The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted prep shortstop Trae Arbet in the fifth round of the MLB draft. Arbet was the 114th best player in Baseball America’s rankings.
He’s a very athletic shortstop with good bat speed and gap power. Defensively he’s good, with solid range, instincts and arm. It’s never a guarantee that prep shortstops will stick at the position, and there are concerns that Arbet will move to second base, but he does have the chance to stick at short.
His hitting is going to be a question mark, since he has a long swing and chases pitches out of the zone. He did hit .309 in 81 at-bats, with eight doubles, two triples, and two homers this year. His upside is an average hitter with fringy power, and who is based more on his defensive skills.
