Jose Osuna Looks to Fill Power Role Off the Bench in 2020
Ever since playing in 104 games during his rookie season and hitting just .233 with a measly 7 home runs and 30 RBI, Jose Osuna has appeared as a bench player for the Pirates in each of the last two seasons. While for some this would be a discouragement, Osuna took it as an opportunity to get better and has produced solid numbers. He put it all together in 2019, becoming one of the best pinch hitters in the game at one point, and he has become a viable back-up option for Josh Bell over at first base.
Osuna once again looks to secure a spot on the Pirates bench in 2020 as he tries to earn another chance at a starting spot. In 2019, Osuna had his best year at the Major League level to date hitting .264 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI in 95 games played. Osuna has added versatility to his arsenal, being able to play four different positions on the field, so he can fill in where the Pirates need him to. He picked up third base last season, playing a platoon role with Colin Moran for part of the season, adding more value to the 27-year old.
However, Osuna's greatest value comes in his ability to come through off the bench. In 33 games where he had just one at bat, Osuna hit .333 with five home runs and 13 RBI. Pinch hitting is one of the hardest things to do at the major league level but, it is something that the Pirates excelled at in 2019. They ranked in the top 10% of the league in every pinch hitting stat and Osuna was a big part of that. One of the things that led to Osuna's success was his ability to hit the ball hard last season.
He was hitting the ball harder than he ever had before in 2019 with a hard hit percentage of 37.4. While not all his hard hits leave the yard, Osuna used the gaps effectively to the tune of 20 doubles, leading all bench players for the Pirates in that category in 2019. Osuna has shown an ability to hit the ball to all fields and he used his 8.8 launch angle to get the ball in the air at about 44% of the time. This led to Osuna finding gaps and being able to drive in runs off the bench.
Osuna helps out his numbers by not striking out much and putting the ball in play on a consistent basis. He had the lowest strikeout percentage of his career in 2019, striking out just 16.8% of the time. That was five percent lower than the league average and, when you don't strike out it means you are at least putting the ball in play. Osuna saw a lot of fastballs in 2019, seeing them 50% of the time, and hit .281 with seven of his 10 home runs and 11 doubles. With Osuna seeing many of his at bats coming off the bench, that success against the fastball is going to help him in 2020.
On the defensive side of things, Osuna is going to be relied on to play several different positions in 2020. After coming through the minor leagues as an outfielder, Osuna has had to change positions throughout his career as the makeup of the major league roster changed. He first moved to first base and then, when Josh Bell emerged, he moved across the diamond over to third base as he tried to find a permanent home. He was in a platoon with Colin Moran for a while at third base and, the hard work paid off as he did not comitt an error at the hot corner in 102.1 innings.
He spent most of his playing time backing up Bell at first base, where he produced just three errors and had a .987 fielding percentage. He saw a lot of time at the position towards the end of the season when he took over when the Pirates shut down Bell. Osuna has always been a solid defender, especially in the infield, making all the necessary plays to keep his team in the game. With the spacious outfield at PNC Park, Osuna's days as an outfielder are numbered as he will more than likely see most of his reps in the infield.
With the uncertainty of 2020, and the makeup of the roster moving forward, Osuna could see a good deal of playing time in 2020. He could go back into a platoon role with Moran while giving Bell time off when he needs. If he can continue his success as a pinch hitter and play solid defense, he is going to be a big part of the Pirates bench this season.
Prediction: .274, 13 HR, 57 RBI
With double headers and a shorter season being a possibility in 2020, look for Jose Osuna to play a bigger role this season. Coming off of a career year last year, I think Osuna is going to continue to get better and establish himself as a true major league player. I think a majority of his reps will come at third base this season as he and Colin Moran share the duties until Ke'Bryan Hayes is ready to make the jump to the everyday third baseman's role.
As of now, the season is expected to begin somewhere around May 25th. Until then, we will continue to look at the men who make up this year's team and their contributions in 2020.
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