Spring training performances offer hope for Pirates infield

A nice, springtime vibe floated through the Pittsburgh Pirates’ infield in Bradenton, Fla.

Baseballs were finding gaps and landing safely for hits, and not just those ricocheting off bats of opposing players. Pirates infielders Ke’Bryan Hayes, Kevin Newman, Adam Frazier, Colin Moran and Erik Gonzalez hit a collective .432 in — it must be noted — preseason games.

The trick is to keep those bats warm in what are typically cooler temperatures in places such as Chicago, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and Detroit, where the Pirates must play in April. Palm trees don’t grow in Wrigley Field.

For better or worse, the starting four, plus catcher Jacob Stallings, appear to be set, and manager Derek Shelton likes the group’s look.

“I’m very confident. I think we’ve gotten better,” Shelton said. “I know that we identified some stuff we wanted to work on in spring training, not only from the eye test but metrically, and I think the evaluation that we’ve done (on) both of those has really been good.

“We’ve done some different training things to try to identify those things and basically isolate how we can get each guy better. We talked about turning double plays coming in. We’ve been more consistent.”

The Pirates turned 25 double plays in 27 spring games.

Hayes’ glove looks to be a significant upgrade at third base over Moran.

“He makes it look way too easy,” Shelton said.

Second baseman Adam Frazier said the Pirates’ infield defense might be the best in his six years in Pittsburgh.

“When I first came in, we were pretty good. We had some experience and I was just kind of a small piece of that,” he said. “I’d say now … it’s definitely pretty stout. It’s giving our pitchers some (comfort).

“As guys get older, they get some experience and start feeling more comfortable. Same for me. I wasn’t very good at second base when I first came in.”

Moran made a total of 24 errors at third in 2018 and ‘19, but this season he moves to first where he replaces former National League All-Star Josh Bell. Moran won’t hit home runs such as Bell is expected to do for the Washington Nationals. Moran has 34 in 1,059 at-bats with the Pirates. Bell hit 37 in 527 at-bats in 2019.

Newman and Erik Gonzalez are the shortstops, but Shelton will find it difficult to keep Newman’s bat on the bench. He is hitting .714, with 20 hits (including six doubles) in 28 springtime at-bats. He looks closer to the full-season, .308 hitter of 2019 than the second-year pro who hit .224 in 337 fewer at-bats last season.

Frazier hit .553 (21 of 38) with a 1.549 OPS this spring, and Shelton said a change at the plate might have helped.

“The one thing we see is the shortness of the stroke,” the manager said. “At times last year, there was length of the swing. This looks very similar to swings he took prior to last year. That’s the thing that stands out.”

Frazier said: “Getting my hands out from my body to start, instead of behind my head.”

“Looking back on it now, no, it’s not difficult. Looking back at it last year, I thought, yeah, it was very difficult. I couldn’t figure out what was going on, but that was part of that hand thing. Not able to hit the ball to all fields. Opens up all fields again. That feels pretty good. It allows me to have a chance on a lot more pitches.”

Shelton was impressed last Wednesday when Frazier homered against the Atlanta Braves’ Ian Anderson on a pitch the Pirates manager said came in “face-high.”

Hayes might be the most heralded young Pirates player since Andrew McCutchen was a rookie in 2009. Hayes hit .376 in September, and kept hitting this spring (.413).

Gonzalez and Phillip Evans will be two of the backup infielders.

Evans’ versatility probably will lead him to a roster spot. He has played third, second, first, left and right field, but only for a total of 26 games in three seasons. He could be Moran’s main backup at first base.

Evans, who hit .406 this spring, has a lifetime .290 average, but he has been to the plate only 106 times.

The Pirates might miss Todd Frazier’s experience after he opted out last week. At 35, he has 4,909 plate appearances and a .242 batting average in 10 seasons. He hit three home runs this spring, matched only by Bryan Reynolds.

With Frazier gone, Stallings, 31, regains the distinction as the Pirates’ oldest non-pitcher. His backup will be either Tony Wolters or Michael Perez.

“It’s something we’re still debating,” Shelton said.

Perez showed a strong arm Saturday, throwing out the Boston’s Gilberto Jimenez, who was trying to steal second base.

Shelton labeled Wolters’ versatility “extremely interesting.” He has a history (25 games) at second base, and played third, shortstop and left field in his five-year career with the Colorado Rockies.

Wolters is hitting .194, Perez .167 this spring.

Veteran Wilmer Difo, who spent the past six seasons with the Nationals, extended his on-base streak to 13 games Sunday, with hits in 11 of them.

“High-energy guy. If you spend five minutes around him, you realize how much energy he has,” Shelton said. “He’s gone to each position that he’s played and done a nice job. He’s bounced into center and done a nice job.”

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