First baseman Josh Bell is on the active roster during Spring Training for the first time in his Pirates career. With the departure of Pedro Alvarez, he is looking to prove himself in 2016.
As the Pittsburgh Pirates reported to Spring Training on Friday, there is one position that is still lacking an answer as to who will be the everyday starter. With the departure of Pedro Alvarez, there is a gap in the Pirates starting lineup at first base.
In total there are six candidates for the job who each want a shot at the starting gig. Among the suitors are John Jaso, Michael Morse, Jake Goebbert, Sean Rodriguez, Jason Rodgers, and Josh Bell. The last name on this list is an intriguing option for the Pirates and one they look to have not just now, but in the long-term future as well.
Bell has been in the Pirates organization for four years after being taken in the second round of the 2011 first year player draft. Originally drafted as an outfielder, Bell has shown he can hit the ball and produce throughout his time in the minor leagues. His lowest career average was in his first year as a pro when he hit .274 for Single A West Virginia. Every year following that his average has gone up. Last season he hit .317 with 7 home runs and 78 RBI. Those 78 RBI were a career high for Bell showing he can produce at the top levels of the minor leagues.
Bell has also shown some signs of power over his career. While he only hit 7 home runs last season in 131 games, that is the lowest number of his career to date. He hit 13 home runs in his second year as a pro and followed that up with a 9 home run season in his third year. As a switch hitter, Bell will benefit in the home run department when facing right handed pitching because of the short wall in right field. If Bell can be a guy who can hit 20-30 home runs a year, the Pirates could be set at the first base position for a number of years.
Another plus to Bell's offensive game is that he does not strike out a lot and can put the ball in play. Last season, in 489 at bats he struck out only 65 times, that means he strikes out once every 7 at bats. Compare that to Alvarez, who struck out once every 3.33 at bats, and you have an option who might not have as much power as Alvarez had, but who can put the ball in play and strike out a lot less.
When Bell does put the ball in play, it usually finds its way into open grass. He had a BABIP last season of .346, meaning he was able to find some holes and put the ball where he wants to. For Bell, the key to his development will be getting the timely hit in the big situations. The Pirates want to insert Bell into the middle of their order and make him an everyday run producer for the team.
On the defensive side, Bell was originally drafted as an outfielder out of Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas. However, with the success of Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, and Gregory Polanco, the outfield had become crowded and Bell would not have had a shot to make the big leagues with the Pirates.
The move to first base, which he just made last season, has been a little rough around the edges for Bell. He committed 16 errors in 1033 innings at the position which is good for a .986 fielding percentage. Bell still has time to grow at the position, and if he wants a crack at it while in the big leagues, defense is something he will surely have to work on.
On the positive side his range at first base is much improved from that of his outfield days. His range factor as a first baseman sits at 9.98. He has the ability to make a lot of plays at the first base position, but it will take some time and some practice in order for him to master the position to be able to take it over once he makes the big leagues.
Bell is currently ranked number three on the Pirates top 30 prospects list for the 2015 season, and he is an exciting player to watch for in the coming years. The two time futures game selection wants to prove that he can succeed at the major league level as well as he did in the minors. Personally, I believe that Bell will be a success at the big league level. I do not believe we will see him come up right out of spring training, but if John Jaso or Michael Morse start to struggle, dont be surprised if you see Bell in the majors by mid-July. This is an exciting time for Pirates fans as the season is just around the corner. There is a lot of hard work ahead for the Pirates, but also a lot of fun summer nights to look forward to at the best ball park in america.
"...there is one position that is still lacking an answer as to who will be the everyday starter. With the departure of Pedro Alvarez, there is a gap in the Pirates starting lineup at first base." couldn't disagree more. Jaso has a career OBP of .361 and only one season of it being below .300 (2011) while posting a positive WAR of 1 or higher every year sans 11. Just like Bell, he struggles with power hitting (37 HRs and 99 doubles in his career) but he hits for contact and has good plate discipline. Morse went 19-69 with Pittsburgh last season including 5 XBH (1 HR) while also showing good discipline, having a 21/11 K/BB ratio. My point: 1B isn't quite the hole people think it is, it's just lacking power. But KC didn't win the WS off of a bunch of .230 hitters with power, now did they.
ReplyDeleteDon't mix my words up either, Bell DOES look like the future of 1st base for PIT, but he's not much different than Jaso in that he's a high AVG, high OBP player. His K/BB ratio is grand (1.5) but I want to see his XBH ability grow before coming to PIT. It doesn't have to be HRs, but doubles and triples are key for him. He had 24 doubles between AA and AAA last season with 9 triples and 7 HRs. If he can have 20 doubles and 5 HRs by June next season, he'll fit right in. I don't expect, however, the Pirates to call him up without the need. If Jaso/Morse hold the position well, he won't be in PIT till Sept. when rosters expand. And that's a good problem to have; delays FA and possibly arbitration by one more year.