Phil Gosselin

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2010
A:  294/374/393, 214 AB, 9 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 25 BB, 51 K, 7-10 SB
A+:  154/154/269, 26 AB, 1 2B, 1 3B, 7 K

The Braves sent Gosselin straight to full-season ball after the draft.  He had a good debut in low A, with a late-season promotion to high A.  Baseball America ranked him 25th in the Braves’ system.

2011
A+:  264/324/392, 424 AB, 24 2B, 6 3B, 6 HR, 37 BB, 76 K, 6-8 SB

Gosselin spent the season in high A and didn’t hit all that well.  BA rated him the Braves’ 30th best prospect after the season.

2012
AA:  242/317/320, 484 AB, 23 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 46 BB, 90 K, 12-16 SB

Still playing almost exclusively at second, Gosselin struggled in AA, although his walk and K rates stayed about the same, i.e., marginal.  He struggled badly against LHPs, with a .585 OPS.

2013
AA:  243/291/312, 218 AB, 10 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 12 BB, 31 K, 5-6 SB
AAA:  266/308/324, 207 AB, 4 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 12 BB, 38 K, 1-1 SB
MLB:  333/429/333, 6 AB, 1 BB, 2 K

Atlanta sent Gosselin back to AA for the first half of the season and he struggled even more.  He nevertheless moved up to AAA, where he hit only a little better.  On the season, he hit LHPs well (.783 OPS) but didn’t hit RHPs (.553).  He played in 20 games in left and four at third.  The Braves called Gosselin up in August due to injuries and he got into four games.  After the season, they outrighted him to AAA.

2014
AAA:  344/379/487, 378 AB, 29 2B, 5 3B, 5 HR, 19 BB, 62 K, 6-7 SB
MLB:  266/304/320, 128 AB, 4 2B, 1 HR, 5 BB, 27 K, 2-4 SB

Gosselin suddenly started to hit in AAA, even showing solid power.  The surge got him called back up to the majors in late July.  He saw semi-regular playing time at third, short, and mostly second, and held his own at the plate.

2015
R (Ari):  286/286/786, 14 AB, 1 2B, 2 HR
A+ (Ari):  318/348/318, 22 AB, 1 BB, 5 K
AAA (Ari):  333/364/524, 21 AB, 4 2B, 1 BB, 2 K
MLB (Atl):  325/357/425, 40 AB, 4 2B, 2 BB, 5 K, 2-2 SB
MLB (Ari):  303/382/545, 66 AB, 5 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 7 BB, 11 K, 0-1 SB

Gosselin opened the season with the Braves, serving in a utility role and splitting his time between second and third.  In mid-May, though, he went out with a broken thumb.  While he was out, Atlanta traded him to Arizona.  He finally returned from a minor league rehab at the end of August.  Gosselin hit very well at both major league stops.

2016
MLB:  277/324/368, 220 AB, 12 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 15 BB, 46 K, 3-3 SB

Arizona kept Gosselin in the majors all year in a utility role.  He got into 122 games and had 240 plate appearances, but made only 35 starts.  Most came at second, but he also started games at third, first and short, and in left.  His hitting fell off from the previous year.

Gosselin added to a crowded utility infield situation with the Pirates.  With Adam Frazier settled in one utility spot, the team had Alen Hanson, who’s out of options, along with Max Moroff, Chris Bostick and Gift Ngoepe available for a second utility role.  Gosselin has two options left, so he could conceivably have gone to Indianapolis, but the Pirates never appeared to consider such a move and he’ll open 2017 in a utility role in the majors.