Pirates A to Z: Will Craig no longer a prospect but still trying to make it to majors

During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z, an alphabetical player-by-player look at the 40-man roster, from outfielder Anthony Alford to pitcher Trevor Williams. (The only MLB player with a surname that starts with Z is Detroit Tigers pitcher Jordan Zimmerman).

Will Craig

Position: First base

Bats/Throws: Right/right

Age: 25

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 220 pounds

2020 MLB statistics: Batted .000 (0 for 4) with one strikeout in two games.

Contract: Not eligible for arbitration until 2024.

Acquired: Drafted by the Pirates in the first round in 2016.

This past season: After struggling in spring training, hitting .182 with two doubles, a home run and three RBIs but striking out 10 times in 15 games, Craig’s career was at a crossroads.

“Definitely the way it went in spring training was not how I envisioned it,” Craig said. “Obviously, I never envisioned struggling. You never envision that.”

Craig believed he was starting to hit his stride before baseball was shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. Despite a Gold Glove and a hot start to the 2019 season, when he hit 15 homers with 38 RBIs through April and May at Triple-A Indianapolis, the Pirates optioned Craig to Indy once again before baseball was shut down by the coronavirus.

When the Pirates opened summer camp in July at PNC Park, Craig wasn’t among those invited. Instead, he was sent to the alternate training site in Altoona. He was hoping that the use of a universal designated hitter would provide an opportunity to join the big league club.

“It was a little shocking,” Craig said. “But, at the same time, I felt with the whole DH thing, there would be opportunity. When they told me I was going to Altoona, I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to use this as a chance to get as many reps as I can at first base, see as many pitches as I can, take every day going to the field every day as early as I can, as long as protocol allows us and just maximize my time down there.’ … It was definitely a little chip on my shoulder, for sure.”

Craig finally got his big-league call-up in late August when Colin Moran was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list after a collision at first base. Craig made his debut Aug. 27 at the St. Louis Cardinals, starting at first base and batting ninth.

Will Craig has taken the field at first base and is officially a big-leaguer! ?@MyFranciscan | #RollTribe pic.twitter.com/AeLzQHTnOT

— Indianapolis Indians (@indyindians) August 27, 2020

Despite going 0 for 3, Craig made contact in every at-bat and drove a fly ball 375 feet to the left-center wall in the seventh before it was caught by Tyler O’Neill. But that wasn’t the best moment for Craig.

“Probably when they announced it was my debut and Yadi looked up to me and said, ‘Congrats.’ I was like, ‘OK, that’s pretty cool.’ Yadi telling me congrats, that was a pretty cool experience,” Craig said of Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina. “I guess just getting out there and seeing the first couple pitches, being like, ‘OK, this is baseball. I know what I’m doing. I’ve done this my entire life. Just keep going and do what I know I can do, which is hit and play defense.’ Those first couple pitches when I eventually got into the box was when it kind of hit me, for sure.”

The future: Although Craig would be a defensive upgrade over Bell, Moran, Jose Osuna or Phillip Evans, his inconsistency at the plate has been a cause for concern with the Pirates.

Craig’s status within the organization has dropped from their No. 8 prospect by MLB.com in 2016 to No. 22 this past season. And his path to the majors is blocked by Bell, the team’s lone All-Star.

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington certainly didn’t give Craig a ringing endorsement when asked about his future with the club.

“Will’s on our 40-man roster, and the way I’ve always thought about it is when you get to that point, you lose the prospect label,” Cherington said. “The prospect tag goes away as guys get to Double-A, Triple-A, get on the roster. Those tags don’t matter, and you’re a baseball player, and you’re amongst other talented baseball players competing to get better, and Will’s one of those guys.”

Then again, Cherington has made it clear that no Pirates player is deemed untouchable, save perhaps third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, and noted Craig had a good summer at the alternate training site. Craig dropped 25 pounds last offseason and has played in right field in an effort to find a way to increase his chances of moving up to the majors.

“We were really encouraged by some of the things he did in Altoona,” Cherington said. “Made some adjustments offensively. He’s worked really hard over the last year or so to get his body in a better spot, just to be able to move better and just handle the defensive responsibilities both at first and in other spots. We’re challenging him this offseason to continue to do that so he can be a defensive option in more than one spot.

“We know he has power. He likes the game. He’s a hard worker. He’ll have opportunity to get better and earn opportunity. I think he knows that’s the point of his career he’s at, but that’s not just him. That’s anybody that gets to that level would be in that category.”