Pittsburgh Pirates Roster Moves: Gift Ngoepe Up

The Pittsburgh Pirates have recalled infielder Gift Ngoepe from Triple A Indianapolis and have optioned relief pitcher Dovydas Neverauskas.

The Pittsburgh Pirates defense has gotten off to a rough start in 2017.  The club currently ranks 28th in defensive runs saved, -9 and the Pirates second baseman have a combined six errors, most in baseball.  With Adam Frazier‘s injury, the team was playing a bench player short.  To combat both issues, the Pirates have recalled infielder Gift Ngoepe from Triple A Indianapolis.

Ngoepe becomes the first South African, and first person from Africa, to be called up to the Major Leagues.  Ngoepe is providing a story that makes him easy to root for.  Adam Berry, the Pittsburgh Pirates writer for MLB.com provides this tidbit on Ngoepe:

"“Ngoepe, who was born in South Africa and raised in a room inside the Randburg Mets’ clubhouse by his mother, Maureen, will find himself at home in a big league clubhouse 8 1/2 years after signing with the Pirates.”"

The now 27-year-old has waited a long time for this moment, and it will be a great site to see when his name is announced for the first time by the PNC Park public announcer Tim DeBacco.

Ngoepe is a strong fielder, one of the best in all of the minor leagues, and the best in the Pirates system.  The downside is his bat, hitting just .232/.322/.347 in 2784 minor league plate appearances.  He’ll likely be the last guy off the bench, but that is okay.  Given the way that the Pirates have played defensively, Adam Frazier’s costly error Saturday, Josh Harrison‘s almost costly error Sunday, and Alen Hanson‘s costly error last night, a player of Gift’s skill sets is useable.

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To make room for Ngoepe, the Pirates optioned Dovydas Neverauskas.  Neverauskas made one appearance with the Bucs, allowing one run on two hits in his two innings of work.  Neverauskas averaged 97.0 miles per hour on his fastball.

Ngoepe will provide solid defense in what ever capacity the Pirates use him in, and at the very least, it is a remarkable story becoming the first Major League Baseball player from Africa.

*Numbers from fangraphs