Excitement about non-roster invitees to spring training? That's not a thing, right? Think again!
The Pirates announced this week the list of non-roster invitees that will be taking part in spring training.
This is typically where a team might bring in a veteran looking to regain form or add another year to the end of their career, but this year, for the rebuilding Pirates, it's all about the minor league prospects that we'll get a look at against some major league competition.
That's more important this year than ever before given that there wasn't a minor league season for the players to take advantage of.
It's not so much about them making the team out of camp though, but the hope that lies on the shoulders of these up and coming Pirates.
So let's take a look at which players have me the most excited and why.
Infielder Nick Gonzales - Pirates Number 1 Prospect
Drafted 7th overall just last year, Gonzalez really intrigues me more for what he represents than his chances of making the team (he won't). Gonzalez has played in zero minor league games, yet the Pirates are getting him exposure already. One of the biggest knocks against the old regime is that they took FOREVER to get prospects to the majors. My hope here is that the Pirates are already trying to get Gonzales on a fast track to the majors. If that's what's happening here, then that represents a major step in the right direction.
First Baseman Mason Martin - Pirates 25th Ranked Prospect
Having played no higher than AA, this name might surprise some in that there is excitement about him, but there's one reason why. Why hits dingers. Plain and simple. 35 to be exact in his last, full minor league season. I don't know if you've noticed, but that's in short supply around here. Martin won't break camp with the big league club, but it may not be too long before we get to see him. Colin Moran is going to get first base mostly to himself this year, but beyond that, the Pirates don't have many options at the position they like, and Martin could make a good impression this spring.
Infielder Liover Peguero - Pirates 5th Ranked Prospect
The shortstop position at the major league level is long on competition, but short on talent. Peguero still has some seasoning before being major league ready, but there has been excitement about him since he came over in the Starling Marte trade, and we may finally get to see what it's all about.
Outfielder Travis Swaggerty - Pirates 7th Ranked Prospect And Award Winner Of Coolest Last Name In The System
Again, you'll notice a theme here, not a guy that's going to make the roster to start the year, but of all the players I've mentioned so far, he has a chance of finding his way onto the major league roster this year. It's not so much that Swaggerty has climbed the minor league ladder, but more so the opportunity could present itself. The Pirates don't have a lot of depth in the outfield, and if they can pull off what feels like the impossible right now and trade Gregory Polanco, the need will only grow greater.
RHP Quinn Priester - Pirates 4th Ranked Prospect
The Pirates 18th overall pick in the 2019 draft, Priester is exactly what the Pirates need, a starting pitcher with elite-level potential. It's no secret, the Pirates needed pitching when Ben Cherington took over as General Manager, and he has done a great job acquiring more players on the front. Luckily for him, he inherited Priester from the Neal Huntington era and now it will fall on his new pitching staff to show they can accomplish what they old regime could not, developing that elite-level talent.
The Pirates 18th overall pick in the 2019 draft, Priester is exactly what the Pirates need, a starting pitcher with elite-level potential. It's no secret, the Pirates needed pitching when Ben Cherington took over as General Manager, and he has done a great job acquiring more players on the front. Luckily for him, he inherited Priester from the Neal Huntington era and now it will fall on his new pitching staff to show they can accomplish what they old regime could not, developing that elite-level talent.
So back to that theme of excitement. Spring Training is typically a time where you get excited about the players that are going to be on your opening day roster, but with the Pirates in rebuild mode, that's just not the case, but that doesn't mean there aren't players worth getting excited about.
There are other players that carry that some potential, like number three ranked prospect Oneil Cruz, but he's already on the 40-man roster and isn't a non-roster invitee. So while the major league team is going to take their lumps this year, keep an eye on these players as reason to hope for the future.
