Jake Elmore

WTM’s PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2008
R+:  296/390/464, 179 AB, 15 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 26 BB, 36 K, 9-17 SB

The Diamondbacks sent Elmore to advanced rookie ball, where he mainly played second.  He hit very well, although as a college draftee he was probably a little more advanced than the average at the level.

2009
A:  258/365/351, 387 AB, 21 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 61 BB, 55 K, 13-20 SB

In full season ball, Elmore continued to play mainly second.  He didn’t hit nearly as well, with his power especially dropping off, but he walked more than he struck out.

2010
AA:  278/374/345, 388 AB, 16 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 58 BB, 56 K, 25-38 SB

The D’backs moved Elmore up two levels and he turned in largely the same season at the plate, including slightly more walks than strikeouts.  He spent the majority of his time at second, but played 38 games at short and 15 at third.

2011
AA:  270/362/349, 381 AB, 19 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 54 BB, 65 K, 3-6 SB

Elmore returned to AA and played regularly at second.  He again hit about the same.

2012
AAA:  344/442/465, 419 AB, 30 2B, 9 3B, 1 HR, 74 BB, 54 K, 32-40 SB
MLB:  191/247/250, 68 AB, 4 2B, 5 BB, 6 K

Elmore had a big year in AAA, although the Pacific Coast League probably helped.  This time he played short more than second.  Arizona added him to the roster and called him up in August when Willie Bloomquist got hurt.  He played mainly at short, but didn’t hit much.  After the season, the D’backs waived Elmore and Houston claimed him.

2013
AAA:  299/382/433, 268 AB, 13 2B, 4 3B, 5 HR, 31 BB, 37 K, 16-22 SB
MLB:  242/313/325, 120 AB, 4 2B, 2 HR, 13 BB, 20 K, 1-7 SB

The Astros sent Elmore to AAA, but brought him up briefly in May and then for the rest of the season in late June.  He hit passably and split his time in the field between short, second and the outfield.  After the season, the White Sox claimed him off waivers and then sent him to Oakland for cash.

2014
AAA (Oak):  282/374/365, 181 AB, 15 2B, 27 BB, 26 K, 9-13 SB
AAA (Cinn):  279/379/302, 86 AB, 2 2B, 15 BB, 15 K, 3-3 SB
MLB (Cinn):  182/250/182, 11 AB, 1 BB, 4 K

Elmore missed the first two and a half months of the season with a strained left quadriceps.  The A’s sent him to AAA once he was ready to play, but put him on waivers at the end of July and the Reds claimed him.  They sent him to AAA, then called him up for September, although he played only sparingly.

2015
AAA:  247/377/268, 198 AB, 4 2B, 38 BB, 30 K, 4-8 SB
MLB:  206/263/284, 141 AB, 5 2B, 2 HR, 12 BB, 25 K, 1-2 SB

The Pirates ended up with Elmore through an odd series of transactions.  The Reds outrighted him to AAA on November 3, then reportedly signed him to a minor league contract two days later.  The Pirates, however, claimed him off waivers on November 7.  He had one option left, but the Pirates designated him for assignment in January to clear roster space for Jung-Ho Kang.  Elmore cleared waivers, but refused the assignment and became a free agent.  He signed with the Rays in February and got called up in April.  He ended up splitting his time between the majors and AAA, playing all the infield positions at both levels, as well as in left for the Rays.  He also pitched an inning for each team.  Elmore produced very little on offense beyond drawing a lot of walks in AAA.  After the season, the Rays outrighted him, and he refused assignment and signed with the Brewers.

2016
AAA:  320/428/380, 150 AB, 3 2B, 2 HR, 26 BB, 19 K, 13-17 SB
MLB:  218/371/244, 78 AB, 2 2B, 17 BB, 17 K, 2-5 SB

Elmore again divided his time between AAA and the majors.  He hit uncharacteristically well in AAA.  While with the Brewers, Elmore played second, third and every outfield position.  After the season, Elmore signed with Toronto.

2017
AAA (Tor):  231/321/273, 308 AB, 6 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 38 BB, 54 K, 11-18 SB
AAA (Mia):  269/345/327, 52 AB, 3 2B, 6 BB, 5 K, 1-2 SB

Elmore spent much of the season with the Blue Jays, but they traded him to Miami for cash considerations in mid-August.  Overall, he continued to hit as before, with a lot of walks but no power.  In the field he played second, third, short, left and right.

2018
AAA:  289/397/359, 329 AB, 18 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 55 BB, 58 K, 11-13 SB

Elmore signed with the White Sox in February and spent the season in AAA.  He had his best season in a while, hitting for a good average with the usual large number of walks.  He played second, third, short and left, and pitched once.  After the season, Elmore became a free agent again and re-signed with the White Sox, but they sent him to the Pirates for cash at the beginning of the season.

2019
AAA:  322/387/455, 367 AB, 31 2B, 6 HR, 37 BB, 55 K, 3-11 SB
MLB:  209/244/233, 43 AB, 1 2B, 2 BB, 6 K, 0-1 SB

Elmore got off to a great start at Indianapolis, batting over .400 for much of the first six weeks of the season.  When Jung-Ho Kang went on the injured list, the Pirates called up Elmore.  He went 1-for-20 with no walks in the majors and, in late May, the Pirates designated him for assignment and outrighted him to Indianapolis.  He couldn’t keep up the near-.400 hitting, but he hit well the rest of the year, with a lot of doubles and good plate discipline.  He spent most of his time playing second, short and left.  The Pirates called Elmore back up in mid-September when they were hit with several injuries and weren’t willing to call up Ke’Bryan Hayes or Will Craig.  Elmore ended up playing regularly late in the season when the Pirates’ outfield was wiped out by still more injuries.

The Pirates outrighted Elmore to AAA after the season and he opted for free agency.  He then re-signed with them for 2020 on a minor league deal, including an invitation to major league training.