J.T. Riddle

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

2013
A-:  243/288/315, 222 AB, 10 2B, 2 HR, 10 BB, 28 K, 6-7 SB

The Marlins used Riddle mostly at third in the New York-Penn League, giving him only a few games at second and short.  He didn’t hit or get on base much.

2014
A:  280/323/400, 435 AB, 17 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR, 26 BB, 55 K, 5-6 SB

Miami moved Riddle mostly to short in low A, although he still started 35 games at third and a few at second.  He hit better, with decent gap power, but he should have done well as a draftee from a major college program at that level.  Baseball America rated Riddle 17th in the Marlins’ system, in large part due to good reviews of his defensive work.

2015
A+:  270/311/314, 185 AB, 6 2B, 1 3B, 11 BB, 29 K, 7-10 SB
AA:  289/323/422, 173 AB, 6 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 8 BB, 24 K
AAA:  600/857/600, 3 AB, 2 BB

Riddle split the season between high A and AA, along with one game in AAA.  He played short exclusively.  He hit for a decent average in high A, but almost no power, and he also seldom walked.  The Florida State League probably didn’t help.  He did better in AA, showing some power but still not taking many pitches.  BA rated him 22nd in the Miami system.

2016
AA:  278/332/368, 389 AB, 18 2B, 4 3B, 3 HR, 33 BB, 72 K, 5-6 SB
AAA:  268/281/357, 56 AB, 2 2B, 1 HR, 1 BB, 9 K, 1-1 SB

Riddle spent most of the season in AA, with a late promotion to AAA.  He played mostly short, but got a fair amount of time at second and a little at third and in the outfield.  He hit as before, with modest gap power and a slightly better walk rate than usual while he was in AA.  BA rated him 21st in the system.

2017
AAA:  286/297/476, 63 AB, 4 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 1 BB, 8 K, 1-1 SB
MLB:  250/282/355, 228 AB, 13 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 12 BB, 50 K, 0-2 SB

The Marlins sent Riddle back to AAA to open the season, but they added him to the 40-man roster and called him up for a week in April.  He came back up in May, but went out for the season in July with a shoulder injury.  He played short exclusively at both levels, but didn’t get on base or hit for much power in the majors.

2018
A+:  167/286/333, 6 AB, 1 2B, 1 BB, 2 K
AA:  286/286/286, 7 AB, 1 K
AAA:  346/400/531, 81 AB, 4 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 8 BB, 15 K, 2-2 SB
MLB:  231/277/377, 308 AB, 10 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR, 20 BB, 67 K, 0-3 SB

Riddle missed the early season due to shoulder surgery, but eventually returned to the majors in late May.  He was more or less the regular shortstop after that.  He showed a little more power than before, but didn’t get on base much.

2019
A+:  200/200/200, 5 AB, 3 K
AAA:  240/277/438, 121 AB, 10 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 6 BB, 20 K, 3-3 SB
MLB:  189/230/371, 132 AB, 6 2B, 6 HR, 5 BB, 42 K

Riddle opened the season in the majors, but started off 5-for-32 and Miami sent him to AAA in mid-April.  He returned to the majors in June and took over in center.  At both levels he showed a little power but had very low OBPs.  He went out for the year with a forearm strain in mid-July.  Miami removed him from the 40-man roster after the season and he became a free agent.

The Pirates’ decision to give Riddle a major league contract is puzzling.  He’s essentially identical to Erik Gonzalez, except he may offer even less offensive upside.  Neither has an option left, so both will have to be on the opening day roster unless one is waived or traded.  With Guillermo Heredia and Luke Maile also likely to be on the team as backups, the Pirates figure to get almost no offense from their bench.