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Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects Who Could Crack Opening Day Roster
These three prospects could make their debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates by cracking the team’s Opening Day roster next season
Every season baseball fans get excited to see top prospects make their MLB debut. For teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates who are not yet in a position to compete, seeing these prospects debut can be the most important part of the season.
As fans know the Pittsburgh Pirates have one of the deepest, most talented and all-around best farm systems in baseball. Due to this there will be plenty of prospect debuts for fans to look forward to during the 2022 season.
These debuts could begin when the regular season begins. When the Pittsburgh Pirates welcome the St. Louis Cardinals to PNC Park on March 31st there are three Pirate prospects who could crack the Opening Day roster, making their debuts with the team.
Outfielder Travis Swaggerty
Travis Swaggerty is a player that we have discussed plenty. The 10th overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Swaggerty appeared to be primed to make his MLB debut last season. The left-handed hitting outfielder made the jump to Triple-A last season and was off to a strong start.
Swaggerty posted a 12.5% walk rate while striking out just 16.7% of the time. He hit for a .220/.333/.439 slash line and a wRC+ of 108. He was flashing his power with an isolated slugging (ISO) of .220 to go with 3 home runs through his first 48 plate appearances.
Unfortunately for Swaggerty, a shoulder injury cut his season short. Had he not gotten injured, especially with his power and on-base skills flashing at Triple-A, he likely would have made his MLB debut last summer.
This offseason Swaggerty is Rule 5 Draft eligible and is a slam dunk to be added to the 40-man roster. With Swaggerty now 24-years-old he may not have much left to prove in the minor leagues, especially having started his professional career as an advanced college hitter.
The Pittsburgh Pirates enter the offseason with plenty of question marks about their corner outfield spots. With Swaggerty viewed as a big piece of the team’s future and a building block for the next Pirate winner, it would not be a surprise to see him crack the Opening Day roster as the team’s starting left fielder. He should enter Spring Training with a legitimate shot of earning an Opening Day roster spot.
Infielder Diego Castillo
The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Diego Castillo, along with Hoy Park, from the New York Yankees in exchange for reliever Clay Holmes prior to the trade deadline in July. All Castillo did last season, with both the Yankee and Pirate organizations, is hit.
Castillo accumulated 370 PAs at the Double-A level hitting for a .278/.344/.485 slash line to go wit ha 124 wRC+. He also flashed tremendous contact skills as he struck out just 11.8% of the time.
This performance earned him a promotion to Triple-A Indianapolis for the month of September. With the Indians, Castillo continued to hit. In his 70 PAs Castillo impressed by hitting for a .278/.414/.500 slash line and a 146 wRC+. While he strikeout rate did climb to 18.6% at Triple-A, that is still better than league average and was accompanied by an identical 18.6% walk rate.
Like Swaggerty, Castillo is a Rule 5 eligible. Also like Swaggerty, Castillo would appear to be a slam dunk to be added to the 40-man roster. Not only did his performance this past season garner that, also, odds are, knowing his Rule 5 status the Pittsburgh Pirates would not have acquired him in the Holmes trade without the intentions of adding him to the 40-man.
Castillo can play third base, shortstop and second base. The Pirate middle infield has plenty of question marks entering this offseason. Who will be at second base? Following another abysmal offensive season, will Kevin Newman return? Will the Pirates add middle infield help?
These question marks work into Castillo’s favor in his efforts to crack the Opening Day roster. Unless the Pirates make multiple middle infield additions this offseason the right-handed hitting Castillo should enter the spring with a legitimate shot to make the Opening Day roster. Hell, it may not be out of the equation for Castillo to get a start at second base, not just make the roster.
Super utility man Tucupita Marcano
This one is a bit different from Swaggerty and Castillo. That is because while this player did make their MBL during the 2021 season, they still have yet to make their debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates. So while they would not be making their MLB debut by cracking the Opening Day roster, they would still be making their Pirate debut.
When the Pittsburgh Pirates traded Adam Frazier to the San Diego Padres in July the center piece of the trade was essentially Adam Frazier 2.0. Who was that player? Tucupita Marcano. Like Frazier, Marcano is contact first, left-handed hitter who can play all over the field. However, Marcano, unlike Frazier, can also play third base and shortstop in addition to second base and the outfield.
The Pirates are very high on Marcano. They attempted to acquire him in the Joe Musgrove trade, but the Padres did not want to move him at that time. To be honest, the Padres were likely only willing to move him I the Frazier trade because Frazier essentially replaces Marcano in their organization through the 2022 season.
2021 Prospect Season Recap: Jack Suwinski. dark. Next
With the Pirates remaining high on Marcano and him already having a cup of coffee in the Majors, it would be more of a surprise if he did not crack the Opening Day roster than it would be for him to make the team. Marcano is a player Pirate fans will likely see a lot of in 2022.