15 Key Pirates Position Players for 2015: #10 Corey Hart

2014 Statistics

255 PA/.203 BA/.271 OBP/.319 SLG/.266 wOBA

2015 ZiPS Projections

.249 BA/.309 OBP/.399 SLG/.313 wOBA

Why the Ranking?

I don't have a great feeling for Corey Hart's potential impact this season with the Pirates.  I guess that makes him an x-factor.  If the pre-2013 Hart returns, then he will have a major impact this year.  If his knees hold him back like last season than he is a summer-DFA candidate.  The projections expect something in between.  The Pirates are probably expecting/hoping just a little more than that.

Hart appears to be a leading platoon candidate at either first base or right field if Polanco has some of the same issues he had in the second half of last season.  This should be a role that Hart can thrive in since his career numbers against lefties are impressive.  He has hit .290 and has an excellent .504 slugging percentage.

If everything goes well with the team, the platoon should be the only reason that the Pirates will need him.  However, everything going well never happens and there are many scenarios where the Pirates will need Hart to make a bunch of starts in a row.  Hopefully, his knees will heal up and the Pirates can get the 2010-2012 player with 3-WAR production.  In my opinion, it is just as likely Hart is playing somewhere else in August.

 

15 Key Pirates Pitchers for 2015: #11 Radhames Liz

2014 Statistics 

AA- 42 IP/1.93 ERA/2.93 FIP/7.07 SO9/2.36 BB9

AAA- 19 IP/5.21 ERA/6.46 FIP/5.21 SO9/6.16 BB9

2015 ZiPS Projections

4.13 ERA/4.23 FIP/6.35 SO9/3.75 BB9

Why the Ranking?

This ranking has little to nothing to do with Radhames Liz.  This ranking is due to my confidence in Neal Huntington, Rene Gayo and the rest of the Pirates front office.  The only true spring training battle going on right now at Pirates camp revolves around the last few spots in the Pirates bullpen.  Over the past few offseasons, the Pirates have shown the ability to find solid bullpen pieces and have created nice depth at the position.  Chances are the Pirates will be forced to DFA some of that depth before the start of the season.

Radhames Liz is not part of the bullpen battle.  He has his spot locked up with the team after signing a one year major league contract this winter.  The fact that it is a major league contract is all I needed to know in order to see that he would have a positive impact this year.  Why else would he be signed by the team.  This is not a position of need and his signing is a pure luxury.

The main attraction to Liz revolves around his fastball that has sat in the mid-90s and hit the upper-90s as recently as this winter in the Dominican Winter League.  That is where Rene Gayo saw him and stressed to the Pirates that this is someone to sign.  In addition to the fastball, Liz has throws a curve that has been described as "excellent."  Obviously there is still a lot of risk with as signing like this.  Liz has had control problems throughout his career and was less than impressive in his small sample size in triple-A last season.  However, he did see success in the hitter friendly KBO (same league as Kang) in South Korea.  Additionally, Jim Benedict and Ray Searage have been able to fix many similiar players.  That is why I feel comfortable placing Liz eleventh on this list.

15 Key Pirates Position Players for 2015: #11 Chris Stewart

2014 Statistics

136 AB/.294 BA/.362 OBP/.331 SLG/.311 wOBA

2015 ZiPS Projections

.235 BA/.292 OBP/.290 SLG/.263 wOBA

Why the Ranking?

The Pirates would love if Chris Stewart could match his production (even without a sliver of power) from 2014, however, there is little chance that will happen.  Instead they are going to accept the player that they initially acquired before the 2014 season.  That is a guy whose value comes almost solely from his defense.  As a backup catcher this is not a big concern.  Stewart should be able to give them what the Pirates value most.

The big concern that does come into effect is the durability of the catcher position.  It would be a mistake to expect Francisco Cervelli to stay healthy for the entire 2015 season.  And that means that Stewart will have to step in to a starter role.  If this happens for an extended period of time, Stewart's lack of hitting will be a detriment to the Pirates lineup.

Additionally, there is some injury issues that could pop up for Stewart himself.  As a catcher, there is always risk of wear-and-tear injuries and last season Stewart had both knee and wrist issues last season.  In 2013, Stewart had foot issues while playing with the Yankees.  At the age of 33, these little hiccups can happen more frequently.  When combining the potential injuries and the lack of offense it is tough to put Stewart any higher on this list.

