Pittsburgh Pirates 2021 Previews: IF Wilmer Difo
With all of the young talent on the Pittsburgh Pirates 2021 roster, the team was looking for a veteran presence to help out around the field. They have done this by adding guys like Todd Frazier, Trevor Cahill, and Brian Goodwin to help the young players in their development. However, one move for a veteran that might have been forgotten is one of the first free-agent signings of the off-season for the Pirates. On January 15th, 2021, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed veteran middle infielder and utility man Wilmer Difo as a Minor League Free Agent. Difo has spent the past six seasons with the Washington Nationals organization and is exactly what the Pirates are looking for in a super-utility guy.
Throughout his career, he has played every position on the field except first base, catcher, and pitcher, and has played all of them at a high level. His primary position has been second base throughout his career, where he holds a career .989 fielding percentage in over 1000 career innings played at the position. However, for as good as his defensive play has been, Difo's bat has just not followed him to the Big League level. Over his six Big League seasons, Difo is a career .247 hitter with 15 home runs and 79 RBI in 373 games played. As a non-roster invitee, it is going to be harder for Difo to make the team as someone would have to be removed from the 40-man roster. However, we look at Difo's 2020 season and how he can get on track to making an impact with the Pirates sometime this season.
Super Utility Career
Throughout Wilmer Difo's Big League career, he has always been used as a stereotypical super-utility player. He has come off the bench for the majority of his career, aside from the 2018 season when he appeared in 148 games for the Nationals. However, during that season he hit just .230 with seven home runs and 42 RBI. Because he wasn't getting on base as much, he couldn't use his speed effectively. He stole 10 bases that season in 13 attempts but featured an on-base percentage of just .298. He was not part of the Nationals 2019 World Series run, and his role on the team was beginning to diminish. In 2020, he was forced to fight for playing time and jumped up and down between the Major Leagues and the Alternate Training site.
At the start of the year, Difo did not have things going in his favor and had one of the worst Spring Training of his career. In 17 Spring Training games that year, he hit just .129 with one RBI in 17 Spring Training Games. With all of the middle infielders the Nationals had, Difo just made the cut and was on the Opening Day roster as a bench player at the start of 2020. He didn't get many opportunities early on, as his first appearance was as a defensive replacement on July 27th. He struggles mightily at the plate through his first five Big League games, going 0-4 to start the season. He hasn't been used as a starter, but it was more for his glovework that kept him at the Major League level.
When he got his first start on August 16th, he did not help himself, going 0-5 with a strikeout, and dropped his batting average under the .100 mark. It dropped to as low as .071, and the Nationals decided to DFA him on September 5th, 2020. He would eventually clear waivers and was assigned to the Nationals alternate training site where he would spend the rest of the season. When it came time for the off-season, Difo saw he had no spot left on the Nationals roster and he decided to test the free-agent waters. He found the Pirates right at the start of the new year and is hoping a change of scenery is what he needs to get himself back on track.
Difo in Black and Gold
Looking at Wilmer Difo's chances of making the Pittsburgh Pirates Opening Day roster, it is a long shot, to say the least. He has guys like Kevin Newman, Erik Gonzalez, and Adam Frazier in front of him and all three of those guys are having good springs. Difo himself has put up solid numbers, hitting .276 with an RBI in his first 29 at-bats. However, there just isn't room for Difo on the Big League club even if his offense shows improvement. The real value that Difo brings to the Pirates is his defensive abilities, and he can help guys like Cole Tucker be better in the Minor Leagues. However, the ultimate goal is to get back to the Major Leagues, and Difo's versatility is going to be his key component.
Most of his time in the Major Leagues has been spent in the middle infield, and that is where he seems to be most comfortable. He is a guy who can give anyone a day off around the field, but at second base is where he has done his best work. In 1022 innings played at second base, Difo has a career fielding percentage of .989. He has helped turn 54 double plays during his career at second base and has committed just 24 errors. However, Difo has used his speed to recently transition to the outfield, where he has experience at all three positions. This might be his ticket to the Big Leagues as the Pirate's outfield is looking for some more depth.
As for where Difo starts the year, it will more than likely be at the Pirates alternate training site in Altoona. With the Triple-A season being pushed back a month, Difo could be a guy the Pirates put on the taxi squad to use in case of injury. It is going to take more than 26 guys to get through a full season, and Difo will more than likely get a call if he accepts a demotion to the Minor Leagues. He could be a guy called upon very early, and if he gets his opportunity, he needs to take advantage of it. He has had a very good spring so far, with a .276 batting average, but there is just no room for him right now. As the season goes on, Difo's versatility might help him, and get him into a Pirates uniform.
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