Looking At The Pirates Shortstop Battle
As the Pittsburgh Pirates get ready to enter Spring Training 2021, there still remains a lot of questions on the Big League club. One of those questions revolves around who will be playing shortstop for the team this season. After Kevin Newman's struggles at the plate last season, there is likely to be competition heading into the 2021 season. Plus, if Adam Frazier is traded, that would more than likely move Newman to second base, opening the field for more competition at shortstop. With so many middle infielders on the Pirates roster, Manager Derek Shelton has a couple of different options he can play with.
If everything stays put before the start of the season, it is more likely than not that Kevin Newman will at least start the year as the starter. However, knocking on the door behind him are Cole Tucker and Erik Gonzalez all ready to step in if Newman falters. Even further behind you have Wilmer Difo and Oneil Cruz each have a viable shot contributing to the team in 2021. All the competition is a good thing for the Pirates as it lights a fire under the players and forces them to perform if they want to keep their jobs. It also allows Shelton to bench someone who is struggling and go with the hot bat when the team needs it. Now, we look at the four main competitors for the starting shortstop job and what they bring to the table.
#27 Kevin Newman:
Over the last two seasons, Kevin Newman has taken the reigns as the primary shortstop in Pittsburgh. After a dominant rookie year that saw him hit .308 with 12 home runs and 64 RBI, the thought was that he would bounce back stronger than ever. Unfortunately, that was not the case as his offense slipped to a .224 average with one home run and 12 RBI in 44 games last season. He was still keeping his strikeout rate at around 12%, but he wasn't getting as lucky with balls in play as he was the season before. His BABIP dropped from .333 in 2019 to .225 in 2020 meaning that the balls he did put in play weren't finding holes.
On the defensive side of the ball, things got worse for Newman as he had a fielding percentage of .960, down from .973 the year before. He committed five errors in 184.1 innings played at the position while helping to turn eight double plays. The thing with Newman is when he is hitting, you can make up for a little below average defensive play. However, if you aren't a good hitting shortstop, you have to make up for it with stellar defensive play. If Newman wants to hold onto the starting shortstop job in 2021, he is going to have to bring his bat up. If not, he could be pushed down the depth chart for another player who can handle the defensive demands of the position.
#2 Erik Gonzalez
A guy on the exact opposite path for the Pirates in terms of play at shortstop is Erik Gonzalez. Gonzalez struggled during his first month with Pittsburgh in 2019, and a broken collar bone left him out for the season. He never fully recovered when he returned and hit .254 with a home run and six RBI. Flash forward to 2020, and Gonzalez was on the bench for Opening Day. However, Colin Moran's struggles at third base and an injury to Newman opened the door for some opportunities for Gonzalez. He became one of the best hitters on the Pirates halfway through the season when he was batting .349 on August 14th. By season's end, his average came back down and he hit .227 with three home runs and 20 RBI.
However, the normally sure-handed Gonzalez struggled defensively just like his counterpart did. He posted a .951 fielding percentage at shortstop, committing five errors in 308.2 innings at the position. It was the poorest full-season defensive performance put up by Gonzalez, leaving the Pirates with more questions than answers when it comes to up the middle defense. When he played shortstop in 2019, he had a more respectable .966 fielding percentage, but that is still on the lower side for shortstops. Gonzalez's key to getting the starting job at shortstop is going to be his defensive play, and if he is going to beat out Newman, that is the number one thing he needs to work on this off-season.
#3 Cole Tucker
Over the last two seasons, fans have got short glimpses of young shortstop Cole Tucker, but he hasn't done anything to get their full attention. He hit a game-winning home run in his MLB debut, but aside from that, there isn't much else to show. He spent all of last season as an outfielder and hit just .220 with a home run and eight RBI, spanning 109 at-bats. His career numbers take an even further dip as his career batting average sits at just .215. Rumor has it that Tucker will venture back into the middle infield this season, a position he is much more adept at playing. His defensive ability is undeniable as he posted a .986 fielding percentage in 2019 at the position.
Tucker is one of those guys that is easy to root for, but you are just waiting for him to breakout. A move in from the outfield should help him relax and get back to playing a position he knows, bringing his mindset back to hitting. He did show spurts of success in 2019, finishing the year with a .256 batting average, and if he could consistently hit like that he could make for a serviceable everyday shortstop. In a position ruled by defense, Tucker needs his offense to come through to set him apart. Tucker consistently had a batting average of .270 or higher in the Minor Leagues, if he could just get back to that at the Big League level, he could be a key piece for the Pirates future.
Wilder Difo
While this final option is the farthest thing from happening, newest addition Wilmer Difo could still see some time on the bench with the Pirates this year. Difo had a very poor showing in 12 games last season, hitting. 071 with one RBI in 14 at-bats. He has spent the last six years in the Washington Nationals organization and is a very defensively sound shortstop. He has a career fielding percentage of .979 at shortstop but brings value all over the field. The only three positions he can't play on the diamond are first base, catcher, and pitcher. He looks to use his versatility to earn a spot on the Pirates bench and make an impact on the defensive side of the ball.
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