The Pirates have reached agreement with free agent outfielder/first baseman Daniel Nava, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). It’s a minors pact that includes a MLB camp invite.
Nava, who’ll turn 35 in a few weeks, had a nice bounceback campaign last year with the cross-state Phillies. He was limited to eighty games of action owing to injuries, which also perhaps prevented him from being dealt to a contender in the middle of the season, but turned in an undeniably productive overall effort.
Over 214 total plate appearances, Nava slashed a robust .301/.393/.421. Though he managed only four home runs, he exhibited a command of the strike zone (just 38 strikeouts with 26 walks) of the type that led to his prior MLB success.
Of course, teams were no doubt also wary given that Nava had struggled over the prior several campaigns. While he grades as a solid defender in the corner outfield, he isn’t exactly a prime asset with the glove. And Nava is pretty clearly a strict platoon asset: the switch-hitter has long been far more successful against right-handed than left-handed pitching.
For the Bucs, those limitations are just fine. As middling as his production has been against southpaws, Nava dominated (.341/.423/.474) when hitting with the platoon advantage last year. He ought to have a fair shot at earning a MLB roster spot in camp. Odds are — as the Pirates’ updated depth chart suggests — he’ll end up in a time share in the corner outfield.
Phillies2017
813 OPS and cant even get guaranteed $
tycobb016
Happy Birthday Babe Ruth. Born this day 1895
mlb1225
To be fair, he’s 35, and came off of a season where he was injured for half of the time.
wrigleywannabe
He is 35, a platoon player, his career OPS is .737 and he’s either going be a good platoon player or atrociously bad.
realist101
I echo the other comments about his age and limitations, and I’ll note that Nava was also a below replacement level player in both 2016 and 2015 with sub-.600 OPS’s both of those years.
TheChanceyColborn
Hot stove roaring now!
Bocephus
Very original
itslonelyatthetrop
We subscribe to this site for the little signings, too.
sufferforsnakes
You subscribe?
Phillies2017
It’s highly recommended
Bocephus
Yea it’s 0.00 bitcoin per year…
Robertowannabe
Used to be 10 bitcoin per year….well then………
NicTaylor
Take that Tony Clark!!!
Solaris601
Right! Who says the Pirates don’t sign free agents?
raef715
wouldnt have minded something similar from the Phils; did a nice job and demonstrated professional at bats to a young team.
rxbrgr
As a switch hitter, didn’t he always bat with the platoon advantage?
mlb1225
I predicted The Pirates would sign this guy. Cheap switch hitter, who did solid last year (though that was in an injury halved season), and has good defense in the OF, and 1B.
joew
Apparently Jose Tabata wasn’t available? (/s)
in the two seasons he saw action in over 100 games he slashed .289/.368/.408/.776 in 944 plate appearances, not spectacular and was “way back” in ’13 and ’14 still worth a minors deal to see if what he did last year holds up.
I have doubts looking at the years after though. Since those two years he slashed .246/.342/.330/.671 over 528PAs including his ‘comeback’ 2018 campaign.
was really hoping for a bigger signing but if we’re so sure about meadows this kinda makes sense.
joew
whoops meant comeback 2017 campaign .
bigcokeslushy
2013 was his best year, he had great plate discipline and showed that last year too, hope he can capture that again for 1 or 2 more solid years
66TheNumberOfTheBest
I won’t claim to know much about Nava, but this seems like a nice depth signing. Austin Meadows is likely to spend half a year or so in AAA so the Pirates need guys in the mix for LF until he’s ready.
I was intrigued by him being a switch hitter until I saw the note about his platoon splits. He’s more of a left handed hitter in denial than a true switch hitter, it seems.
geejohnny
Looks like a platoon with Rodriguez (yuck) in right until Meadows shows he’s ready. Heck….beats Jaso doesn’t he?
66TheNumberOfTheBest
I hope they just leave Polanco in right. He was awful in left.
They can use Frazier in left on most days when Harrison is at second…assuming Moran makes the team and takes the 3B job, of course.
geejohnny
…..and assuming that Harrison stays which now is more likely since the Mets signed Frazier.
KermitJagger
Hopefully platooning with Luplow.
ronald greenawalt
buying my series tickets today
bosox90
He hit one of the most emotional home runs I’ve ever seen on a baseball field. No, not the grand slam he hit on the first pitch of his first MLB at bat. In Boston’s first home game after the Marathon Bombing in 2013 he hit a three run go-ahead homer in the eighth inning against the Royals. He was very animated as he ran the bases, which most would consider outside of his character. Don Orsillo passionately exclaimed “Boston, this is for you!” Still gives me chills every time I see the highlight.
lucienbel
Will never ever forget that either. That was a crazy time here in Boston, and while sports don’t necessarily fix things, I think that was an awesome moment we could all escape into, even if only for a few minutes. He had some big moments in general in Boston, will always be a fan of him.
TJECK109
Roster spot? He’ll be slotted 2nd in the batting order vs RHP come opening day
bobtillman
Pirate fans rejoice!!!! McCutchon has been replaced…..
New Englander here….ya, he was somethin’ in Boston…..more than one memorable moment….plays hard, one of those you really hope that he makes it……
gomerhodge71
I have always liked Nava. Good guy. Hope he does well.
NuckBobFutting
Good replacement for Jaso
davidcoonce74
Nava is the kind of player who would have had much more value 10-15 years ago, when teams still carried pinch-hitters. Sadly, the advent of the 7-8 man bullpens has made the position pretty much extinct.
tycobb016
Interesting comment. Years back teams would use 9 man pitching staffs and a lot of teams had dangerous pinch hitters. Manny Mota, Gates Brown, Lenny Harris, Vic Davillilo, Tommy Davis. My White Sox had Smokey Burgess.
davidcoonce74
Yep. Rusty Staub extended his career for years by being an outstanding pinch-hitter. It’s a shame. Teams have 4 and 3-man benches now, no room for a pinch-hitting specialist.
jtkuch
Going into this offseason, I thought this would’ve been exactly the kind of bargain signing the Pirates usually make, like with Joyce in 16. I of course assumed cutch would be traded.
But, given the nature of this offseason, I’m a little disappointed they didn’t wait a little longer to see if they could get a real bargain on a RH OF like Gomez or Maybin, who could also platoon with Meadows when he comes up or could be trade bait.
HarveyD82
This is basically a john jaso clone