Pittsburgh Pirates: Enough JT Riddle, Call Up Ke’Bryan Hayes

The Pittsburgh Pirates look to be playing the best baseball they have played all summer.  The team should take the chance to promote their top prospect.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are going to finish in last place in the National League Central, there is no doubt about that.  However, some of their key players are starting to find their stride and the team looks to be playing the best they have played all year.  This is especially true with the offense.

One of the main things that has held the Pittsburgh Pirates offense back has been the inconsistency of the lineups.  The team has been rotating players like Phillip Evans (pre-injury), JT Riddle, and Erik Gonzalez.  This has made it tough for some of the team’s younger hitters to get consistent at-bats.

Evans and Gonzalez took advantage of the time that was given to them.  They have shown that they can provide at least some production for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  JT Riddle, on the other hand, has not done much for the team in his short time in Pittsburgh.

Riddle has really struggled since coming back to the team’s roster.  In five games, he has hit just .143 and this is after he hit .189 across 51 games with the Miami Marlins last year.  While five games is a small sample size, the team has plenty of other infield options that are producing, and they come with much more upside.

This includes the organization’s top prospect Ke’Bryan Hayes.  Many teams have called up their top prospects already this year and it is time for the Pirates to do so.  The team’s core of young players are starting to heat up.  If Hayes really is going to be a part of the legitimate future, then he needs to be up here in the lineup along with Reynolds, Tucker and Newman.

Riddle is a left-handed hitter who can play multiple infield positions.  If he hits at a decent clip he will be a solid utility player, but for the Pittsburgh Pirates that is not going to make this team contend quicker.  It is time to move on from Riddle.

The team could put together a pretty nice lineup with Hayes called up.   This would allow them to move Colin Moran to first base, who is a superior defender to Josh Bell.  Also, Moran’s power is really starting to come around so it would be ideal to keep him and Bell in the lineup. Plus, this will give you a Gold Glove-caliber third baseman who has an upside bat as well. It is time to call up Hayes.