Pittsburgh Pirates Prospect To Watch: Outfielder Jared Oliva

As the 2020 baseball season nears, outfielder prospect Jared Oliva will be a Pittsburgh Pirates prospect fans should be watching.

In less than a month, pitchers and catchers will report to Bradenton. With this, Spring Training 2020 will be underway for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Every season there are prospects that baseball fans should be keeping an eye on. In 2020, one prospect that fans of the Pirates should be keeping an eye on is outfielder Jared Oliva. After a strong 2019 campaign, Oliva is primed for big things in 2020.

The Pirates drafted Oliva in 7th round of the 2017 draft. Since being drafted, Oliva has done nothing but hit and has shot up Pirate prospect rankings. Now in 2020, he is ready for his first taste of Triple-A ball.

In 2019, Oliva played 123 games. All 123 of these games came with the Double-A Altoona Curve. With the Curve Oliva slashed .277/.352/.398 with a 123 wRC+. This came after he slashed .275/.354/.424 with a 124 wRC+ in 108 games at the High-A level in 2018.

Oliva’s hitting prowess was even put on display in 2017. Playing in 56 games with the short-season West Virginia Black Bears after quickly signing following the draft, Oliva posted a 109 wRC+ while slashing .266/.327/.374.

Now in 2020, Oliva is primed to take his talents to the Triple-A level. With the Indianapolis Indians, he will be looking to put himself in position to be on the door step of the MLB level.

The 24-year-old Oliva had a bit of a jump start when he began his professional career after playing for a high level college program at Arizona. He is now set to head to Major League camp for the first time in his professional career after being announced as one of 11 non-roster invitees to MLB Spring Training earlier this week.

Looking ahead to 2020 you would like to see Oliva’s power improve. In his three pro seasons his ISO has been .108, .149, and .121, to go with slugging percentages of .374, .424, and .398. If the right-handed hitter can improve his power, he starts to project as a future starting outfielder at the MLB level. Even if he does not, with his defense and ability to get on base he still projects as a strong fourth outfield option.

The 2020 season will be a big one for Oliva in his development as a professional baseball player. He will be given every opportunity at the Triple-A level to prove his worth and start knocking on the door of the MLB level. If he performs well for Indy, odds are, fans will see him in Pittsburgh at some point this season.