In a little less than two weeks, MLB active rosters will expand from 25 to a maximum of 40 players. To be on the active roster in September, you need to be on the 40-man roster.
For the Pirates, this will be a nice boost. They’ve had plenty of depth out of Triple-A this year, but several guys are now down due to a lack of a roster spot at the big league level. They’ll be able to call up some big bats off the bench, some key role players, a few extra relievers, and starter depth to give their young pitchers a bit of a break when needed.
The deadline is two weeks away, but I thought I’d take a look at all of the players who have a shot at getting a call-up, their chances of getting that call, and the role they could play.
Position Players
Josh Bell – The Pirates aren’t calling up Josh Bell right now because they trust John Jaso’s defense more, plus they don’t have a spot for Bell on the current bench, as everyone there is productive (including David Freese and Sean Rodriguez, who are also getting time at first, while putting up the offense you’d hope for from Bell). They could call him up in September, give him work off the bench, and ease him into the starting job with a few starts per week. That’s been my suggestion since early in the year, getting him ready for the starting role on Opening Day 2017.
Alen Hanson – The Pirates seem to be preparing Hanson for a super utility role in the big leagues. He still has a chance to be an average starter if he can gain consistency with his bat, but the bench role might be his most likely path to cracking the big league roster. I could see him coming up this year, and if he does well enough, winning a job off the bench for the start of next season.
Max Moroff – Moroff should come up, even though the Pirates would have utility players in Adam Frazier and likely Hanson. He has taken fly balls in outfield practice, but hasn’t officially moved to the outfield yet, making him more a utility infielder. He also has good plate patience, although sometimes he can be a little too patient, laying off pitches that he should be trying to drive.
Chris Stewart – The Pirates are currently taking it slow with Chris Stewart’s rehab process. I wouldn’t expect him back before the end of the month, as they would have to DFA Eric Fryer if that happened. It’s still unknown whether Stewart will be able to return, but even if he can return, I doubt the Pirates would be comfortable depleting their MLB depth with all of the injuries to the top three catchers this year.
Elias Diaz – If Stewart returns, that would give three catchers in the big leagues in September. However, with the injury problems with Francisco Cervelli and Stewart, the Pirates might opt to have more depth, giving some time off to Cervelli, if needed. That could result in Elias Diaz coming up as a fourth catcher.
Gift Ngoepe – The Pirates don’t have any problem defensively at shortstop with Jordy Mercer as their starter. However, Gift Ngoepe would provide them with a strong defensive backup, while adding speed off the bench and defense at other positions. He would also be a good story, being the first MLB player from Africa. The Pirates have gone with strictly speed and defense options before, and Gift could be that player this year.
Jason Rogers – There is no need for additional bench players right now, but even if there were, Rogers would be limited by his lack of positions. He can play third base and outfield, although not that well. He’s more of a first base/DH option. But in September, they can carry extra bats off the bench, and he’d be perfect in that role.
Pitchers
A.J. Schugel – He’s a guarantee to come up. The only reason he’s not up right now is that they don’t have a spot for him. When the calendar flips to September 1st, he will be in the majors.
Steven Brault – I also think Brault is a guarantee to get called up, since he has been in the majors this year, can start if needed, and provides yet another left-hander out of the bullpen. His ability to start could allow the Pirates to give Jameson Taillon another brief rest, making sure he’s ready to pitch in October, if needed.
Drew Hutchison – The Pirates need to keep Hutchison down until August 30th to get an extra year of control from him. So they could call him up in September to either pitch out of the bullpen, or take some starts in the rotation, and still have him for three more years beyond 2016. I could see them bringing him up to get additional work this year, but with the way the current rotation is pitching, I’m not sure anyone would be losing their starting jobs.
Tyler Glasnow – I could see Glasnow remaining in Indianapolis after his rehab is over. He’s not looking like a guy who is ready to be a starter in the majors, especially with other options pitch so well right now. His issues also wouldn’t be solved by pitching in relief, and it would be a waste of service time to call him up for a limited role, with so many good options available. Unless he shows some positive signs really quick, I could see him staying down.
Non-40 Man
The guys below would need to be added to the 40-man roster to get the call. The Pirates have some spots that could be opened up. Curtis Partch was added to the 40-man as a short-term filler a few weeks ago, but I don’t see him coming up. They could also make a move with Kyle Lobstein, since they already have about 200 lefties in the bullpen. And if Chris Stewart can’t return this year, he could go to the 60-day DL to create another roster spot.
Trevor Williams – Of this group, Williams seems the most likely to come up this year, pitching out of the bullpen either in long relief or in a shorter role. He could also spot start, although the Pirates have several options ahead of him for that. He’s got a 2.88 ERA in 93.2 innings this year, with a 57:26 K/BB ratio, so he’s definitely made a case for coming up.
Frank Duncan – Likewise, Duncan has also made a case for coming up, with a 2.06 ERA in 96 innings over 17 starts, with an 81:22 K/BB ratio. That’s impressive for a guy who was supposed to be opening the year in the Altoona bullpen. He’s more of a relief option in the majors, capable of going multiple innings, or getting an easy ground ball out.
Dovydas Neverauskas – I’m less optimistic that Neverauskas could arrive, simply because of the roster crunch. He has to be added to the 40-man before free agency to keep him in the system, but the Pirates can do that in the off-season. Still, it would be fun to see him in the big leagues, not just for the story of him being the first MLB player from Lithuania, but also because he’s now pumping out upper 90s fastballs consistently.
Edgar Santana – Santana has a great arm, and the potential for two plus pitches. This would be another good story if he made it. Two years ago, he was pitching in the DSL. Now he’s in Triple-A, after starting the season in Bradenton. He only has six innings, but the arm is real. I think the chances of him making it up are very slim, and Neverauskas would be more likely.
**Prospect Watch: Hinsz and Hearn Have Troubles in Doubleheader for West Virginia Two top pitching prospects have issues on this night. There is also a recap of a start by second round pick Travis MacGregor, as well as doubleheaders for both Morgantown and Altoona.
**Minor Moves: Pirates Promote Two High Bonus DSL Players to the GCL. I’m looking forward to seeing Portorreal when I return to Bradenton on Saturday. I saw him last year in the DSL, and loved the frame and the raw tools. He’s been crushing the ball lately, and it will be good to see him during this streak.
**Frank Duncan Making an Impact On and Off the Field With Indianapolis. Brian Peloza writes about the strong performances from Frank Duncan on the field, and the strong character of the guy off the field.
**David Todd Podcast: Taylor Hearn Talk, September Call-Up Predictions. A lot of good baseball talk here, including a discussion of the current topic.
**Morning Report: Which Affiliate Has the Most Starts from Top Prospects? John Dreker takes a look at where the top pitching prospects have been this year.
