The Pirates will promote top first base prospect Josh Bell to the Majors to make his big league debut tonight, according to multiple reports (Logan Stout first tweeted word of Bell’s promotion).
[Related: Updated Pirates Depth Chart]
In Bell, the Pirates are promoting a player that ranks 38th on Baseball America’s just-updated Top 100 prospects list (published today). Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com currently have Bell rated as the game’s No. 43 prospect. A 23-year-old switch-hitter that was selected 61st overall in the 2011 draft, Bell has had a monster season at Triple-A Indianapolis, slashing .324/.407/.535 with 13 homers, 19 doubles and four triples in 359 plate appearances. BA notes that Bell’s defense at first base is somewhat questionable — he just transitioned to the position in 2015 after previously playing right field — but both BA and MLB.com write that he could be a difference-maker at the plate and has middle-of-the-order potential. The 2016 season marks the first in which Bell has truly tapped into the power potential that led the Bucs to give him an over-slot bonus of $5MM back in 2011 when he slipped out of the first round due to signability concerns.
Bell’s promotion could mean that incumbent first baseman John Jaso will move into a bench role. Jaso, inked to a two-year, $8MM contract as a free agent this offseason, has provided his typical brand of steady production against right-handed pitching, but he’s limited to a strict platoon and is more good than great against righties (.285/.362/.413 this season). As Bell’s excellent Triple-A production (which recently landed him on Jason Martinez’s “Knocking Down the Door” series) indicates, he carries significantly higher upside at the plate. And, with an OPS north of .900 against both lefties and righties in Triple-A this season, Bell could be a long-term option that doesn’t require a platoon partner.
Bell becomes the latest top prospect to join the Pirates’ ranks, as they’ve promoted Top 100 mainstays Jameson Taillon and Tyler Glasnow this year and also called up highly regarded organizational prospects such as Chad Kuhl and Steven Brault to make their big league debuts. Even if he’s in the Majors to stay, Bell will accrue just 86 days of big league service time in 2016, which would leave him well shy of eventually achieving Super Two designation. If this promotion to the big leagues proves to be permanent, the Bucs will control Bell through the 2022 season and he won’t be arbitration eligible until the completion of the 2019 campaign.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
I don’t understand why they would promote him now. Super 2? And I’ll be shocked if he stays up, not because of him but how the Pirates front office does business.
Super 2 is WAY passed. Not an issue at all.
I know super 2 is way past. That was a sarcastic comment. As I said I bet they’ll send him back down
He has been working on Defense still. He has 10 errors in 70 games this year. Not real good. Not a person questions the bat. It is the glove. Was in the car and had a local Pgh station on the radio when the news broke that he was called up. One of the announcers said the talk was last year that Bell was worse than Pedro with fielding last year. He is better this year now but still working on the defense. I believe the want to make sure he hits the field with confidence in the bigs as opposed to still thinking about what he has to do when a ball is hit that he has to deal with. That could kill the kid if the rush him too soon.
I’m thinking this move is just to get the best 25 guys available to try and make up ground on the Cubs this last series before the break. Guessing Glasnow goes down as they won’t need him this series but lots of moving parts to figure out in the rotation and bench over the break.
That would be better than a Polanco DL stint or suspension for Kang
This Pirates youth movement is very exciting, but of course will not be publicized like the Cubs were due to market, which is a shame. The Pirates will be a very scary team 2017 and beyond as these kids get more comfortable in the big leagues.
Glasnow game was the MLB network showcase game what more publicity do you want? Should every baseball writer in the world bow down and declare the Pirates the champions of the baseball world?
We all know the Cubs are the permanent World Champions. The Pirates can’t replace the Cubs.
The Cubs have had the best record in baseball most of the season and were at one point on pace to win 120 games, but the widdle pirates feel inadequate. I strongly dislike every thing about the Pirates team, they routinely pitch inside and are among the league leaders in hit batters on a yearly basis, but as soon as someone throws inside to McCutchen it is war, get over yourselves the little chip on shoulder mentality has jumped the shark.
Pirate fans have a chip on their shoulders?!
Sounds like you have frigging amount Rushmore on your shoulder.
The Cubs have had similar seasons to this in the past. Yet no World Titles since 1908. It isn’t war when someone throws McCutchen inside at all. The only time it was ever really and issue was when Delgado hit him because it put him on the DL for an extended period.
Kind of like Breaking Goldschmidts hand? In the bottom of the Ninth like the coward they are.
