In his fourth professional game, Charles McAdoo went 6-for-6 with two home runs.
The game on August 8th, 2023 came almost a month after the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted McAdoo in the 13th round out of San Jose State. McAdoo was coming off a junior year where he batted .325/.409/.543 in 234 at-bats, showing good numbers for the second season in a row.
Following that 6-for-6 day, McAdoo remained hot for a few more games, before fading down the stretch of a longer season than he’s ever seen. He hit .225/.347/.388 after that game, still getting on base, but lacking power or contact.
The 2024 season started in similar fashion. McAdoo batted .179/.351/.214 in his first 37 plate appearances, with only one extra base hit.
It didn’t take long for him to get back on a hot streak. He went 2-for-5 on April 17th, beginning a seven game hitting streak. McAdoo reached base safely 11 games in a row, having that streak snapped this past Thursday.
During this hot stretch of 50 plate appearances, McAdoo is batting .340/.380/.681 with four home runs. That includes another two homer day on April 30th. McAdoo went 3-for-3 this time, hitting two homers and a triple, while also walking once and knocking in five runs. It was his third home run in two games.
McAdoo is playing in Greensboro this year, which features a very hitter friendly park. That two homer day came at home. However, McAdoo had hits in four of five games on the road during his hot stretch, with a double and a home run. He’s shown an ability to hit outside of Greensboro.
The Pirates drafted McAdoo as a second baseman and a corner outfielder. This year he has been playing a lot of games at third base, with some work at first, and occasional work at second or right field. He profiles as a bat-first player, regardless of where he plays, although the move to third is interesting.
What stands out about McAdoo is his tendency to be a streaky hitter, with a lot of production when he’s hitting. During his junior year, he homered once through March 23rd. He finished the season with ten homers and a .325/.409/.543 line. He started hot in Bradenton, then faded at the end of a long year. He started slow in Greensboro, but is now heating up once again at the plate.
McAdoo will be a guy to watch to see if he can gain consistency with his offensive output. The 6′ 2″, 210 pounder has shown power potential and good contact skills, with production in smaller bursts. Gaining consistency over his power and contact skills will help lead to more frequent results.
