Pirate Prospects, Ke'Bryan Hayes and Will Craig Win Gold Gloves
The Pittsburgh Pirates have been a bad defensive team lately. You could argue that their defense was the single worst aspect of a pitiful 69-win season. The Pirates ranked at or near the bottom in almost every defensive category. So, the news that two Pirate prospects, Ke'Bryan Hayes and Will Craig, each won the 2019 Rawlings Gold Glove Award® could not have come at a better time.
For Hayes, this is no surprise. It's actually his third straight time receiving this honor. Craig, on the other hand, made a significant jump defensively since joining the Pirates organization.
Craig's first year in single A, he committed 16 errors in 46 games - leaving behind doubts on whether or not he would be capable of being an MLB regular, or if he'd need to be moved to the AL to become a professional DH. This season, Craig played 111 games at first base and committed only a single error.
Hayes was always billed as a top-tier defensive third-baseman, but he has only gotten better as he has advanced through the system.
Both Hayes and Craig have proven to be very capable with the bat in their hands, but, given their success this year in the field, it could be their defensive prowess that proves most beneficial to the Pirates.
After seeing high-profile pitchers leave Pittsburgh and enjoy extraordinary success elsewhere, you can't help but look at the Pirate's poor defense as part of the reason. It's unlikely to be a coincidence that the two organizations that most benefited from former Pirate pitchers, the Astros and Rays, are among the top defensive teams in the league.
With all the big name major leaguers being recognized for the bats or arms, what they can do with the glove is often forgotten. Hopefully, the arrival of Hayes and Craig in Pittsburgh begins a transformation of the Pirates into the well-rounded team we've been missing.
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Editor of Pirate Maven and lifelong Pittsburgh sports fan.