Gregory Polanco hopes to live up to potential for Pirates, but first has to show he can throw

Gregory Polanco believes he can become the star the Pittsburgh Pirates once envisioned and is putting pressure on himself to live up to his five-tool talent.

“For sure. I trust myself, I trust me, I trust the process and work that I’m putting in,” Polanco said. “I just need to mature, and now I just need to try to put that work I put in the offseason to the season. With my talent, the talent that I have, sure, I can be a star in this league.”

First, he has to show he can throw.

Polanco declared himself healthy Thursday at training camp — something he admits he wasn’t last season after surgery on his throwing shoulder in September 2018 — and made it clear his intention is to be the everyday right fielder. He doesn’t want to be the designated hitter. Or a right fielder who is forced to hit the cutoff on every throw.

“Definitely, I feel like I need to show,” Polanco said. “That’s me personally. I need to do better than I did in the past. That’s me, personally. I want to prove me. I can do better every year. That’s the time that I need to step up and (say), ‘OK, let’s do it now.’ ”

“I feel really close to what I was before the injury.” pic.twitter.com/bvhYF5FvS6

— Pirates (@Pirates) July 10, 2020

At 28, Polanco is running out of time. With the trade of Starling Marte to Arizona in January, Polanco is the longest-tenured Pirates player (and their highest-paid position player). At 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, he provides an imposing physical presence in the middle of the order and potential power protection for cleanup hitter Josh Bell.

“He’s very important to our lineup. He’s very important to our club,” manager Derek Shelton said of Polanco. “I think a lot of people forget that Gregory Polanco is only 28 years old, and he’s had two years of injuries. Then going on top of it, he didn’t have of at-bats in the minor leagues. There’s a lot of good things to come with Gregory Polanco.”

Yet Polanco has a long way to go before he can be ordained a star: He is a career .252 hitter with highs of 23 homers and 86 RBIs. Polanco also has to prove that he can stay healthy after dealing with injuries the past three seasons.

Polanco made a positive first impression on Shelton in spring training and during the shutdown for the coronavirus pandemic, showing up healthy and staying strong. Instead of sulking over the trade of Marte, a fellow Dominican and his best friend, Polanco arrived all smiles and positivity.

Polanco’s baserunning is what put him in this predicament, as he was injured in an awkward slide against Miami in September 2018. Polanco was having a solid season, hitting 23 home runs with 86 RBIs, but required season-ending surgery on his left shoulder. He wasn’t fully recovered last season, and baserunners took liberties on his arm. Polanco shut down after 42 games, when he slashed .242/.301/.425, the worst numbers since his rookie year.

“When you get a guy that’s been here for a while and has battled through some injuries to come in, to be healthy, to be fresh and then continue to exhibit that enthusiasm on all parts of the game, I’m excited about it,” Shelton said. “I think he’s in a really good spot.”

Bell, for one, was impressed by Polanco from the start of camp. The All-Star first baseman noted Polanco was hitting homers to all fields, even putting some in the Allegheny River, and said he was excited to hit in front of or behind Polanco and put runs on the scoreboard. What caught Bell’s attention was when he watched Polanco make throws from right field to second, third and home, something Polanco didn’t do in spring training.

“That was the best I’ve seen his arm since surgery,” Bell said. “We didn’t have a radar on him, I know he was 98 before the surgery, but he was definitely 90-plus today. So very hopeful. He’s getting the backspin back, and that’s the only thing that he’s worried about. As long as he can backspin the ball, it’s going to be right on target.”

And that’s the true test for Polanco, who totaled 23 outfield assists in 2015-16 and was second in the NL in 2015. He is able to throw without worries and, more importantly, without pain. And that’s comforting to Polanco, whose confidence is increasing with every throw.

“It feels better to know that you have your arm back,” Polanco said. “It’s not like before; it’s way better. It’s almost 100%, as far as strength. No pain. No tightness. None of that. I’m good now.”

Polanco knows that it isn’t going to stop runners from testing his arm.

“Oh yeah, they will, for sure,” he said. “And I’m ready for them.”