15 Key Pirates Pitchers for 2015: #12 Jared Hughes

2014 Statistics

64.1 IP/1.96 ERA/3.99 FIP/5.04 SO9/2.66 BB9

2015 ZiPS Projections

3.58 ERA/4.02 FIP/6.06 SO9/3.03 BB9

Why the Ranking?

Hughes played pretty far over his head last year, but combining the Pirates defensive shifts and his high ground ball rate, it is not that shocking of a gap considering the small sample size.  Would I bet on him having a sub-2 ERA ever again in MLB, of course not.  Fortunately for the Pirates, that's not what they need from Jared Hughes.  They would be more than happy with the projections that see him as a mid-3 ERA guy.  

At this point in his career, everyone knows what they will be getting from Hughes, and that is a more than serviceable middle reliever.  While he does not strike many batter out, his sinker has been a great tool to overcome that deficiency.  Last season he had a ground ball rate of 64.6% and was able to get double plays in 21% of his opportunities.  That is almost twice the major league average.  

Hughes will see most of his action in the middle innings, almost always in short relief situations.  When the Pirates need a double play, he will be the first guy to come off the bench.  Really, it is a weapon that all thirty teams want in their bullpen and Hughes is one of the better guys doing that job.  Unfortunately, it is a job where no one truly notices unless you fail and can easily be forgotten if you succeed.  

15 Key Pirates Position Players for 2015: #12 Andrew Lambo

2014 Statistics

AAA- 262 AB/.328 AVG/.389 OBP/.563 SLG

MLB- 39 AB/.256 AVG/.256 OBP/.359 SLG

2015 ZiPS Projection

.245 AVG/.297 OBP/.415 SLG/.313 wOBA

Why the Ranking?

While Lambo has excelled at triple-A over the past few years he has yet to get a true shot at the major league level.  This was partly due to injury issues and depth at his positions, but also some apparent lack of confidence in his abilities.  The trade of Travis Snider might suggest that opinion changed over the offseason.  In his small MLB samples, he has not performed to his triple-A standards, however, he also has not appeared to be completely overwhelmed.  Even though he will turn 27 this summer there is hope that he could be more than a quad-A player.

Unfortuately for Lambo, the depth issues that have hurt his playing time in the past still exist (may have grown).  At first base he can be considered no higher than the third option off the bench and Pedro Alvarez will be given every opportunity to keep his job, regardless of any possible early season concerns.  The outfield seems even more impossible to find an everyday job.  Until an injury crops up, Lambo can expect nothing more than pinch hitting duties and the occasional day-game-after-night-game start.  The fact that Lambo is the only left-handed option off the bench is a minor positive he has going for him.  

Similarly to what I wrote about Tony Sanchez, this season appears to be a crossroads for Lambo's career.  It will be nearly impossible to keep considering him a prospect as he ages.  Things will have to start clicking soon or Lambo will have trouble keeping a job the majors.  Fortunately, it is not uncommon for lefty first baseman to find their way in their late 20s.  Barring injury, I just cannot see it happening with the Pirates anytime soon.  He will be cheap for the next few seasons so that is something in his favor.  Either way his role with the team this year will be enough to give him the 12th spot on this list.

15 Key Pirates Pitchers for 2015: #13 Nick Kingham

2014 Statistics-(AAA&AA)

159 IP/3.34 ERA/3.64 FIP/6.7 SO9/2.9 BB9

2015 ZiPS Projections (MLB)

4.30 ERA/4.29 FIP/6.29 SO9/3.11 BB9

Why the Ranking?

Kingham will be the first of a string of top right-handed pitching prospects to arrive in Pittsburgh over the next two years.  While he may not have the upside of many of the prospects that will follow him,  Kingham appears to be one of the safest bets to stick in the major league rotation for most of his career.  He also has the biggest chance to make an impact during the 2015 season.  

Kingham throws fastball that sits between 92-95 mph and touches the upper 90s from time to time.  The pitch has decent movement in addition to strong command for most of his minor league career.  His repertoire is completed with two above average secondary pitches: a curveball and a changeup.  Kingham struggled early in the 2014 season at Altoona, but was able to find his rhythm a few months into the season.  Once promoted to triple-A, Kingham dominated in his early starts.  Unfortunately, he was not able to complete the year with the same level of production.  

As has been stated throughout, these rankings the Pirates will not be rushing Kingham to the majors.  However, they have also shown when a prospect is ready they will find a spot for him on the major league roster, either through injury or the demotion of a struggling player.  This should be the case for Kingham by the middle of the season, especially if the command issues that he showed early in Altoona were a fluke.  I suspect as much since he has not had these issues at any point in his time in the minors.  If this is the case he will do more than enough to earn this ranking.

