Matt Gorski Has Been Getting Work at First Base This Year

The Pittsburgh Pirates are giving all of their minor league players secondary positions.

Though he has spent his professional career roaming the outfield, Matt Gorski is one of those players working at a different position.

While Gorski’s bat has him as one of the most talked about players in the system right now, and even his athleticism certainly plays a lot better in the outfield, he has embraced the opportunity to work at first base, a position he played some in college at Indiana.

“Being at first base is a lot different. I did it a lot in college, so I’m pretty used to it,” Gorski told Pirates Prospects. “It’s a different speed, it’s a different focus, and I like doing it. It’s a good switch up to go over there once a week and play.”

With his previous experience at the position, along with his natural athletic ability, Greensboro Manager Callix Crabbe isn’t surprised at how easy the position is coming for Gorski.

He recounted an instance in how natural Gorski looked at first, ranging to his right while holding a runner, scooping the ball and making the throw to the shortstop to get the lead runner.

“When you look at someone like that, you ask a question ‘Can he move around and create some defensive versatility and value not only for himself but for the Pirates?’ He’s been able to display that,” Crabbe said of Gorski’s abilities.

Gorski’s time at first base has been limited, as the Grasshoppers have also worked in Endy Rodriguez, Abrahan Gutierrez, and Jacob Gonzalez, among others, at the position. He’s started just three games there but has yet to commit an error.

Gorski is now in Altoona, where he’s started in the outfield each game so far. The Curve have a deep enough outfield that they could explore Gorski at first a little further.

Altoona has had Brendt Citta and Aaron Shackelford split time at first base, but Gorski getting some additional time would allow them to continue to get players like Andres Alvarez and Lolo Sanchez into the lineup.

Right now people are taking notice for the insane offensive numbers he is putting up, but Gorski can show off even more of his skillset with added opportunities moving around the diamond.