Jim Negrych

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2006: Season ended in early August due to torn thumb ligaments injured in slide.

2007: Had only fair year at Hickory. Hit for decent average and made contact, but didn’t show any power or get on base at good rate. Struggled against LHPs, with .565 OPS against them. Missed over a month with oblique strain and may still have been suffering some effects from the thumb surgery. Defensively, at least didn’t have problems with errors, committing only ten.

2008: Moved to 3B at Lynchburg, possibly in effort to see if he’d be useful in utility role. Did nothing but hit all year, although he had significant platoon split again. Adjusted well to AA after late season promotion. Played strictly 3B in AA and only 17 games at 2B at Lynchburg. Didn’t do well defensively, committing 31 errors. Was awkward in the field, and doesn’t have good hands or a good arm.

2009: Third base experiment ended and Negrych moved back to second at Altoona. Showed some improvement defensively, but this time he didn’t hit well. Started off hot, batting .373 in April, but in May hit .194 with no extra base hits and in June hit .229. Had same OPS against LHPs and RHPs, so he at least made some progress hitting the former. Started coming around in July, hitting .310 and slugging .464, but late that month suffered serious abdominal injury in collision with shortstop Brian Friday. Injury was diagnosed as a hematoma, requiring season-ending surgery. Was eligible for Rule 5 draft after season, but Pirates didn’t add him to 40-man roster and he wasn’t selected.

2010: Opened as utility player at Altoona, indicating transition to organizational player. Played there mostly as DH, with a little time in left and at second. Promoted to AAA in June when Indianapolis was shorthanded due to promotions and other moves. Played mainly second there. In AAA hit better than in AA. Overall, though, didn’t show the bat needed to reach the majors as a guy who doesn’t run or field well, or hit for power.

Negrych will be 26 in 2011 and was passed over again in the Rule 5 draft. He has a good chance of returning to Altoona because the Pirates have a large number of upper-level middle infield prospects. It doesn’t seem improbable that Negrych could be a useful bench bat in the majors, because he has a good eye and uses the whole field, but he’s very unlikely to get the chance with the Pirates unless he ratchets his offensive game up a notch or two.