BRADENTON, Fla. – For a club building towards the future, there’s not much more than the Pirates can ask for than having an All-Star center fielder like Bryan Reynolds.
Finding people to play on either side of him has been more challenging.
Last year, the Pirates used 18 different outfielders, their most since 2001. Part of that was due to them having very little in the ways of major-league ready prospects, meaning that when there was an injury or if they just needed to upgrade, it usually meant another waiver claim or trade to just hope someone sticks.
That very likely won’t be the case in 2022. This year, they’re entering camp with eight players on the 40 man roster, though that number could very well drop as spring training cuts are complete.
The three that aren’t going anywhere are a trio of prospects who all took a step in 2021, even after not being able to play the previous season: Travis Swaggerty, Canaan Smith-Njigba and Jack Suwinski. All three could – and if all goes according to plan, likely will – make their major-league debuts at some point in the coming season.
“I'm excited to see those guys in camp,” Derek Shelton said. “…The one challenging thing is we don't have a long runway this year with those guys being first time on the roster, but I think anytime you see guys you're adding to your roster from your system that have a lot of ability to do things, yeah, it makes you smile. It makes you excited to be able to see it in games.”
In the LECOM Park clubhouse, it’s no coincidence that all three – along with non-roster outfielder Calvin Mitchell and Anthony Alford and Greg Allen, a pair of major-leaguers who are trying to make the roster because they are out of minor-league options – are all next to each other near the entrance. There’s healthy competition among that group that will continue on beyond this spring training, and they are going to go through it together.
“We’re all trying to be the best we can be, and the rubs off on each other,” Suwinski told me. “It rubs off in the locker room, the cage, the field… We all buy into that.”
It’s a little bittersweet for Swaggerty to be in that grouping, though. Had it not been for a dive back to first base on a pickoff throw, he wouldn’t have dislocated his right, non-throwing shoulder. That required season-ending surgery just as soon as the minor-league season was getting started.
It stung a little more because it looked like he was on the verge of breaking out. Ben Cherington said last April that of all the position players at the team’s alternate training site, it was him who stood out. So much so that they gave him the push to skip Class AA Altoona and go straight to Indianapolis. He homered in the first at-bat with Indianapolis and continued to be a tough out for his dozen games played, indicating the team made the right call.
Then he dove back to first and all that progress he was making on the field had to come to a pause.
“It created a lot more mental strength than I knew I had,” Swaggerty told me. “Mentally, physically, I’m in a good place now.”
Going through the rehab process and preparing for his return, Swaggerty had plenty of time to reflect on his very short season. Despite the way-too-soon ending, the former first-round pick was happy with how he approached it.
“I’ve had a lot of time to think about how this year should go,” Swaggerty said. “I think I should do the exact same thing I did last year, because when I didn’t press or play to be promoted, I was playing really, really well.
“I think my talent and ability and work ethic will speak for itself,” he added soon after. “When I’m ready, I’m sure they’ll give me a call.”
Swaggerty is the highest rated prospect of the trio, ranking at No. 15 on Baseball America’s 2022 list and as the organization’s best fielding and throwing outfielder.
As a hitter, though, Suwinski was arguably the best in the system, talking to one National League analyst.
Once one of the more promising young hitters in a crowded Padres’ system, Suwinski stumbled in 2019, leaving that taste in his mouth through the COVID shutdown.
He took that time off to start doing more drills, including short-box, which is taking high velocity and spin batting practice with the pitcher standing much closer towards home plate.
“I wanted to get a bit uncomfortable and try new things,” Suwinski said. “Use that time to see what works, what doesn’t work.”
The result was 19 homers and an .868 OPS across the Padres’ and Pirates’ Class AA affiliates, with encouraging peripherals and exit velocities to boot. The Pirates took notice and in July made him part of the returning package of players in the Adam Frazier trade.
In Altoona, he got to know Smith-Njigba, who joined the Pirates a few months earlier in the Jameson Taillon trade. While he went deep just six times over 66 games played last year, he too has some encouraging batted ball peripherals and some raw power.
Or as he put it, with a smile, “I can do some damage.”
Back in 2019, he looked like a potential breakout candidate with the Yankees, hitting over .300 for their Class High-A affiliate with some pop. Instead of being able to build off that in games in 2020, he had to find a way to try to stick to a routine and offensive game plan to stay ready in case games picked up.
“I missed a lot of at-bats [in 2020],” Smith-Njigba said. “Playing again felt good, felt right… I still have some catching up to do.”
When he’s clicking, he’s drawing walks and getting on base, posting a .398 OBP has season.
The Pirates don’t have a clear answer for a leadoff hitter. He could be a potential answer once he is eventually promoted.
And you are going to see him in 2022. He’s sure of it.
“You’re gonna see me there [in Pittsburgh],” Smith-Njigba said. “You ain’t going to be alone when you see me there. Everybody’s gonna see me.”
In all likelihood, all three should at least get a look in the majors in 2022 at different times. There could be overlap for which players get to play on either side of Reynolds.
Ideally for the Pirates, at least one of them will stick, and that the competition will push each of them to be better.
“Competition makes everyone better, but this is a family,” Smith-Njigba said. “It’s a tight group. We’re going to make each other better, hold each other accountable. Whatever happens, happens. We’ve all got each other’s backs, no matter what.”
