Pittsburgh Pirates: Very Early 2022 Opening Day Lineup Preview

Catcher: Jacob Stallings

Unless something unforeseen happens between now and Opening Day of 2022, Jacob Stallings will be back behind the dish for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Stallings is well on his way to a Gold Glove nomination following this season which would be his second in as many seasons. He is as solid as they come defensively. While he won’t be setting any catcher home run records anytime soon Stallings is still capable enough with the bat to be the a major league starting catcher.

He’s got a phenomenal rapport with the pitching staff which is huge for the plethora of young pitchers on the horizon over the next few seasons.

He will be 32-years-old when the season opens next year so he isn’t going to be around forever. The Pirates have done a solid job restocking their catcher prospect pool through the draft and trades. By the time Stallings’s play begins to decline, the Pirates will have a few options handy to replace him.

For the time being, Stallings will be the starting catcher. The bigger question will be what the Pittsburgh Pirates do to get more production out of the backup catcher position.

First Baseman: Colin Moran

Colin Moran has been one of the more consistent parts of the Pirate lineup dating back to late 2019 when he took over as the starting first baseman.

He is nothing flashy at the first base position but makes the plays he needs to. Brought up as a third basemen in the Astros system, Moran began his Pirate career at the hot corner. While he wasn’t a complete disaster, the Pirates wanted to see what he could do at the opposite corner of the infield. Moran made it his home.

Moran has posted a career .269/.329/.420 and has shown some pop in spurts across his four seasons in Pittsburgh.

As consistent as they come Moran should be the Opening Day starter but could move into another role later in the season as prospects begin to arrive.

Second Baseman: Michael Chavis

Second base feels like the most open competition heading into 2022. While I went back and forth with a few names, I’m going to give the nod to Michael Chavis.

The 22-year-old was acquired at the trade deadline for lefty reliever Austin Davis. Chavis came with a lot of promise as a former first rounder of Ben Cherington’s in Boston. However, he struggled to gain traction and become a legitimate MLB player.

Chavis only played six games before getting hurt but posted a .364/.364/.591 and showed versatility playing first base, second base, and outfield across those games.

Chavis began a rehab assignment on September 16 and could return for the final few games to make an impression for next season. Look for Tucupita Marcano to compete for this spot. If the Pirates elect to retain Wilmer Difo, he could also play some games at second base.

Third Baseman: Ke’Bryan Hayes

I think it’s fair to say Hayes will be the starter at third base for the next decade worth of Opening Days. His first full professional season has been a struggle at the plate. His shortened season production in 2020 was phenomenal so it’s clear to see that the potential is there for him to hit.

Defensively, however, Hayes might already be the best defensive player in the National League, if not the majors. He’ll win a handful of Gold Gloves at the hot corner.

Over the course of the last few weeks the Pirates have bumped Hayes into the leadoff spot. His production has begun to increase since the move. In 13 games leading off, Hayes is batting .298 with four RBI’s.

Fighting a wrist injury on top of a sophomore slump, Hayes has stayed rather positive in a trying season. His ability to really drive the ball has certainly been hindered by the injury so a full offseason should help him get fully healthy.

He’ll be back stronger and better in 2022.

Shortstop: Kevin Newman

A few weeks ago it was fair to wonder if Kevin Newman would even be on the 40-man roster next season. His late season hitting resurgence likely confirms he’ll at least be the Opening Day starter in 2022.

Newman’s not flashy at short by any means but he doesn’t make many errors. He deserves credit for that. But he is a former first round pick that was praised for his ability to hot for a high average at the major league level. He’s turned that praise into being a career .257 hitter.

His season average sits at .224 but his .298 average over the past two weeks is largely the reason why it is even that high. With virtually no pop, Newman needs to hit for average to stick as a starter in the big leagues.

With Oneil Cruz lurking, Newman will have to really state his case to stick with Pittsburgh beyond 2022. Hoy Park figures to get some time here as well and Diego Castillo could be a factor for the Pittsburgh Pirates as well.

Left Fielder: Travis Swaggerty

This is my going-out-on-a-limb pick with the Opening Day lineup. I know Travis Swaggerty hasn’t had many at-bats at the Triple-A level. A shoulder surgery early in the season derailed his chance to be in Pittsburgh this season.

However, he is already 24-years-old. Being a college draft pick, Swaggerty’s pure hitting ability afforded him a chance to be fast-tracked to the major leagues without a ton of minor league seasoning.

If Swaggerty plays winter ball and then comes to Spring Training and rakes, there is no reason why he can’t be in left field for the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 31st at PNC Park. He is a plus-defender and can play the rather spacious left field for the Pirates.

One of Neal Huntington’s final first round selections, Swaggerty can seize a wide open left field competition with a strong spring training. That would sure bring some extra excitement to PNC Park to open the year.

Center Fielder: Bryan Reynolds

When the Pirates traded Andrew McCutchen, I’m not sure they pictured Reynolds becoming the player he has blossomed into. Certainly, they knew they were getting a potential outfield starter but a cornerstone on their eventual winning teams? I don’t know that they figured that would be the case.

Alas, Reynolds proved he can be a huge veteran piece of the Pirate future. He has become a pure hitter and shown some impressive pop at the plate.

His .296 batting average with 24 home runs and 88 RBI on an offensively inept team has made Reynolds a budding star in the major leagues.

He has done a fantastic job in centerfield making plenty of flashy plays as well as all the routine ones. Reynolds will hold done that spot for a long time.

Right Fielder: Anthony Alford

Another one of Cherington’s former prospects at his other spots, Anthony Alford was claimed by the Pirates last season. He looked outstanding in his few games before an injury derailed his season.

The Opening Day centerfielder this season, Alford started so poorly that he was demoted to AAA. He raked in Triple-A and worked his way back to Pittsburgh.

In the last month, Alford is batting .286 with a .926 OPS with all five of his home runs on the campaign coming in that time span as well.

It seems like whatever Alford worked on in Tripe-A has clicked and potentially allowed him to show a glimpse of why he was formerly a top prospect in the Blue Jay system.

Maybe he can parlay all of that into an opportunity to be an everyday starter for Pittsburgh next year. It has been a rotation carousel of players that have graced the outfield for the Pirates in 2021. Remember when Dustin Fowler and Troy Stokes Jr. made the initial roster? Yeah, me either.

Keeping Ben Gamel, instead of trading him, would be a wise decision as well.

Designated Hitter: Yoshi Tsutsugo

What a snag this has been for the Pirates. Yoshi Tsutsugo has bounced around and been a disappointment for a few teams. When the Pirates signed him on August 16, the move wasn’t met with much fanfare.

Tsutsugo took the opportunity and has been the Pirates’ best hitter since his arrival.

Ignoring what he did prior to coming to Pittsburgh, Tsutsugo is slashing .306/.394/.682 since signing with the Pirates. He has eight home runs, driven in 21 runs and drawn 13 walks in 99 plate appearances.

Tsutsugo is versatile enough that the Pittsburgh Pirates should at least bring him back next season on a one-year deal. Certainly, he’ll probably cost the Pirates a few extra dollars to do so. But it’s not like his market will be so hot that the Pirates will need to overspend to bring him back.

If the designated hitter is a thing on Opening Day, Tsutsugo should still be with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Even if it isn’t his versatility could make him a valuable platoon piece at first base. He should be a Pirate in 2022 regardless.