The Pirates are bringing in another former top outfielder prospect to spring training to compete for a spot on the opening day team, trading cash considerations to the Athletics for Dustin Fowler.

Fowler, 26, was designated for assignment by the Athletics Monday. He was once the fourth best prospect in that system, with Baseball America going as far as to rank him as the 88th best farm hand in baseball back in 2018.

He has struggled to find his footing since then. He slashed .224/.256/.354 with six home runs and 23 RBIs over 203 plate appearances in 2018, and hasn’t played in the majors since. While he homered 25 times in class AAA in 2019, that was mostly the product of a hitter-friendly environment, and he finished with a below-average 93 wRC+. He spent all of last year at the Athletics’ alternate training site.

Fowler was originally drafted by the Yankees in 2013 and reached the majors with them in 2017, but suffered a season-ending knee injury in his first game after colliding with an unpadded metal electrical box positioned at Guaranteed Rate Field. He was then sent to the Athletics as part of the Sonny Gray trade later that year.

Fowler is going to try to earn a spot in an outfield mix that will have Gregory Polanco in right and Bryan Reynolds either in left field or center. He’s in the same position as Anthony Alford, another outfielder the Pirates claimed back in August. Both were former top 100 prospects who are now out of minor league options and are looking for their first real look in the majors. Brian Goodwin, a non-roster invitee, has a very good chance of making the team, and Jared Oliva, an outfield prospect already on the roster, should get reps in the majors this year, even if he will probably start the year in the minors.

To make room on the roster, the Pirates transferred left-handed reliever Austin Davis to the 60-day injured list with a left elbow sprain. Earlier Wednesday, director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Davis experience some left elbow discomfort in mid-December and that he was in the final stages of his rehab before beginning his throwing program. He added the "things are progressing and trending in the right direction."

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