PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – If you've followed Ben Cherington's moves in his year and a half on the job, you'll notice he's adding to an already potentially deep group at shortstop and centerfield.
He's aware you can't play 9 shortstops; it's part of a bigger plan.
"If we can add players that play in the middle of the field," Cherington said. "Typically speaking that gives you more options down the road. There's just more places to go. If you can play short or second there's more places to go on the diamond. If you can play center you can always go to a corner. We feel good if we continue to stockpile talent up the middle and feel like that gives us a lot of different directions we can go to down the line."
Some of the Pirates best minor-league players fit that description and they invited some to big league camp scheduled to starts in the middle of the month.
Nick Gonzales-SS
-The Pirates number one pick from last year. Baseball America calls him the "Best Hitter for Average" in their entire system and he has never suited up for a professional game. The 21-year-old shortstop played in 128 games at New Mexico State hitting .399 with a .502 on base percentage. His last year shortened to 16 games. He hit 12 homers in those 16 games, with 36 RBI, 21 walks to 10 strikeouts. His last full season, in 2019, Gonzales (5'10", 195 pounds) played in 55 games, hitting .432 with 16 HR and 80 RBI. The righty-hitter is the Pirates top prospect and currently 51st overall.
Ji-hwan Bae-SS
-A really intriguing prospect out of South Korea, he was last year's "Best Hitter for Average" in the Pirates farm system according to Baseball America. He may also be their best baserunner with 31 steals in 86 games in 2019 at low A ball. That season, Bae hit .323 (tops in the South Atlantic League) with 25 doubles, 5 triples, no homers and 38 RBI. The lefty hitter, but righty thrower walked 43 times and struck out 77. Bae has the jump on Gonzales being at the team's alternate training site in Altoona last year. He was an investment by former GM Neal Huntington, signing a $1.2 million dollar bonus to join the Bucs in 2018.
Liover Peguero-SS
-The 5th best prospect according to MLBPipeline, was also rated as the "Best Athlete" in the entire minor league system. Peguero joined Bae at the Altoona site in 2020 after joining the Pirates as part of the return in the Starling Marte trade with Arizona. A right-handed hitter, Peguero just turned 20 from the Dominican Republic. He is 6'1", 160 pounds. Between rookie and low A ball last year, he hit .326 with 11 doubles, 5 triples, 5 homers, 38 RBI and 11 steals.
Travis Swaggerty-CF
-The Pirates first round pick in 2018 out of South Alabama. The 5'11", 180 pound lefty is the Bucs Best Defensive Outfielder according to Baseball America and the 7th best prospect by MLBPipeline. He hit just .239 his first full year in pro ball with little power. In 121 games in high A Bradenton in 2019, the numbers improved. Swaggerty hit .265 with 20 doubles, 9 homers and 40 RBI, scoring 79 runs and stealing 23 bases. The 23-year-old made three errors in 322 chances and threw out seven runners. He also spent time in Altoona in 2020 as part of the alternate training site.
The Pirates will also invite Kevin Kramer, a second round pick in 2015, released in October and re-signed with the Pirates. The 27-year-old righty started as a shortstop and plays mostly second base now. He has 79 MLB at bats with a .152 average and 9 RBI. In 2018 at Triple A, Kramer hit .311 with 15 home runs.
Add these names to shortstop/second baseman Adam Frazier, Oneil Cruz, Erik Gonzalez, Kevin Newman, Rodolfo Castro and Cole Tucker on the 40-man roster.
Tucker could also be a centerfield option joining Anthony Alford, Jared Oliva and potentially Bryan Reynolds up the middle.
If Cherington likes up the middle players, he has a lot of options in Bradenton this year.
