Notes: Camp Coming; Late Signings; WBC Bucs; Pirates Past, Present & Future News

All roads lead to Bradenton...

Notes:

• Yep, it's here - pitchers report on the 15th, position players on the 20th. Time to play ball!
• The Pirates signed LHP Caleb Smith to a minor league NRI deal. He was non-tendered by the D-Backs, with a career 20-30/4.55 slash as a swingman. They then added C Kevin Plawecki, Boston's former back-up guy, to camp as an NRI. He has eight years in the league with a .235 BA and unlike the other Cs, isn't a strong glove guy by the numbers. They also inked RHP Jake Stevenson to a minor league deal. He's a 26-year-old who has played Lo A/indie ball, but a recent bump in velocity interested the Bucs.

Ji-man Choi hitting some bumps - 2022 photo/Pirates

• New 1B Choi Ji-man and the Bucs are off to a rocky start - he was "deeply hurt" to be dropped from the Korean WBC team because of Pirates health concerns regarding his elbow (he had November clean-out surgery), plus he's due for an arb hearing as the only guy not to have agreed to a '23 contract.
• Other players in the system who were OK'ed to play WBC ball are pitchers David Bednar (United States)/Roansy Contreras & Jarlin Garcia (Dominican Republic)/Duane Underwood Jr. (Puerto Rico), NRI southpaw Rob Zastryzny (Canada), possible Indy OF Joshua Palacios (Netherlands) and Altoona prospects Tahnaj Thomas (Great Britain)/Jeffrey Passantino (Italy). Lower level guys in the mix: IF Tsung-Che Cheng (Taipei)/RHP Alessandro Ercolani (Italy)/RHP Santiago Florez (Colombia)/RHP Antwone Kelly (Netherlands) and OF Chavez Young (Great Britain). Pool play for the WBC runs from March 8th-15th.
• BTW, here's the '22 Bucs by the numbers (how many different guys Shelty started at each position, per Baseball Reference): P- 36 hurlers made appearances, 15 started; 1B - 10 starters; 2B - 10 starters; SS - 9 starters; 3B - 7 starters; OF - 16 starters; DH - 17 hitters.
• Fangraphs Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel rate the Top 43 Pirates Prospects. They don't foresee any budding superstars in the group.

Nick Gonzales - 2022 Bowman AFL

• BTW, don't shrug off IF Nick Gonzales yet. Several prospect seers think he could make some big noise this year if he can put together a healthy season.
• RHP Kyle Crick is reportedly working on an NRI deal with Tampa Bay. He had been with the White Sox since his late-season 2021 release from Pittsburgh, but was injured for much of last year and let go. Crick just hosted a scout showcase to prove he's physically recovered.