After already claiming right-hander Tyler Beede from the Giants and designating right-hander Beau Sulser for assignment this morning, the Pirates announced a series of further moves this afternoon, optioning shortstop Cole Tucker and right-hander Max Kranick to Triple-A Indianapolis, recalling shortstop Rodolfo Castro from Indianapolis, and reinstating right-hander Duane Underwood Jr. from the 10-day IL.
Tucker’s demotion is arguably the most notable element of all this, given his former prospect pedigree. Selected by the Pirates 24th overall in the 2014 draft, he instantly became one of the club’s most intriguing prospects. Baseball America ranked him #8 in the system the following year and Tucker would stay in the top 10 for four further years after that, gaining particular praise for his speed and defensive abilities.
However, since making his MLB debut in 2019, his performance at the plate has undermined his abilities elsewhere. In 154 career games in the big leagues, he has a batting line of .211/.259/.314, producing a wRC+ of 53. He has one option year remaining, so today’s demotion will make him out of options next year, assuming he spends at least 20 total days in the minors on the season.
Underwood, 27, was acquired from the Cubs and did yeoman’s work for the Pirates last year. In 43 games, he logged 72 2/3 innings, putting up a 4.33 ERA with a 20.3% strikeout rate, 8.4% walk rate and 43.5% ground ball rate. This year, he faced one batter before a hamstring strain put him on the shelf.
UH Cruz?
Cruz has a 76 wRC+ at Triple-A. I’m not worried, but he definitley needs a little more time. In his defense though, he is coming off a great week. Six hits in 26 plate appearances, 5 walks, only 3 K’s, and half of his hits went for extra bases. Small sample size, but it’s by far been the best stretch of games he’s put together this year. If he keeps it up over the next week, I think he’ll be in the majors.
Besides the bat problems he still can’t play SS and he got like what a couple games or part of games in outfield? Does that mean he is ready to play outfield?
According to the Pirates that is all that you need to be a fine outfielder.
Honestly, Cruz feels more and more like a September call up. I’m a big believer in the value of reps at AAA, getting around 400-500 PA at that level gives a good indication in my opinion of their readiness to handle MLB pitching. And yeah, the defense leaves a lot to be desired, if he doesn’t turn around the SS fielding issues by mid June they have to pull the plug and start getting him every day reps in the OF
It seems that Cruz thinks that he is a major league shortstop and wants to continue to play there.If he has such a fine arm one would think that he should be in right field.I would try to sell him on that.
The PIrates years ago had a rightfielder with a pretty good arm.
Mendoza Line, you are correct sir! And prior to that best-arm-in-MLB stretch by The Cobra we also enjoyed the BEST arm ever at any position. #retire21
Cruz needs more time in AAA. His OF work needs polished and he definitely can’t play SS. Let he get groomed in the OF down in AAA. For some reason, Pittsburgh is stalling on that agenda of moving him to the OF. It was addressed late last year that he was going to make the switch from SS to Right field. He’s been mostly placed in DH and a few spot starts in the OF. If anything, bring up Swaggerty instead of another IF like Castro. It opens up more playing time for Cruz in the outfield. Triple A has 5 guys in the outfield and most of it goes to Swaggerty, Cal Mitchell, and Smith-Njigba. They still have Alfred and Olivia there as well playing the outfield. Cole Tucker can squeeze in the OF upon Swaggerty promotion. I am not a fan of another infielder on the roster. Swaggerty is on the 40 man roster with Smith-Njigba. Mitchell is preforming well and Alfred has a small sample size in triple A (is he on the IL?) and not on the 40 man roster. In order to clear room for one, one of the current guys must be released or go through the waiver. Cole Tucker is one I’d push through the waiver and if he gets claimed, there are other options to replace him. Pirates have two handfuls of SS/2B guys on the active roster and 40 man. Dropping Tucker wouldn’t change anything. Adding Swaggerty or Smith-Njigba right now, would help this club. Swaggerty bat is off to a slow start though. Smith-Njigba bat is good, but defense can be shaky at times. Castro stays in Triple A and one of Swaggerty or S-N makes it to Pittsburgh sound a lot better. Castillo, VanMeter (until Newman’s return), and Chavis can man the middle infield. Gamel, Reynolds, and one of the two above, would make a fairly good OF. Gamel RF/LF, Reynolds LF/CF, and Swagg/S-N RF/CF/LF pending days of rest.
Cal Mitchell is the one hitting in AAA but he is not on the 40 man roster.The Pirates May have dodged a bullet by not having the Rule 5 draft this year as he was the odd man out.
I saw and know Cal Mitchell is hitting well and not on the 40 man. To add him, Pirates would have to release or waive someone to make room. Cole Tucker would be my choice right now to be waived
No prospects are guaranteed, but there’s a strong chance that Peugero would knock Cruz off of SS in 2-3 years anyways. I agree, start the OF transition now, it really is in the best interest of the player I believe. He’s not going to suffer any dramatic impact to his earning potential if he plays RF.
I like to see Castro here in the majors. Almost certain that he can do better than what Tucker has done this year. Though I don’t like making room on the roster for Underwood/Beede by optioning Kranick. Certainly has a higher ceiling than both at this point.
Kranick pitch yesterday? If so that is the likely reason. Guys with options are a easy send down to bring in fresh arms.
