The Pittsburgh Pirates are currently 33-47, good for third place in the National League Central. While Pittsburgh doesn't seem to be as bad as last year's 101-loss team, there still not headed anywhere near the postseason in 2022.

It presents the Pirates, who have called up two of their top-100 prospects in Oneil Cruz and Roansy Contreras, with an opportunity to improve at the 2022 MLB trade deadline. MLB.com ranked Pittsburgh's farm system as the seventh best in baseball before the season started.

That's a great building block for the Pirates. However, armed with a few assets on the team that could be traded, the Pirates could vault themselves even higher up those rankings.

That would give them the best possible chance at breaking the cycle of losing they've been stuck in for most of the last 20 seasons. So, who could Pittsburgh look to move at the MLB trade deadline?

These three players make sense as trade chips.

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3 Players Pirates Must Move At MLB Trade Deadline

3. David Bednar 

Pirates closer David Bednar is quietly putting together an excellent season. Bednar, 27, owns a 2.37 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 38 innings pitched. He's saved 13 games for the 33-win Pirates.

This excellent performance comes just a year after Bednar pitched to a career-best 2.23 ERA in 60 2/3 innings last year. A middling pitcher during the first two seasons of his career, Bednar has improved the spin rates on his fastball and curveball, resulting in an impressive 33.8 percent K rate this season.

There are plenty of contenders who would love to add Bednar to the back end of their bullpen. He might not be the first name many people think of when they speculate about possible Pirates trade chips.

However, he might just be their most valuable asset, especially given the fact that he isn't a free agent until 2027. Going nowhere fast, the Pirates need to trade Bednar, who could net them a solid return of prospects.

2. Jose Quintana

A former MLB trade deadline darling back in 2017, Jose Quintana was involved in a deal that netted the Chicago White Sox multiple top prospects from the crosstown rival Chicago Cubs. Quintana isn't quite the pitcher he was that season anymore, though he's still putting up fine numbers in 2022.

The 33-year-old left-hander has recorded a 3.33 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 81 innings. However, he's only won two games on a bad Pittsburgh team.

Given the youth movement the Pirates have going on at the moment, it doesn't make much sense to hold onto a 33-year-old hurler through the MLB trade deadline. Especially one who will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

The Pirates, who signed Quintana to a one-year-deal this past November, almost certainly won't be resigning him. Why not try to get something in return for the veteran southpaw at the deadline?

There's going to be a frenzy for talented starters who are under team control through the 2024 season, such as Cincinnati Reds ace Luis Castillo and Oakland Athletics righty Frankie Montas.

Quintana, who would be a rental arm for contenders, would come considerably cheaper than those hurlers. While not nearly on the level of a Castillo or Montas, Quintana could certainly solidify the back end of a contender's rotation.

He makes sense as an asset who could be moved at the deadline.

1. Bryan Reynolds

Who else could it be? The subject of trade rumors since last year's MLB trade deadline, 27-year-old Bryan Reynolds figures to be a hot candidate to be dealt once again.

The Pirates are no better than they were last season- and Reynolds, despite a slow start, remains their best trade chip. He doesn't become an unrestricted free agent until 2026, his age-31 season.

Reynolds burst onto the scene as an All-Star last year, clubbing 24 homers while posting a .390 on-base percentage. He's started to pick things up in 2022 as well, posting a .320 average with seven homes and 18 RBI over the course of the last month.

That means that his trade value is climbing at just the right time, with less than a month until the August 2 trade deadline. Reynolds has garnered interest from the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres, who made a push for him this offseason.

Of course, Pittsburgh could turn around and balk at trading the talented, young outfielder. But if they're serious about building for the future, they need to deal Reynolds, who could net them an enticing package of prospects in a potential deal.

Time will tell if the Pirates opt to move Reynolds.