The Pirates Prospects 2017 Prospect Guide is now available for pre-sales. The book will be released the week before Spring Training, and we are currently in the process of making the final changes with editing and formatting.
The book features prospect reports on everyone in the system, the 2017 top 50 prospects, and the most comprehensive coverage of the Pirates’ farm system that you can find. Subscribers to the site get discounted books, with Top Prospect subscribers getting $10 off, and Annual subscribers getting $5 off. The eBook will be released when the book is released, and will also come with discounts. Details on the promotions can be found on the products page, and you can subscribe to the site or upgrade your current plan on the subscriptions page.
While the top 50 prospects are exclusive to the book, we will be releasing the top 20 prospects over the next few weeks as a countdown to the start of Spring Training, and to give a preview of the release of the book. We will be wrapping up on Monday, February 13th. The reports will only be available to site subscribers, including those with a monthly plan. You can subscribe here, and if you like these reports, be sure to purchase your copy of the book on the products page of the site to get much more analysis on every player in the system.
To recap the countdown so far:
20. Alen Hanson, 2B
17. Elias Diaz, C
16. Max Kranick, RHP
13. Clay Holmes, RHP
10. Gage Hinsz, RHP
We continue the countdown with the number 8 prospect, Will Craig.
8. Will Craig, 3B
It’s hard to ignore the similarities between 2016 first round pick Will Craig and 2015 first round pick Kevin Newman. Both players were highly regarded for their offense, highlighted by an advanced approach to hit for average and get on base, while also having questions about their defense and future position in the majors once the bat carries them to the top level.
Both players also got off to a slow start in their pro debut. Newman showed what he could do in the following year. Craig didn’t wait that long, hitting for a .540 OPS in his first 89 plate appearances, followed by an .885 OPS in his final 185 plate appearances. He’s got a longer swing than Newman, which leads to more raw power and home run potential, but he can still hit to all fields, hits for average, and does a great job of controlling the strike zone and getting on base.
The defense is where things are different. Newman projects to stay at his premium position. Craig was drafted as a third baseman, but the odds of him sticking there long-term are slim. Best case, it’s a Pedro Alvarez situation where he spends a few decent years at the position in the majors before moving over to first. The good news is that first base isn’t completely foreign to him.
Craig was a pitcher in college, with the ability to throw 94 MPH. During his sophomore year, he played first base to preserve his arm strength. He had some shoulder soreness during the 2016 season, leading to some poor throws from third. This led to the Pirates putting him at first base during instructs, aimed at getting his arm some rest and getting him more time at the position.
The Pirates aren’t planning on moving Craig from third base any time soon, but it’s good that he’s already familiar with first, since that will be his eventual position. It’s easy to see why they’d keep him at third, since he has a plus arm, isn’t currently a huge liability, and his bat is very appealing at the position. His goal during the offseason was focusing on conditioning to stick at the position.
The future for Craig with the Pirates isn’t exactly clear. Ke’Bryan Hayes projects as the better long-term third baseman, but there could be a time when Hayes isn’t ready and the Pirates need Craig to bridge the gap. After that, Craig would need Josh Bell to move on in order to take over at first. Just like Newman, the defense will be a focus going forward, and Craig might stay in Bradenton a bit longer than his bat deserves, all to focus on improving the defensive skills at third base.
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