Gosselin was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks after they signed Daniel Descalso. The 28 year old is controlled through 2020 as he will not hit arbitration for the first time until next offseason. The West Chester, Pennsylvania native hit .277 in 2016 with the Diamondbacks in 220 at-bats. He's a career .283 hitter, but in less than 500 at-bats. He can play many positions but he is primarily a 2nd and 3rd baseman.
Frank Duncan reached AAA in 2016 and pitched well there. He was a sleeper to make an impact in Pittsburgh but was way down on the depth chart. He may see a better opportunity to make an impact in Arizona, a team with less MLB pitching depth.
The acquisition is interesting as the Pirates already seem to have utility players that can provide similar production or better in Adam Frazier and Alen Hanson. The one fallout that is being considered here is that the Pirates know something regarding Jung Ho Kang that we don't know and they may not be preparing to have Kang on Opening Day. Therefore, they added Gosselin as insurance since he can play 3B. While that sounds crazy, it's something that must be considered given the twists and turns of the Jung Ho Kang saga.
Overall, this is an interesting deal for the Pirates considering the way the roster looks already. Gosselin, at this moment doesn't provide the Pirates with anything they don't already have and may not be an upgrade anywhere. However, this is a lower risk move that could be beneficial if Gosselin continues to put up the numbers he put up with the Diamondbacks, even if it is in a limited role.
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