/.328/.510 for the Jays’ Triple-A affiliate last year, but he’s come in at .179/.216/.309 in 218 major league plate appearances over the last five years.

They’ll be put in quarantine and must pass two COVID-19 tests before they can join the Pirates’ summer camp workouts. Brito signed a minor league contract with the Bucs back in December after spending the majority of the 2019 season with the Triple-A affiliate of the Blue Jays. Cederlind is in the player pool as relief depth.

Brito is a career .179/.216/.309 hitter in parts of four seasons at the major league level. The 27-year-old is doubtful to claim a significant role with the Pirates, even as the organization undergoes a big rebuild.