15 Key Pirates Position Players for 2015: #13 Tony Sanchez

 

2014 Statistics

80 AB/.267 BA/.300 OBP/.360 SLG/2 HR

2015 ZiPS Projections

.223 BA/.291 OBP/.361 SLG/.292 wOBA

Why the Ranking?

This ranking is more about the position than the actual player.  I guess if you are not a fan of Sanchez, or are concerned about his throwing yips, you can insert your favorite #3 catcher into this spot.  As I explained earlier while discussing Elias Diaz in the Jose Tabata article, I feel as though it is a certainly that either or both of Chris Stewart and Francisco Cervelli will spend time on the disabled list this year.  With the players' injury histories and the grind that is the catcher position, you cannot expect anything less.

Now let's talk about Sanchez a little more specifically.  When he was drafted the general concensus was that if Sanchez could hit he would be a solid regular.  Some argued that his defense was already major league ready.  Six years later it is his defense that is now holding him back for the most part; to the point where Sanchez will have some playing time at first base this spring training.  And without many righthanded options behind Cory Hart at first, Sanchez may have a few starts there during the regular season. 

This is a very important year for Tony Sanchez.  He turns 27 this May and some would have to think he does not have a semi-breakout year, he never will, and it will time for the Pirates.  Some may argue that they already have done so.  Between the prospects coming up in the system and the options currently on the MLB roster Sanchez could soon find himself left out.

15 Key Pirates Pitchers for 2015: #14 Brandon Cumpton

15. Stolmy Pimentel

2014 Statistics

70 IP/4.89 ERA/3.22 FIP/5.91 SO9/2.31 BB9

2015 ZiPS Projections

4.28 ERA/4.12 FIP/5.26 SO9/2.86 BB9

Why this Ranking?

So I guess this was pretty bad time, huh?  It has been reported that Cumpton is going to see Dr. James Andrew due to an elbow pain.  I thought about taking him off of this list, but figured until we know for sure what is going it would be unfair to do so.  Obviously if the worst happens you could slide Casey Sadler into the top 15.  

The irony of a possible Cumpton injury is that the only reason he is on this list is the possible injuries of starting pitchers.  There is good reason to believe that the Pirates will have some SP injuries.  Looking at the possible rotation, two fifths of the pitchers are now well into their thirties and another is coming off of a season ending injury.  The Pirates will need spot starts throughout the season and Cumpton has proven himself in that role the last two years.  

Cumpton has never been a flashy guy, (except his first major league inning) but all he has done is come up from Triple-A and get people out.  For awhile, it appeared to not be sustainable, however, some of his MLB peripherals have been better than his actual results.  While many will not blink at a possible long term injury to Cumpton, I see it as a true concern.  Depth has played a major role in the success of the Pirates pitching staff the last two years.  And that is why Cumpton was ranked 14 on this list.

15 Key Pirates Position Players for 2015: #14 Sean Rodriguez

15 Keys for 2015

15. Jose Tabata

2014 Statistics

237 AB/.211 BA/.258 OBP/.443 SLG/12 HR

2015 ZiPS Projections

.240 BA/.303 OBP/.393 SLG/.303 wOBA

 Why the Ranking?

Before the signing of Jung-ho Kang, Sean Rodriguez appeared to be in line for a decent super-utility role a la the expectation for Josh Harrison during the 2014.  Obviously that would have led to a higher ranking on this list.  Rodriguez should now expect to be sparingly used off the bench; maybe similar to the role that Clint Barmes(less at SS however) played while healthy last year.  There is still value to be taken from this role.  It is easy to overlook having Sean Rodriguez in that 25th roster spot over a Brett Morel or a Michael Martinez but that would truly be a mistake.  While it would not be ideal for Rodriguez to receive considerable playing time he has shown that he belongs in the majors and has more upside than the quad-A players mentioned earlier.

The greatest strength that Rodriguez brings to the Pirates is his ability to adequately play all over the field.  Over the last two years he has seen time at 6 positions, everywhere but catcher, center field and pitcher, and for most of his career he has been an above average fielder at all those positions.  This is not to say Rodriguez is just a defense-only guy.  While he has never gotten on base at a high clip, there is just enough pop to consider him an above average utilityman. 

