Pittsburgh Pirates New Year Resolutions: Hit For More Power
It is no secret that the Pirate's offense was downright bad during the 2020 season. While offense was down across the league, players who were expected to perform like Josh Bell, Bryan Reynolds, and Adam Frazier ended up producing mediocre numbers at best. The lone stand-out was Colin Moran on an otherwise quiet offense throughout the season. One problem the Pirates have is the fact that they don't hit a lot of home runs or even have a prominent power threat on the team. The last Pirate to hit more than 30 homers in a season was Josh Bell in 2019, but he is now a member of the Washington Nationals. On the current roster, Gregory Polanco is the only player to hit more than 20 home runs in a single season.
For the Pirate's first New Year's Resolution, the team is hoping to hit more home runs during the 2021 season. They have some guys with potential like Colin Moran and Bryan Reynolds, but they have to prove themselves at the Big League Level. Others could have a breakout season and help this offense that on paper isn't a very frightening sight. Moran and Polanco will more-than-likely split time as the team's clean-up hitter throughout the season depending on who has the hot hand. There are still several moves to be made this off-season, and Ben Cherington could bring in another outfielder via trade or free agency. Whatever happens, the Pirates are looking for more power in 2021.
2020 Power Outage
During the 2020 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates ranked in the bottom half of Major League baseball in terms of home runs hit. They were tied for 27th in the league with the Cleveland Indians, with each team hitting 59 home runs during the season. Now, a lack of home runs doesn't necessarily mean you were a bad team, as two of the four teams in the bottom of the MLB in home runs made the playoffs, but it goes a long way in helping you score runs. In the 60-game shortened season, only one Pirates player hit double-digit home runs (Colin Moran, 10), and only four-hit more than five home runs during the season. Also take into account that eight of those home runs are gone with the Josh Bell trade, leaving the Pirates in a worse situation.
It wasn't just the fact that the Pirates weren't hitting home runs a lot, they were among the bottom of the pack in hard-hit percentage as well. As a team, they had an average hard-hit percentage of just 37.7%, including two players that ranked in the bottom 20% of all Major League Baseball. To put it into perspective, the Pirates finished just three percent higher than league average and, if it wasn't for Gregory Polanco's 51.6 hard-hit percentage it would have been below league average. With the spacious gaps at PNC Park, the Pirates should be taking advantage and splitting those gaps for extra-base hits. The power to hit the ball hard just isn't there and it has affected this offense for the past several years since the team last made the playoffs in 2015.
The problem extends beyond the Major League team, as there are really no prospects who display the 20-30 home run type power you would like to see. The closest prospects showing that potential are utility man Hunter Owen and third base prospect Dylan Busby. Both are not very high-ceiling players but have hit between 15 and 20 home runs in each of the last two seasons. Owens could see Major League time this season, but will most likely be a bench player and Busby is still getting his feet wet in Triple-A. Both prospects haven't hit for a very high average, and the strikeouts are concerning as they make their next move. However, the Pirates are counting on some of their players to breakout in 2021.
Key Players To Turn Around
In order for the Pirates to fulfill this New Year's Resolution, they are going to have to count on some key players to turn things around. One of the main pieces they will rely on is new first baseman, Colin Moran. With Bell traded to the Nationals, Moran becomes one of the only power threats in the lineup, and he hasn't yet shown that power ability. Last season, he was the only Pirates to hit double-digit home runs and finished with 10 in 52 games played last season. Projected out across a 162-game season, he was on pace to hit 31 home runs. While it is unlikely Moran would have reached that, he has never hit more than 18 in his pro career, it isn't out of the question to say he would have had 25 to 30 home runs. If the Pirates lineup adds to the power department, it is going to be in large part thanks to Colin Moran.
Another player they could see a bounce-back year from is outfielder Bryan Reynolds. Reynolds burst onto the scene during his rookie season hitting .314 with 16 home runs and 68 RBI. Reynolds was always a contact guy, so the average wasn't surprising, but the power caught people off guard. Reynolds's career-high in home runs in the Minor Leagues was just 10. Being a switch hitter, Reynolds has an advantage when he is a lefty because of the short porch at PNC Park. However, Reynolds struggled like most of the Pirates lineup in 2020 hitting .189 with seven home runs and 19 RBI. I have no doubt the average will bounce back, but the power is an added bonus if he can consistently pepper that right-field wall.
The third player I'm really looking forward to bringing some power is infielder Phillip Evans off the bench. While there is no full-time position available for him yet, if he can prove to hit the ball to the gaps and out of the ballpark consistently, he might force his way into the lineup. In just 11 games last season, he hit .359 with a home run and nine RBI. He had three extra-base hits and was showing promise before getting hit in the face by Polanco's elbow. Evans is a middle infielder by trade but can play all around the infield and even some corner outfield. During his Minor League career, he hit 15-20 home runs consistently and that would be a big lift off the bench. If the Pirates as a team can hit more home runs in 2020, they are primed to compete in more games throughout the year.
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