Pittsburgh Pirates: Kevin Newman Named Potential Impact Rookie

The Pittsburgh Pirates could use an external option at shortstop.  However, if they do not bring one in they could roll with this rookie.

All offseason long, the Pittsburgh Pirates have been linked to potential starting shortstop candidates.  First, it was Nick Ahmed, then Troy Tulowitzki, and the last rumor was Freddy Galvis.  Well, two of those three options are no longer available and Ahmed doesn’t seem likely to be traded at this point.  So, if the Pittsburgh Pirates do not bring in another shortstop option who are they rolling with into the 2019 season?

Well, one of the options will be former Cleveland Indian Erik Gonzalez.  However, Kevin Newman is the other potential starting option.  Newman was a first round pick in 2015 out of Arizona.  He always has hit for a higher average and has shown the ability to get on base.  Nonetheless, he has never hit for much power and has always been considered nothing more than an adequate defender.

Still, Newman is a former first-round pick and there should be a level of expectation for him.  He has proven to be a disciplined hitter in the minor leagues, getting on-base at a .350 clip at Triple-A last year.  Also, he only struck out 50 times in 109 games.  Newman also stole 28 bags in Indianapolis, proving to be a potential top of the lineup type bat.

Unfortunately, Newman did not take advantage of his time with the Pittsburgh Pirates last year.  He was called up in mid-August and only put up a slash line of .209/.247/.231.  Still, Keith Law, a former special assistant to the General Manager and current ESPN Prospect analyst, thinks Newman could breakout this season and make an impact.  Law ranked Kevin Newman as the 15th for potential impact rookie in 2019.

While15 is not very high, one must keep in mind that players like Vladimir Guererro Jr, Eloy Jimenez, and Fernando Tatis are also on the list, the most premium prospects in the game.  Newman being at 15 suggests that Law believes Newman can be serviceable to the Pittsburgh Pirates and show enough that he could develop into a solid everyday player.  If anything, it at least is one positive about a position that has yet to be improved.

Another note is that Keith Law has always been high on Kevin Newman.  Law had Newman as a potential Top 10 pick back in 2015 when the Bucs got him at 19th.  He also had him ranked on his Top 100 prospects well before other major sites.  So is Keith Law seeing something that most of us are not?