Adam Frazier Is Laying Claim To A Starting Job In 2019

It is looking more and more likely that the Pittsburgh Pirates will have a new second baseman in 2019

Ever since he debuted for the Pittsburgh Pirates in June of 2016 utility man Adam Frazier has been a fan favorite. This came despite there being legitimate questions about Frazier’s ability to be an every day player at the MLB level due to a high groundball rate and poor defense at second base.

In 2018, however, Frazier has started to put these fears to rest. Most impressively, it has happened despite him being optioned to the minor leagues at one point over the summer. Frazier’s play this season has also led to him laying claim to a starting job in 2019, and he has turned me into a believer.

If I were a betting man, I would put money on Frazier being the starting second baseman in 2019 for the Pirates. And a big factor in that is Josh Harrison.

Harrison was nearly traded this past offseason, the Pirates tried to move him on waivers in August, and he is having arguably the worst season of his career. Harrison’s on-base percentage (.298) and slugging percentage (.360) are his worst since 2013, while his .286 wOBA and wRC+ of 78 are his lowest since 2012.

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The veteran infielder has also had a poor defensive season. While Harrison has always been known for his plus glove at second base, he owns a defensive runs saved (DRS) -2 which is the worst of his career. This combined with his offensive woes give him an fWAR of 0.4. Harrison is owed $10.5 million in 2019 and he is not worth anywhere near this amount. Due to this, it would be stunning to see him back with the Pirates next season.

Now, back to Frazier. In 280 plate appearances this season Frazier owns a .280/.358/.468 slash line. His .468 slugging percentage is by far a career high, as are his .180 ISO, .355 wOBA, and 125 wRC+.

Defensively, Frazier has always been the opposite of Harrison as he’s been viewed as a defensive liability. Frazier has improved this season as a defender at second base, however, as he owns a +1 DRS making him a positive defender for the first time in his MLB career.

As was touched on above, what has been most impressive from Frazier this season is his turn around since returning from Triple-A. In 124 plate appearances since his return on July 25th, Frazier has slashed .348/.403/.607 with a .423 wOBA and a 170 wRC+.

During his trip to Indianapolis, Frazier repositioned his hands in his swing. He dropped them a tad to help him get more of the bat through the zone and to do it quicker. This change appears to be paying dividends and has helped Frazier lay claim to a starting role in 2019.

Frazier can also fix the team’s leadoff issue. It seems as if the Pirates have been looking for a leadoff hitter since Harrison was moved out of the leadoff spot in 2015, due to his ability to get on base and hit both left and right-handed pitching Frazier should be able to fix this issue in 2019.

The Pittsburgh Pirates appear to have put together one of the best pitching staffs in the National League heading into 2019. However, the team’s offense must be better in 2019 in order for them to return to the postseason. Adam Frazier appears ready to play a large role in improving the Pirate offense in 2019 by becoming the team’s starting second baseman.