Pittsburgh Pirates 2021 Draft Prospects: C Luca Tresh
Right now, the Pittsburgh Pirates have a real problem when it comes to the catcher's position. Aside from Jacob Stallings at the Major League level, there are really no reliable catching options in the Minor Leagues. If Stallings were to get hurt, the struggling Michael Perez would have to step in, and there really is no telling who would back him up. The Pirates recently brought in catcher Christian Bethancourt to add to the depth, but even he isn't guaranteed to be an average offensive player. The only catcher in the organization that any scout is high on is Endy Rodriguez, who is in Low-A Bradenton right now. However, the second round of the draft may present a catcher that could add some pop and offensive prowess to the position.
North Carolina State's Luca Tresh has been around baseball his whole life and is the cousin of former American League rookie of the year Tom Tresh. NC State had the top catcher in the 2020 MLB Draft and Tresh is hoping to continue that trend in 2021. Although he has caught sparingly over his last two years, as a back-up to 2020 first-round draft pick Patrick Bailey, Tresh has become the lead man for NC State behind the plate during his junior season. Many scouts have him projected as a late first-round to early second-round pick who brings a lot of raw power and offensive ability to the table. If he slips through the first round, he could be a steal for the Pirates in the second round.
All-Around Hitting Prowess
The big thing on Tresh's resume is his offensive ability, both as a contact hitter and a power bat. When he was coming out of Clearwater Catholic Central Catholic in Safety Harbor, Florida, he was the 189th ranked high school prospect nationwide. However, he went undrafted and instead went with his commitment to NC State. Right from the get-go, he had a good teacher as he caught behind eventual 2020 first-round draft pick, Patrick Bailey. While Tresh didn't get a ton of opportunities behind the plate, it was his bat that got him noticed. He made his debut with NC State in 2019 and hit .224 with six home runs and 17 RBI. Even though he only played sparingly, he was fourth on the team in home runs and showed he could produce.
As a result, of his run production numbers, he found a way to stay in the NC State lineup playing both first base and some outfield. He continued to work on his offensive game and was starting to put it all together at the start of the 2020 season. In 11 games played in 2020, Tresh was able to hit .405 (17-45) with three home runs and nine RBI. He was tied for second in extra-base hits and home runs on the team, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit shutting down his season. It was almost a blessing in disguise for Tresh as he instantly went from catching sparingly to being the guy at NC State. However, he still had something to prove as he was out to show that he could hit the ball consistently.
He entered 2021 with a brand-new role and a brand-new opportunity to impress scouts and coaches. He has played in 38 games for NC State this year, and so far has shown that he can consistently hit for power while putting up a decent average. He hit .266 with nine home runs and 32 RBI and has been the top run producer for the Wolfpack. He was second on the team in home runs and tied for the team lead in RBI. However, where he really has made strides is defensively, as he has caught a career-high 38 games this season. He has caught 20.7% of would-be base stealers and has allowed seven passed balls in his 38 games played. His defense still has some development to do, but his offensive game is something scouts have been looking at when evaluating his draft stock.
Fresh Added To The Fold
At 21-years-old, the Pirates would want to get Tresh started on the system as quickly as they could. This would most likely mean a move to High-A Greensboro, where he can split reps with the light hitting Grant Koch. Greensboro is already an exciting team to watch with players like Nick Gonzales and Liover Peguero starting there, but again they don't have much power. Adding a power threat to the middle of the lineup, like Tresh, would make an already exciting lineup even more exciting to watch. First National Bank Park in Greensboro has traditionally been a hitter's park, and Tresh would be able to thrive if he can continue to hit for power.
The thing with Tresh is his defense needs some work simply because he hasn't caught a whole lot. After being one of the topped rank catching prospects out of high school, he was limited in his catching opportunities behind Patrick Bailey. While he is showing some improvement on the defensive side during his junior season, he still has a lot of work to do. Scouts have praised his leadership abilities and how he leads a pitching staff, sounds like another Major League catcher on the Pirates. With time, scouts say he could become a solid defender, and that combined with his power could make him a strong pick-up for the Pirates.
While this pick would mostly be for Tresh's bat, it would also address a big need in the organization. As the 41st ranked MLB Draft prospect by MLB Pipeline, there is a possibility that Tresh falls to the second round, where the Pirates may have a chance to grab him. Even if he doesn't work out as a catcher, he has experience playing first base and the corner outfield positions as well. He could also offer some competition in the lower levels of the Minor Leagues for Endy Rodriguez and give the Pirates a nice 1-2 punch behind the plate. It would ultimately be a risky pick for the Pirates on the defensive side of the ball but would add a nice power bat to the system in the lower levels of the Minor Leagues.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (17-23) are back in action tomorrow night when they start a short two-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals (23-17) at 7:45 pm. JT Brubaker (3-2, 2.58) takes the mound after a big win his last time out, going against John Gant (2-3, 1.83) for the Cardinals. You can watch the game on AT&T Sportsnet, listen on 93.7 The Fan, or follow along with us on Twitter by following @Buccos_Cove.
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