Kevin Kramer Changes Positions on Path to the Major Leagues
Since being drafted in the second round of the 2015 Major League draft, Kevin Kramer has been training to be the Pirates second baseman of the future. He has always hit for a high average and got on base consistently, being ranked #10 on MLB's Top Second Base Prospect list. However, things have changed since being drafted and there are now several players ahead of Kramer for that second base spot forcing him to make a change. A position change at any point in a professional career can be hard, but Kramer has the challenge of having to do it while transitioning into "The Show."
Over the last year, Kramer has been learning the outfield as he fights for a spot on the Pirates bench in 2020. His first two seasons in the big leagues have not gone his way, as he hit a combined .152, but Kramer has always been a guy who has hit for average and consistently got on base. In 113 games at Triple-A Indianapolis last season, Kramer hit .260 with 10 home runs and 54 RBI. He had three different stints in the Major Leagues in 2020, but didn't come up full time until September 4th when the rosters expanded.
While Kramer hasn't shown it at the Big League level to this point, he has consistently hit for average throughout his professional career. In five seasons in the Minor Leagues, Kramer is a career .286 hitter, and had three seasons where he collected 100 or more hits. He hit .260 or better in five of his six seasons in professional baseball and gets on base at a .387 clip. Early in his career, the 26-Year Old was hitting for almost no power but, as he has made the transition to Triple-A, he started to find that stroke.
The 2018 season was a breakout year in terms of power for Kramer as he hit a career high 15 home runs after hitting no more than six in any previous season. He also saw career highs in doubles (35), RBI (59), hits (148), batting average (.311),and stolen bases (13) that season as he turned into more of a professional hitter. It was the culmination of a season long challenge the Pirates had put before Kramer of becoming more of a power hitter. Even though the power has come, Kramer has not lost the knack for being able to get on base.
Kramer ranked fourth among International League second baseman last season with his .335 on base percentage. He had his second straight 30+ double season and kept the power with 10 home runs. This success got him his second call to the Major Leagues on July 7th, but he appeared in just one game as a pinch runner before being sent down the next day. This is when Kramer started making the change to the outfield and it earned him another call during the September call-ups.
His success at getting on base in the minors did not transfer to the Major League level as Kramer hit .167 with nine RBI in 22 games played. His average was up 30 points from his 2018 call-up numbers, but it still isn't where Kramer wants it to be. The good news, his hard hit percentage was high at 34.6% and he hit the ball on the sweet spot 40.7% of the time. Kramer also hits line drives more often than not, at 40.7%, and that is going to be a benefit to him in the long run of a Major League season.
The pitch that Kramer has had the most success with at the Major League level was the off-speed pitch. He hit .273 against the off-speed pitch in 2019 and has a career .307 average against the off-speed pitch. This is a good sign for the youngster as usually it takes professional hitters time to adjust to the off-speed stuff. With Kramer already doing well against the pitch, he can focus on finding the fastball and getting those power numbers that he saw in the Minor Leagues up to the Major League level.
While his offense has not found its way to the Major League level, his defense has made its way. In his first two seasons working in the Big Leagues, Kramer has comitted just one error in over 160 innings of work. Last season, he played 93.2 innings in the outfield split between left and right field and had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. He was a perfect 13 for 13 in put outs and made 11 starts in the outfield. That work might have helped Kramer's chances to make the Pirates bench in 2020 as it adds another layer of versatility to Kramer's game.
Kramer can now play second base, shortstop, third base, and both outfield spots. With not alot of Major League depth ready at those positions, Kramer becomes a valuable asset that can sub in at several different positions. If Kramer can get some more consistent playing time at the Major League level, he will hopefully be able to bring those numbrrs from the Minor Leagues up to the Big Leagues to help the Pirayes this season. He made it past the first round of Spring Training cuts and is showing some promise to crack the Opening Day Roster for the first time in his career.
Prediction: .278, 5 HR, 33 RBI
I think 2020 will be the year where Kevin Kramer puts it all together at the Major League level. While I don't think he cracks the Opening Day Roster, I can see Kramer making a difference when he gets the call to the Major Leagues. With a line drive percentage as high as Kramer's, and his hard hit percentage going up, Kramer is bound to find holes in the defense and reach base on a consistent basis. I think he will continue to be a super utility player for the Bucs giving spells to other players when they nees them and, if he gets hot he could force Derek Shelton to keep him in the lineup.
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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