Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Hudson Head having an Interesting Season

The Pittsburgh Pirates have seen some mixed results from their new young outfield prospects.

This past off-season the Pittsburgh Pirates swung a three team trade which also involved the Padres and the Mets. The Bucs traded Musgrove to the the Padres in return for multiple players from the Padres and Mets. One of those players that came in return, Hudson Head, was considered the key prospect in the trade. Head brought plenty of question marks, but the obviously the Front Office wanted him to be the big name in the deal.

Hudson Head has had an odd season so far. In 343 plate appearances, he’s hitting .203/.364/.380 with a dozen long balls. He’s also walked at an outstanding 16.4% rate. Combined with his solid power (.177 ISO, 21.8% HR/FB rate) and strong ability to draw walks, he’s been an above-average hitter at A-Ball despite what looks like a poor statline. This is reflected in his .363 wOBA, and 112 wRC+, making him about 12% better than A-Ball’s league average batter.

The biggest thing that is preventing Head from reaching a higher ceiling is his swing and miss issues. He’s striking out at a 32.4% clip. He’s only 20 and this is his first extended look at professional pitching, so swings and misses aren’t uncommon at this stage. If he can cut down his strikeout rate a bit, he has 5-tool potential. His hit tool eventually projects as a 60-grade tool. He has already shown good pop, speed, and defense.

Head’s swing gets long at times, which causes a lot of his swings and misses. However, being at just Low-A gives him plenty of time to work on his swing. After all, the new front office has stressed development and more specifically helping young players find what makes them most successful. If the Bucs can continue and develop Head’s swing just enough to drop his strikeout rate, then it would be a big step in the right direction for the toolsy outfielder.