Albert Baur

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

2015
A-:  276/320/338, 210 AB, 13 2B, 14 BB, 42 K, 1-2 SB

Baur was the regular first baseman for Morgantown.  Oddly, he hit well against LHPs, with an .851 OPS, but struggled badly against RHPs, with a .587 OPS.  Overall, he hit for a solid average with weak plate discipline and limited power.

2016
A-:  279/357/413, 240 AB, 16 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 30 BB, 45 K, 2-4 SB

The Pirates sent Baur back to Morgantown for a second season, which he spent as the team’s regular first baseman.  He showed considerably more power and patience at the plate.  He did much of his damage late in the season, with an OPS nearly 200 points higher in August and September than in June and July.  He had a small platoon split.

2017
A:  298/367/439, 392 AB, 31 2B, 8 HR, 41 BB, 84 K

Baur opened the season as the first baseman for West Virginia, but got hurt a few days into the season and missed a month.  Once he returned he remained the regular.  Baur had a good year, showing a little more power than previously, but he played the year at age 25, which is very old for the level.  He also didn’t hit with the over-the-fence power teams want in players who are limited to first base.  He had no meaningful platoon split.

2018
A+:  266/327/411, 436 AB, 22 2B, 1 3B, 13 HR, 37 BB, 73 K, 1-3 SB

Baur had a solid season for Bradenton.  His numbers fell off a little from the previous year, but the difference in leagues, with the Florida State League being an extreme pitchers league, probably accounted for that.  He had a career high in home runs.  Of course, he did this at age 26 in class A.  Baur played first in a little over half the team’s games and appeared as DH the rest of the time.

The Pirates will probably move Baur up to Altoona in 2019.  The question, of course, is how much playing time they want to commit to a player who’s far too old to be a prospect.