Pittsburgh Pirates Find Their Power Outfielder: Marte Homers in First At-Bat

The Pittsburgh Pirates have needed a right-handed power corner outfielder for some time. Especially after the way the Bucs' bats went silent in the series against the Cubs, the situation was getting pretty desperate as the trade deadline approached. But tonight, they might just have found what they are looking for.

We have been speculating and writing where and how the Bucs might find such an outfielder. Would it be Hunter Pence, Corey Hart or Carlos Quentin?

As MLB.com reports, on the first pitch of his first major league at-bat, Starling Marte homered to deep left field off the Houston Astros' starting pitcher, Dallas Keuchel. Marte became the 110th player to do so in his first at-bat. The last player to do this was Brett Pill of the San Francisco Giants last September.

Marte joins a list that includes Carlos Lee, Bill White, Jermaine Dye and Will Clark. All four of these players hit more than 200 home runs in their major league careers.

Marte was just called up from Triple-A Indianapolis, where he had been hitting .286 with 62 RBI and 12 home runs. In 99 games there, he also had 21 doubles, 13 triples and 21 stolen bases. In 2010, he won a Double-A batting title while playing for Altoona.

One at-bat does not make a career. One game does not win the NL pennant for the Pirates.

But wouldn't it be ironic if the batter the Pirates were looking for was in their organization all along?