Pittsburgh Pirates: Projecting Team’s Lineup by the End of 2022

CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 08: Ke'Bryan Hayes #13 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a solo home run in the sixth inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on August 8, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati defeated Pittsburgh 3-2. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 08: Ke'Bryan Hayes #13 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a solo home run in the sixth inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on August 8, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati defeated Pittsburgh 3-2. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
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PITTSBURGH, PA – AUGUST 12: Colin Moran #19 of the Pittsburgh Pirates watches as his three run home run clears the fences in the first inning during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on August 12, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – AUGUST 12: Colin Moran #19 of the Pittsburgh Pirates watches as his three run home run clears the fences in the first inning during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on August 12, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)

Designated Hitter – Colin Moran

The 2022 season will be Colin Moran’s 5th season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Assuming he isn’t traded, he will likely be part of the team’s regular line-up in 2022. The likelihood is that the designated hitter will return in 2022. In the chance it returns, Moran should be placed at DH mainly because of his poor glove.

Since arriving with the Pirates in 2018, he’s been about a league-average hitter. He’s hit .272/.332/.425 with a .323 wOBA, and 101 wRC+. Now those aren’t great numbers for a designated hitter. But Moran has always had better power potential than his bottom line numbers suggest. Moran showed some of that power potential in 2020 when he had a .225 ISO, admittedly in a small amount of plate appearances (200). So far, he’s been injured for most of 2021.

Though Moran’s glove has been poor since getting regular reps with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Moran was originally a third baseman but had -27 DRS and a -12.2 UZR/150 between 2018 and 2019. Moran started getting regular reps at first base in 2020, but he hasn’t been good at first base either. He has -4 DRS and -11.2 UZR/150 between the last two seasons.

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