Fast-rising Pirates OF prospect Jared Oliva's story helps shape career
Jared Oliva always knew what he wanted to be: A professional baseball player. What he didn’t know was how to get to the major leagues, especially without a college scholarship offer.
Oliva went from former walk-on at Arizona to leading the Wildcats to the College World Series to seventh-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2017 to becoming a top-10 prospect on the cusp of realizing his MLB dream.
“All of those things definitely helped my story,” Oliva said, “and just shaped who I am.”
Now the 24-year-old outfielder can see opportunity. He followed a strong second half at Double-A Altoona by shining in the Arizona Fall League. At spring training, he is reunited with former college teammate Kevin Newman and hoping to replicate the rookie success Newman and Bryan Reynolds had last year.
“You’ve got to pinch yourself a little bit to kind of realize where you’re at,” Oliva said. “But this is something I’ve wanted to do my whole life. It surprises me, but it doesn’t surprise me. … I’m looking forward to making the most of the opportunity.”
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Oliva had a rough start to the 2019 season, as he suffered a concussion while crashing into the legs of left fielder Bralin Jackson in an attempt to make a diving catch in the second game of the season.
Oliva struggled until June, when he batted .296 with nine doubles, three home runs and 12 RBIs. He batted .388 in July with seven doubles, three triples and 14 RBIs. In the Arizona Fall League, Oliva slashed .312/.413/.473, led the league in steals (32) and finished second in hits (29) and walks (14).
That made a strong impression on the Pirates. Oliva is ticketed to start the season at Triple-A Indianapolis but might not be far away from making his major league debut.
“That second half of the year was really special, and he carried it into the Fall League,” Pirates farm director Larry Broadway said. “He’s getting some good looks and could be up sooner rather than later.”
A natural center fielder, Oliva played all three outfield spots in the Fall League in hopes it would make him more attractive to the Pirates and more prepared for an eventual call-up.
“That’s something I saw Bryan Reynolds do last year,” Oliva said. “He came up, and he was able to contribute more playing all three spots, so when I was in the Fall League, I decided I wanted to work the corners again and just be more versatile. That way, I can make more of an impact.”
Pirates manager Derek Shelton noted Oliva’s smarts, speed and athleticism. First-base coach Tarrick Brock, who coaches the outfield and baserunning, believes Oliva’s versatility will “definitely help him in the long run” and was impressed with how he fared in left field at LECOM Park.
“We saw him make pretty tough plays look easy,” Brock said. “He dealt with the wind and sun and the short left field. Those are the learning lessons that will springboard him into being a better defender and a better player.”
That is Oliva’s primary concern. He comes from baseball bloodlines and has a love for the game, constantly having conversations about it in the clubhouse with teammates. His father, Dave, reached Double-A with the Boston Red Sox. His uncle, Steven, spent four seasons in the Atlanta Braves’ system.
“It’s something I love to do,” Oliva said. “I love to be a student of the game. That’s what you’ve got to do to be successful. If you want to stay here, if you want to contribute at the big-league level, you have to have a passion for it.
Oliva is slashing .240/.269/.360 this spring, with one home run and three RBIs. He scored the tying run in the top of the ninth inning Sunday in a 2-2 tie with Tampa Bay, hitting a leadoff single and scoring on Charlie Tilson’s double.
While Oliva might not make it past the first cuts, he could have a chance to play center at PNC Park this season. The Pirates traded Starling Marte and signed veterans Jarrod Dyson and Guillermo Heredia to one-year deals, leaving the door open.
“It’s a realistic opportunity,” Oliva said. “Everyone here, we know we can contribute at the big-league level. It’s cool to be here. Yeah, that’s a goal. I want to be the guy in center field. But I realize there’s a process to it. ”
It’s a story that’s shaping up just the way Oliva always wanted.
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Kevin Gorman is a TribLive reporter covering the Pirates. A Baldwin native and Penn State graduate, he joined the Trib in 1999 and has covered high school sports, Pitt football and basketball and was a sports columnist for 10 years. He can be reached at kgorman@triblive.com.
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