Pirates Deepen Outfield Poll With Addition of Dustin Fowler
Last season, the position that lacked the most Major League depth for the Pirates was their outfield. It got so bad that when Gregory Polanco went down with COVID-19 at the beginning of last season, the Pirates had to convert Cole Tucker to the outfield to pick up the slack. It was an experiment that clearly did not work, and Ben Cherington learned from that mistake. He has brought in a slew of outfielders this off-season to provide depth at the position, including Troy Stokes Jr. and Brian Goodwin. However, that wasn't enough for the Pirates General Manager as he made another move for an outfielder Thursday evening that adds some more competition to Big League camp.
The Pirates were able to acquire 26-year-old outfielder Dustin Fowler from the Oakland Athletics for cash. Oakland had just designated the outfielder for assignment, and the Pirates saw an opportunity to grab a young left-handed bat with some power potential. To make room for Fowler on the 40-man roster, the Pirates placed LHP Austin Davis on the 60-day Injured List after he suffered a sprained elbow during the off-season. Fowler was an 18th round draft pick of the New York Yankees in 2013 and had been with the Athletics since 2017. He only appeared in one big league season back in 2018 and hit .224 with six home runs and 23 RBI over 192 at-bats. Today, we look at what Fowler brings to the Pirates and how he might fit into the mix in 2021.
Speed With Power Potential
When you look at a tall and lanky guy like Fowler, you don't really expect much speed. However, Fowler brings a combination of speed and power to the lineup but just hasn't made it click in the Major Leagues. 2018 was his only season of Major League ball, and he had a stolen base success rate of 60% (6-10). However, a look at his Minor League career shows that he had the potential for much more than that. His career-high in stolen bases was back in 2015 when he nabbed 30 bases in the Yankees organization. He has had double-digit stolen bases In every season since as he has learned how to take better jumps on the base paths.
However, to go along with that speed, Fowler also brings a power potential that has really grown over the last couple of years. After hitting just 14 home runs over his first three Minor League seasons, Fowler found his power stroke during the 2016 season. He hit a career-high 12 home runs that season, as he developed more of an uppercut swing that gave him more lift. He would hit double-digit home runs in three of the next four years, the only exception being in 2018 when he spent most of the season in the Major Leagues. 2019 was his best season in terms of power as he hit .277 with 25 home runs and 89 RBI with Triple-A Las Vegas. He did not get a chance to show that power in 2020, as he spent the entire season at the Athletics alternate training site.
One of the reasons that Fowler has not been in the Major Leagues the last two seasons is the sheer number of outfielders in Oakland. They currently have eight outfielders on their 40-man roster, and with Ramon Laureano and Stephen Piscotty leading the group that leaves five guys battling for one spot. So, with nowhere to go in Oakland, the team decided to designate him for assignment to give him another chance. With the Pirates starving for outfield depth, the fit seems right as a left-handed power hitter comes to a park that favors lefties. If he can cut down on his strikeouts while still showing the power, he could become a steal for the Pirates.
Making His Mark in Pittsburgh
With no Minor League options left, it is very likely that Fowler will join the Pirates when they head to Chicago on April 1st. At 26-years-old, he fits the Pirates mold of young and controllable players and could serve as a short-term replacement for Gregory Polanco once the Pirates rid of his contract, either at the trade deadline or next off-season. For Fowler, the big key to this season will be working on limiting his strikeouts while still hitting for power. In 2019, he hit his career-high 25 home runs, but also struck out 145 times. That is good for a strikeout rate of just over 23%, which is ok if he is hitting for power, but is a little high if that power never comes. The short porch in right field should provide some help for the 26-year-old as he can use his uppercut swing to send balls over the wall.
Most of Fowler's success on the defensive side of the ball has come from center field, although he has played all three positions in his career. His good speed will help him in spacious PNC Park as he covers an average of 33 feet per second and has a burst time of 0.4 seconds, which ranks him near the top of the MLB. During the 2018 season, Fowler played 57 of his 63 games played in centerfield and had a .991 fielding percentage in 403 innings played at the position. He showed a decent arm with one outfield assist while committing just one error. He has played three games each in left field and right field and did not commit an error in either corner position.
The acquisition of Fowler gives the Pirates some more competition in Spring Training as the Pirates try to fill their final outfield spot. Manager Derek Shelton has already said that Bryan Reynolds will be in left and Gregory Polanco will be in right, but the Pirates are still looking for the guy in center field. It is going to come down to Anthony Alford, Brian Goodwin, and Fowler to see who wins the spot. One of those two will also serve as the team's fourth outfielder. The problem is, Goodwin is on a Minor League contract so he could walk if he doesn't make the team, and Alford and Fowler both don't have Minor League options. It will be interesting to see how the Pirates work it out, but Fowler comes into camp looking to prove himself to the Pirates.
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