The Pirates are a little more than a week into Spring Training, which isn’t enough time to make any kind of lasting decisions on the team in general, but is also long enough to pick up on some things that have been happening.
Here are some general thoughts, or observations, on the first week-plus of Spring Training games.
– I’m still not sure what the plan is at second base, but the original thought going into camp it would be Rodolfo Castro manning the position, with Ji-Hwan Bae playing a super-utility type of role. So far, it has been Castro playing all over the infield, where Bae has been limited to just second base.
Castro has picked up three-hits, one of which is a grand slam, and thanks to that also leads the team in RBI with five. Bae on the other hand is 1-for-12 with five strikeouts. This may turn from a competition for the starting job, to Bae fighting for a roster spot in general.
– Feels like the starting center field job is going to come down to Jack Suwinski and Travis Swaggerty. Suwinksi graded out as a solid defender last year in the corners, but that may not translate to center field. Swaggerty has played in six of the team’s 10 games, but only has 10 at-bats — although one is a home run.
The arm on Swaggy T
The opportunities that Swaggerty has gotten and what he has done with them – he had another solid performance in center field and picked up a hit – would kind of lead into him getting the first shot.
While he may not be the long-term answer in center field, Swaggerty is certainly moving towards earning that opportunity to prove himself. Statistics don’t ring as loudly in spring, but that doesn’t matter because he has done all the other things right in camp.
– Speaking of Suwinski, he came into camp with a new batting stance, but it’s been mostly the same results for him, at least this early into spring. He has seven strikeouts in 13 plate appearances so far, but in true fashion, also roped a double on Sunday with an exit velocity 110.4 mph.
It’s crazy to think that someone who hit 19 home runs last year doesn’t have a roster spot reserved for him, but for as split oriented he was in 2022 (at home and against righties), nothing could be guaranteed should he continue with the strikeouts.
– Maybe the most intriguing bit of competition, if it is even one, has been of the non-roster veteran middle infielders, Chris Owings and Drew Maggi. The Pirates lack a right-handed option to back up Oneil Cruz, and both are versatile enough to play elsewhere if needed, if they decide to Castro play primarily second base.
A big blast by Chris Owings! pic.twitter.com/a3yFQTmHxX
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 5, 2023
They both have picked up a double and home run, with those two being the only hits for Owings in spring, while Maggi leads the team with five.
– While he has an untraditional repertoire for a reliever, Colin Holderman makes it work and has displayed some filthy stuff in his two outings. I’d like to see some more swing and miss, and will have to be more accurate to fully unleash his near triple digits fastball, but the stuff is there.
– Suwinski and Swaggerty may be the favorites for the starting center field job, mostly due to already being on the 40-man roster, but if there’s a name out there to watch the rest of camp, it’s Chavez Young. He’s been great defensively, has a cannon for an arm, and has picked up a couple of hits, including a double and a home run he hit against the Yankees on Sunday.
Chavez Young with a home run and bat flip to go with it #Pirates pic.twitter.com/PNwrEmF4FS
— Anthony Murphy (@__Murphy88) March 7, 2023
The Pirates have so many outfielders on their 40-man, it would be far more ideal for one of them to step up and take a hold on a roster spot, but if Young continues to do it all, he could be a good option to play with Swaggerty in center field.
Next step for him is to take on bigger competition with Great Britain during the World Baseball Classic.
World Baseball Classic Preview: A Dozen Pirates are Scheduled to Play
– There may not be a player who can frustrate, and captivate you simultaneously more than Liover Peguero. I’ve seen him make some fantastic plays, that only a few could probably make, but he also can make the easiest of plays look dreadful.
He’s gaffed a few already in spring, but also made two solid plays in the same inning on Sunday. He has four hits and four RBI this spring, getting in a good amount of games so far, but has also reached on some pitches someone of his status shouldn’t be.
Peguero is 22-years-old, he has time to figure things out, but it’d be really nice to see some sort of progress in that direction.
– In the battle for the backup catcher spot between Jason Delay, Kevin Plawecki, and Tyler Heineman, the leader has been – Endy Rodriguez? Not really a surprise that it happened, but there hasn’t been a better looking catcher in camp than Rodriguez. Yet, we know he’s slated for Indianapolis to start the season. Endy has gotten better as he has climbed the ladder, with just the majors left to conquer.
– The Pirates have a lot more pitching prospect depth than some may think and spring is showing that. Everyone knows Quinn Priester, Luis Ortiz, and Mike Burrows, but they aren’t the only ones in camp showing off.
You can make a case that Carmen Mlodzinski, Kyle Nicolas, and Jared Jones are all among the better looking pitchers in camp right now. Jones lit up the radar guns, throughly impressing the Yankees broadcast crew on Monday, Nicolas has looked solid in his two outings, and Mlodzinski’s stuff is standing out early in camp.
Carmen Mlodzinski Getting Praise For Stuff Early In Spring Training
None of those three are mentioned when discussing the better pitching prospects, and each have some reliever risk. In each case, the stuff is playing in major league camp, and that’s a positive.
Thoughts After a Week
Numbers really aren’t something to be taken too seriously this early, if at all, in Spring Training, but can never be a good thing being last in anything.
There are still plenty of games to be played, and more things to be figured out. A weeks worth of games is plenty to generate stuff to talk about, as well as create questions and things to watch going forward.
How the rotation will set up and who will fill out the bench will be among the things to watch the rest of the way.
THIS WEEK ON PIRATES PROSPECTS
**Early Observations on the Pirates After a Week of Spring Training Games – READING
Anthony Murphy breaks down what he’s seen from the Pirates and their position battles after a week’s worth of Spring Training games.
**Carmen Mlodzinski Getting Praise For Stuff Early In Spring Training
The 2020 supplemental first rounder has been getting some recognition for his stuff early in camp. Anthony Murphy looks in detail at how his cutter and changeup stand out.
**World Baseball Classic Preview: A Dozen Pirates are Scheduled to Play
We will have daily World Baseball Classic updates for all of the Pirates involved. John Dreker previews who is playing, and for which country.
