Pirates' Derek Shelton: Todd Frazier added for right-handed power, veteran leadership

Derek Shelton rattled off Todd Frazier’s attributes, from being a 10-year veteran and two-time All-Star to a right-handed bat who can play either corner infield spot, as reasons for his addition to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Not that Ke’Bryan Hayes has to be worried.

Frazier signed a minor league deal with the Pirates on Friday with a nonroster invitation to spring training, one that became official after he passed his physical Saturday. If Frazier makes the 26-man roster, he will earn $1.5 million this season.

Although Frazier has played the fifth-most games at third base among active MLB players (1,066) and only 113 at first, the Pirates have designs on using him in a potential platoon with left-handed hitter Colin Moran at first base instead of taking time away from Hayes at third.

“Obviously, he can play both corner spots,” Shelton said of Frazier. “I think we know that the guy at third is probably going to play there a lot. But I think a right-handed bat with the ability to drive the ball was important for us and something we wanted to key on, and the fact that we were able to add a veteran.”

Frazier has 218 career home runs, with five 20-homer seasons and a run of eight consecutive seasons with at least 18 from 2012-19. He hit a career-high 40 homers in 2016 with the Chicago White Sox and had 21 with the Mets in 2019.

As the team’s oldest player, the Pirates are counting the 35-year-old Frazier to add a veteran presence to their young clubhouse. He comes with a strong leader reputation after playing for the Cincinnati Reds, White Sox, New York Mets (twice) and Yankees and Texas Rangers.

“I think it adds value,” Shelton said. “I think there are conversations that have to be had in a group – in a peer ground, it’s more important than a coaching group. It’s not that guys aren’t going to listen, but when you’re having a conversation amongst your peers, it definitely adds value.”

And it doesn’t hurt that Frazier has had his share of success at PNC Park, with a .307/.379/.553 slash line with nine doubles, two triples, eight home runs and 23 RBIs in 39 career games.

“I think that’s just a nice bonus,” Shelton said. “Why wouldn’t you want to hit at PNC Park? It’s beautiful.”

The Pirates also added minor league infielder Hunter Owen to camp with a nonroster invite. Owen, 27, batted .261 with 19 doubles, two triples, 19 homers and 53 RBIs in 110 games between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis in 2019 and was targeted after his play in the Instructional League last fall in Florida.

“The versatility is important,” Shelton said of Owen, who has played first base, third base and in the outfield. “He can play both corners, he can go to the outfield. So when you’re adding guys into camp at this point right now, we need guys who are versatile, and he was the person that our player development group identified.

“One of the things that we had to be thoughtful of is we weren’t going to put ourselves in a position, if we did sign a bunch of free agents coming in, that we were going to have to tell someone they weren’t coming. So I think we waited to the point where we were comfortable with our number, and then we were able to add him.”