Even with all the middle infielders the Pirates have acquired over the past offseason, there is no argument for any of them making the opening day roster instead of a healthy Sean Rodriguez.  This is a good enough reason to place him 14 on this list.

15 Key Pirates Pitchers for 2015: #15 Stolmy Pimentel

2014 Statistics 

32.2 IP/5.23 ERA/4.45 FIP/10.5 SO9/4.4 BB9

2015 ZiPS Projections

4.29 ERA/4.32 FIP/6.6 SO9/3.6 BB9

Why the Ranking?

It was difficult to figure out exactly where to put Pimentel on this list (or whether to put him on) but I decided that 15th was a safe spot given the possible outcomes I could imagine.  Looking back to 2014 it is obvious that the Pirates see Stolmy in a positive light despite his many struggles.  This first became apparent when he was added to the Opening Day roster.  Since he was out of options, he would have been designated for assignment if he had not made the roster after spring training.  The seemingly well-timed DL stints throughout the season was another sign of the value the front office put on his future potential.  Looking at Pimentel's repertoire this  was with good reason.  Out of the bullpen, his fastball has touched the upper 90s and sits in the mid 90s.  His secondary pitches include a solid change and slider that he continues to work on.  The main issue with Pimentel is command.  He has had trouble with his control throughout his minor league career and what finds him destined for middle relief.  However, if the Pirates pitching coaches can work some of their magic, Pimentel has strong late innings relief potential.  Additionally at the age of 25, there is still the possibility he could go back to starting if he can figure out the control issues.  The lack of options would most likely create another hurdle on the path to any future rotation spot.  Still Stolmy Pimentel has just enough upside to make the top 15 list.

Just Missed:

• Casey Sadler- The 14,15 and 16 spots on my list feel pretty interchangeable in my opinion.  I decide on leaving Saddler off the list due to the combination of lacking expericence and having options.  I guess we could also add in the fact that I value middle relief lower than most.
• Given that fact hear are a few other names that missed the list: Arquimedes Caminero, Bobby LaFromboise and Adam Wilk. (This list could go on for ever with similar pitchers).

 

15 Key Pirates Position Players for 2015: #15 Jose Tabata

2014 Statistics

186 AB/.282 BA/.314 OBP/.333 SLG

2015 ZiPS Projections

.265 BA/.322 OBP/.356 SLG/.300 wOBA 

Why the Ranking?

I know that this seems crazy, but looking over who was left out, it is hard to imagine a scenario where they add more value than Tabata could.  Of the options left off the top 15, their are three subsets: prospects, utility infielders and extra outfielders.  The prospects are Alan Hanson, Josh Bell, and Elias Diaz.  Bell and Hanson have yet to make an appearance in AAA and Diaz has only ten appearance above AA.  The Pirates do not rush their prospects so there is little chance any of the three make it up to the major league roster.  Of the three I would guess Diaz would have the best chance to see playing time.  He fits the style of catcher the Pirates have been using lately and the depth at catcher is the most likely to blow up.  Cervelli has a long injury history, Stewart has also had some durability issues and Tony Sanchez throwing issues could become a major concern.  

The utility infielders left off the list that could have possibly gotten some consideration were Pedro Florimon, Steve Lombardozzi, Justin Sellers Robert Andino and Jake Elmore.  They are all pretty much the same exact person.  If there is a scenario out there were either receive considerable playing time at any point during the season I would love to hear about it.  The additions of Sean Rodriguez and Jung-ho Kang this offseason have fixed the depth issue that had Brett Morel and Michael Martinez receiving playing time.  

So this left us with group of outfielders who all could conceivably see some time on the big league roster.  This includes players such as Gorkys Hernandez, Mel Rojas Jr and Keon Broxton as possible center fielders and corner outfielders like Tabata, and Jaff Decker.   With three virtual center fielders on the roster already, having that skill set really doesn't have too much of an effect on this discussion.  Additionally Rojos and Broxton  have not seen much of Triple-A.  Hernandez may have some value in the field, but there is little chance he would see anything more than defensive substitutions and pinch runner opportunities in the majors.  At 25 Decker still has a chance to break out at the major league level, however, I just don't see him putting it together this year.

And this is what leads us to Jose Tabata.  There is a decent chance that he will never play another game with the Pirates as he has obviously fallen out of favor with the team.  Still he has shown that he can put up solid platoon numbers and play in the MLB.  If I had to guess between him starting 5 games this year or him being out of the organization by the All Star Break I would choose the latter.  Until that happens, I will list him as the 15th most important position player for the Pirates 2015 season.