
Shortstop
Kevin Newman
Kevin Newman was a middle infielder for the Pirates from 2018 through 2022, batting .260/.303/.357 with a .286 wOBA and 76 wRC+. Although he had a strong rookie campaign in 2019, Newman was statistically the worst hitter in baseball from 2020 to 2021. He did rebound to a degree in 2022, but he was dealt that off-season to the Cincinnati Reds for reliever Dauri Moreta. He is currently in Spring Training with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Newman’s Spring Training numbers, however, were excellent. He batted .343/.378/.481 with a .370 wOBA, and 125 wRC+ in 196 plate appearances. He struck out just 10.7 percent of the time, but drew a walk in 5.1 percent of his plate appearances. Newman’s .138 isolated slugging percentage is below average, but dwarfs his Major League average of just .098.
One Spring Training performance no one will ever forget was in 2021 when he hit .606 with no strikeouts and five walks in 39 plate appearances. Quite literally, no other player since 2006 has ever had that high of a batting average in as many Spring Training plate appearances.
Honorable mentions: Gift Ngoepe, Brian Bixler, Cole Tucker