Looking At The Pirates Second Base Options Following Frazier Trade
After much anticipation throughout the season, the Adam Frazier trade finally happened as the Pirates sent their All-Star second baseman to the San Diego Padres. In return, they got a package of prospects that are all 22 years of age or younger, and look to make an impact on the future of this team. However, in the present, it is a blow to the team as they lose their leadoff hitter and a Gold Glove-caliber second baseman. However, when you are in a rebuild, you have to be able to let go of good players for the good of stocking the farm system, and General Manager Ben Cherington has stuck to this plan. In the short term, the Pirates will be giving opportunities to some of their younger guys to give them a shot to lay claim to second base for the rest of this season and possibly beyond that. But, who are those options available to the Pirates that could step in right away and produce?
While there is an off chance that one of the players acquired, Tucupita Marcano comes up right away, the more likely option is one of the Pirates currently in Triple-A or Double-A. We have already seen Rodolfo Castro and Cole Tucker this season, but there is also the possibility the Pirates go with a guy like Dee Strange-Gordon to bridge the gap. There is also the possibility of shortstop Kevin Newman moving back to his natural position and seeing someone come up to play shortstop instead. There is no denying that Frazier has left some big shoes to fill, but in the end, it is a move that had to be made because his value is never going to be higher than it was right now. The Pirates are seeing a youth movement, and this move allows the young guys to come up and get their feet wet at the MLB level. Today, we look at the possible replacements for Frazier and how they will impact the position moving forward.
Rodolfo Castro is the New Starter
The easiest move for the Pirates to make following the Frazier trade is to call up Rodolfo Castro and give him the full-time starting second base job. We have seen Castro in two different stints this season, but it was the last stint where he showed what he can do. In 14 MLB at-bats this season, Castro is hitting .214 with three home runs and four RBI and has an outrageous OPS of 1.170. After appearing in just one game during his first MLB stint, Castro came out and hit .273 with three home runs and four RBI in 11at-bats. Defensively, he has shown a little bit of his versatility, playing both second base and third base while not committing an error and helping to turn one double play. Over the course of his six Minor League seasons, the 22-year-old infielder has a career .986 fielding percentage, putting up numbers right around where Adam Frazier was each of the last two seasons.
However, Castro has not yet played in Triple-A, and those 14 MLB at-bats are the only at-bats he has ever taken above Double-A. It is not unheard of for a player to make the jump from Double-A to the Majors, and if Castro can show he can consistently hit, I see no reason why he shouldn't be the next. He is having a career year for the Altoona Curve, hitting .300 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI, and that power is an unusual trait for a middle infielder, let alone a second baseman, to have. His biggest problem with transitioning to the MLB will be his strikeout numbers and his plate discipline. So far in Double-A, he has gone down on strikes 22.2% of the time, and in his short Big League stint he upped that number to 35.7%. It is good to have power, but if you constantly strike out, it can end up hurting you more than helping you. With Castro already on the 40-man roster, it would be an easy move for the Pirates to move him to the Majors and give him a full-time shot.
Newman Moves to Second and Cole Tucker Heads to Shortstop
If the Pirates do not feel that Castro is ready and want to give him more time in Double-A or possibly Triple-A, the next move that would make sense for the club is to call up infielder Cole Tucker. Tucker has struggled to find his footing in the Big Leagues over the last few seasons, but this would give him a chance to play every day. One thing that Tucker hasn't gotten at the MLB level is consistent at-bats, not that he has shown he deserves them, and this would give him just that. In 21 Big League at-bats this season, Tucker has managed to hit just .143 with an RBI, and in his Big League career, it isn't much better at .209 with three home runs and 22 RBI. In the Minor Leagues, things haven't been much better as Tucker is hitting just .221 with two home runs and 10 RBI. He and teammate Jared Oliva each reported to Pirate City to get one-on-one hitting instruction, but for Tucker is doesn't seem to have helped much.
However, one thing that Tucker does bring with him is solid defense, and it would give the Pirates an almost impenetrable middle infield. Kevin Newman has turned into the best defensive shortstop in the league, and could easily move to second and put Tucker's glove at shortstop. Over parts of three seasons, Tucker has a career .981 fielding percentage and has a .961 career fielding percentage in the Minor Leagues. It would be a sort of last chance for Tucker as he has had several opportunities to prove himself and has failed. This could be the immediate solution for the Pirates before the trade deadline, and if Tucker is unable to hit for any sort of average he could be a DFA candidate to allow someone like Marcano or Strange-Gordon to find their way on the 40-man roster and earn a call-up to the Big Leagues of their own.
Dee Strange-Gordon Gets a Shot
The final move, and the hardest one on this list for the Pirates to make, would be bringing Dee Strange-Gordon up from Triple-A Indianapolis and giving him a chance to man the position. This move would indicate that the Pirates feel Castro, Tucker, and Marcano all need more Minor League time. In order for this move to happen, someone would have to be sent down, plus someone would have to be removed from the Pirates 40-man roster. In 13 games with the Indianapolis Indians, Strange-Gordon has hit .246 with three home runs and nine RBI in 57 at-bats. He has struck out eight times and walked three while stealing a base. He has an average OPS of .740 but has shown an ability to hit the gaps with six total extra-base hits. Defensively, he can play second base, shortstop, and all three outfield positions making him a versatile option in the field.
However, if this were to be the move the Pirates end up making, it would leave me scratching my head. Gordon is 33-years-old and a journeyman and has the same versatility that Frazier had, and is definitely not part of the Pirate's future. I could see him coming up as a bench option late in the year, but not as the guy getting everyday reps at second base. This should be reserved for one of the younger guys who may be a part of this team. Even a guy like Hoy Jun Park, who was acquired in today's Clay Holmes trade, check back for more coverage on that tomorrow, would be better served as Frazier's replacement. I like Strange-Gordon as a bench player when the September call-ups happen, but not as Frazier's full-time replacement.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (38-61) return home to face the Milwaukee Brewers (58-42) tomorrow night at 7:05 pm. Tyler Anderson (5-8, 4.35) takes the hill in what is supposed to be his final start before the Trade Deadline for the Pirates against Brett Anderson (2-5, 4.26) with the Brewers. You can watch the game live 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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