Yeah, but for Tyler Beede? Might as well stick with Kranick at that point. Underwood wasn’t awful last year. Roughly league average long relief arm and could have shaved nearly a run off his ERA had it not been for an outing where he gave up 7 ER in a single inning.
He pitched 3 innings yesterday so he wasn’t sent down because of his lack of talent. No reason to keep a guy with options in your bullpen if he isn’t going to pitch for 3 days. He will be back again.
Tucker to minors will make a lot of pirate fans happy.
Tucker DFA would make them happier.
Not me. It’s a long season. Until he is blocking a prospects development I don’t mind keeping a versatile minimum wage guy around.
Castro definitely worth a closer look, certainly at the expense of Tucker. Underwood nice enough to have around as the eater of an inning or two here and there. Kranick will be back.
Have to wonder if Tucker has run out of “looks” coming from management if all of the “incredible talent” on the farm is as advertised
Guess this is what’s so disconcerting, and I know they largely come from the previous regime, but Tucker, Polanco, Newman, Kramer—were all guys who were supposed to be light at the end of the tunnel
Tired- that particular light was an oncoming train.
I guess what I’m trying to say is exactly that, Mendoza. Someone is going to have to prove they are actually MLB quality. Hasn’t been the aforementioned guys, or Keller and the like
A number of posters here who watch the guys play at the minor league level and have glowing reports. Hope it pans out
This will be an unpopular viewpoint but to be truthful, I still don’t see the other-worldly play of Hayes being indicative of “cornerstone” for the future
Hayes was certainly not a great minor league hitter.I think that he will grow into a good major league hitter.I think that you will admit that he is a fine fielder with a great arm.
Beggars can’t be choosers.He is about as good as we can get to a future star on the Pirates
Even good minor league players do not turn into good major league players.They have to get by on more than innate physical ability once they get to the Majors.They have to deal with adversity and someone younger who always wants their job.They have to compete against the best in the world whereas before they did not have to do so.
To some extent our shared outlook a a function of neither of us being debutantes,so to speak. There is a reason why they make so much money.Major leaguers are the best at what they do in the world.Some read their own press clippings.
Hayes will probably be an all star in the future but certainly not an all time great.
Reynolds is having his even year blues.
I think that Cherington has done a good job in assembling minor league players,and some of his signings and trades have even worked out.He seems competent.I think that the Pirates will be reasonably good in the near future.But I do not see any superstars that a team needs to win a World Series.
I agree with you-the proof is in the pudding.
And the pudding is that there has been only one of the eight small market teams to win a WS since 1991.At least the odds are not infinity.On average they are only 250 to one in any given year for the Pirates to win one.
Tremendous synopsis. Thx
My pleasure young man.
Shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic
I was searching for an analogy – thank you
Pirates are supposed to steal. The running game is truly lacking for a team that admits to being thieves.
Hard to steal if you don’t get on base
Pittsburgh will keep Tucker around for as long as it means that Vanessa Hudgens comes to the occasional game. At least that’s what I’d do if I was management.
Blue-Maybe this will shake Tucker enough to make him realize that his baseball career may quickly come to an end and he better concentrate on it and no one from Hollywood.
If Tucker wants success he should retire from baseball and focus on his girlfriend.
She’ll leave him if he’s not a pro ball player. Why you think Kate Upton picked Justin and not Ben? It’s not cause of his personality that’s for sure.
Cheap- And who knows whether that would end that relationship too.
Many Hollywood “types” crave the attention and MLB players get that.
Tucker went Hollywood, when he should of focused on his baseball career. Shame, he was a good talent a few years ago. As for as Cruz is concerned. I think short stop is out of the question. He should stay in the outfield. At 6’7 why not first base?
When Tucker arrived, I wanted to see the kid succeed. I don’t think Hollywood prevented him from doing so. To me, his abilities at this level make him a utility player, at best
Tired- I think that the Pirates treated Tucker somewhat like the Phillies did with Kingery in moving him all around the field.This year during Newman’s injury was the perfect time to give him continuous at bats at his best position.I think that even if they considered doing this that his lack of hitting and power seems to have doomed him.I do not think that his Hollywood connections have helped him either.He is an example of someone who did well in the minor leagues but his innate ability has only taken him so far.It is too bad since he does have talent but he has essentially made no progress at the ML level.I doubt that he will make the necessary jump,at least with the Pirates.Hopefully,sending him the minors will wake him up so that he realizes that nothing is given to you in the ML’s.
Perhaps this will change with the new wave of minor leaguers who arrive here in the next few years but the Pirates seem to have struck gold in the Cutch/Walker/Marte/Cole period and then, their scouting and player development departments seemingly fell off a cliff
Suddenly, scouts were drafting guys who were much ballyhooed and then either washed out or never made it here. Or was is a player development problem?
I understand most of these guys are left overs from Huntington’s time but it all tends to make some of us old timers suspicious when they say the team will be competitive as early as ‘24. If that’s the case, they’d better have a lot of big guns we have seen yet on the horizon
It seems to me that the year of actual contention keeps getting pushed down the road.
I remember feeling pity in early 2019 for the fans of the Tigers,Royals,Orioles,and Marlins.They seemed like they were in perpetual rebuilding.
Now I feel for fans like you and I who have to endure the same crap.