Five Triple-A Players That Can Help The Pittsburgh Pirates In 2017

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Mar 2, 2017; Lakeland, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Jose Osuna (64) looks toward the heavens after crossing home plate following a solo home run during the second inning of a MLB spring training baseball game against the Detroit Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Outfielder Austin Meadows and first baseman/outfielder Jose Osuna

During Spring Training, Austin Meadows turned a lot of heads. Meanwhile, Jose Osuna managed to turn even more heads. While Meadows was always going to start the season at Triple-A, Osuna nearly hit his way onto the club during the spring.

Austin Meadows is the Pittsburgh Pirates’ top prospect. He is also one of the top ten prospects in all of baseball. At some point in 2017, you can expect to see Meadows make his Major League debut in some capacity.

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Additionally, if one of the starting outfielders for the Pirates were to suffer an injury that required a stint on the disabled list, odds are, Meadows would get an extended look in the Major Leagues. He is the future face of the franchise, and that face will begin to show in 2017.

Jose Osuna is nowhere near the prospect Austin Meadows is. However, he still has the ability to be an average, to possibly slightly above average, league hitter. His positional flexibility adds to his value as well.

Sooner or later, Jose Osuna will be in Pittsburgh. Whenever he gets called up this season, Osuna will be making his Major League debut.

Jose Osuna projects as a strong bench bat in the Major Leagues. Even though he’ll, most likely, never be an everyday player in the Majors he can still bring value as a bench player. If I had to place a bet on the first positional player at Triple-A to get called up to the Major Leagues this year, my money would be on Osuna.

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