Logan Ratledge

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

Ratledge split time in college between second base and the outfield before playing a lot of shortstop in 2015, which is the position the Pirates announced when they drafted him.  The big senior season was enough to put him on the map as a prospect, putting him at number 157 in Baseball America’s top 500.  Part of the breakout may have been due to him adding 15 pounds of muscle.  Scouts see him as more of a second baseman than a shortstop, due to a fringy arm.  Baseball America said he would benefit offensively learning how to drive the ball to the opposite field, which is something the Pirates stress to all of their minor league hitters.  This was the second pick on day three in which the Pirates drafted an older college player at a premium position who was coming off a big breakout year at the plate.  Ratledge signed shortly after the draft.

2015
R+:  203/288/313, 64 AB, 2 2B, 1 3B. 1 HR, 5 BB, 8 K, 0-1 SB
A-:  138/265/207, 29 AB, 1 3B, 4 BB, 5 K

Ratledge opened the season at Bristol, playing mostly shortstop and a little at second.  He didn’t hit much and began losing playing time to Bealyn Chourio.  The Pirates promoted Ratledge to Morgantown at the beginning of August, but when they moved Kevin Newman up to West Virginia, organizational infielder Erik Forgione took over at short.  Ratledge served as a backup, dividing his time between short and second.  He didn’t hit after the promotion, either, although he showed good plate discipline at both levels.  He had some problems with errors at short, posting a fielding percentage of just .894 in 22 games.

2016
A:  239/304/326, 301 AB, 14 2B, 4 HR, 18 BB, 48 K, 24-35 SB
A+:  571/571/857, 7 AB, 2 2B, 1 K

Ratledge spent most of 2016 in a utility role in West Virginia.  He ended up playing regularly at third due to injuries to Ke’Bryan Hayes.  Most of the rest of his time was spent in left and center; he didn’t see any time at short.  The Power used him as their go-to guy when they ran out of pitchers in blowouts and extra-inning games, taking the mound four times and even picking up a win.  Ratledge hit a lot better than the previous year, although not especially well.  He had a lot of trouble with RHPs, posting a .595 OPS against them and .801 against LHPs.  Ratledge attempted a lot of steals, with a somewhat low success rate.  The Pirates moved him up to Bradenton at the end of the season.

2017
A:  234/328/364, 107 AB, 5 2B, 3 HR, 15 BB, 19 K, 4-8 SB
A+:  257/309/367, 226 AB, 14 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 14 BB, 40 K, 11-13 SB
AA:  108/175/135, 37 AB, 1 2B, 3 BB, 10 K

Ratledge opened the season with West Virginia in a utility role in 2017.  He moved up to Bradenton in May and spent the rest of the season there, except for a three-week stint in Altoona starting in late June.  He played all over, spending the bulk of his time at Bradenton in the outfield and playing semi-regularly.  Ratledge hit respectably for a utility player, even showing a little power.

2018
AA:  182/266/345, 55 AB, 3 2B, 2 HR, 5 BB, 13 K, 1-1 SB
AAA:  000/250/000, 3 AB, 1 BB, 1 K

The Pirates had so much upper level infield depth that, even with Mitchell Tolman suspended, they had no place for Ratledge.  He opened the season in extended spring training and wasn’t assigned to Altoona until mid-May.  He played only sparingly, getting time at second and third, and in left and right.  He did get into one game in AAA.  Ratledge also pitched in three games, giving him eight mound appearances in his career.

Ratledge will likely be in the same depth role in 2019.