Dude, seriously, you sound ridiculous. Why would you even argue this point? You’re seriously denying that big market teams get more publicity than small market teams?
Yep!!!
How is having some prospect debut be a national showcase game not enough?
“Kind of like Breaking Goldschmidts hand?”
Niekro, You seem to have forgotten the old adage that is best to keep your mouth shut and be thought stupid then to open it and prove the point.
Goldschmidt was hit SWINGING at the pitch. It was not in any way on a path to hit him. But I guess you’re the type not to let facts get in the way of a hissy fit.
Plain and simple Cubs are better right now, but long term (next 3-5 years) I don’t trust their pitching especially if they let Arrieta go so it will be an interesting division battle for the foreseeable future. The Pirates do stress pitching inside through their whole organization and are generally among top 5 teams in hit batters at MLB and several minor league levels each year. The only issue I take with your post is “I strongly dislike every thing about this Pirates team” because that includes Starling Marte who’s just plain fun to watch and is usually top 5ish each year in hit by pitches, you know by non Pirate pitchers 🙂
youtube.com/watch?v=E1w7kyY-hsQ
strangest swing in baseball history
the ball would have directly smashed his unprotected elbow if he didn’t turn away.
The Pirates and their fans feel adequate. And we should since many of us have enjoyed not one but two World Championships during our lifetimes. Cubs’ fans, on the other hand, have a century of failure in their history. What will go wrong this year? Who knows? But something always goes wrong for the Cubs.
Yes.. counting World Series from 4 decades ago, and a superstition that the Cubs always choke, despite not having one player or one major front office member from the last Cubs contender prior to 2015.
What an argument.
The Pirates pitch inside because it gets people out. Sometimes they miss and hit guys. Other people get upset and throw at their star. The Pirates get upset.
I don’t see anything wrong with that.
Boo hop, it’s part of the game! Players get hit often all season from all teams
Boo hoo
Don’t forget the sceario. Arizona was down by 5 runs , bottom of the ninth, 0 outs and 0 on, and Goldschmidt was batting as a PINCH HITTER.
No way Frieri was trying to do anything but get him out.
Frieri was just a terrible pitcher, but Gibson was an even worse manager to put Goldschmidt to bat, as a LEADOFF pinch hitter, with his team down by 4 or 5 runs.
Do the math, packer boy!
Wow the Pirate fan jealousy of the Cubs is a bit surprising. Pirates get plenty of press on these young studs but the bitterness of Pirate fans is kind of interesting. I guess its because the Cubs spanked the Pirates in the wild card game last year in Pittsburgh?
Just because Goldschmidt swung does not prove your point jgb
Szielonski … Spoken like the troll you are
Nah, I personally don’t partake in it and enjoy good baseball so I’d much rather watch and enjoy a Cubs game than a Reds game (just an example, no offense Cincy) but it’s mostly rooted in the combination of the recent Cardinals dominance of the division and the Cubs astronomical expectations making the Pirates, which are an incredibly talented and exciting team, being third fiddle in the division. Sure the wild card game didn’t help but there’s no San Fran hatred in Pittsburgh and they smoked us in our park the wild card game before.
Somebody seems very bitter….oh…a Braves fan. That says it all.
Bitter toward the Pirates? I seem to recall Smoltz destroying the Pirates in back 2 back NLCS series. I think Smoltz might even be a minority owner of the Pirates.
And we’re are the braves now? Oh yea bottom of league and will be there for a while.
Strange logic where are the Cubs right now? last I checked like 8 up on the Pirates, Pirates have the same number of playoff games won as the Braves in the past 10 years, at least we’ve won our division in the past decade.
WE??? You still play??
You also haven’t been in baseballs’ best division in recent memory, the Pirates won the second most games last year, second only to the division rival cardinals. the pirate pitch inside because they are trying to compete, something the braves aren’t doing.
The Braves might lose more games than the Reds, Brewers and Padres combinded this year.
If Bell hits the ground running, the Pirates are unlikely to demote him. His defense continues to improve and his bat will play at first base.
During Huntington’s tenure, the Pirates gambled big three times in the second round: Tanner Scheppers (SP?), Stetson Allie and Josh Bell. Scheppers did not sign, Allie signed but washed out as a pitcher but Bell looks as though he will deliver on the promise the Pirates saw in him.
The Pirates are starting to get scary. Of course Bell and the pitchers are rookies but they have superstar potential, all of them. The Pirates suddenly have a switching hitting 1B that has a great batting average and excellent power. Wow. Glasnow and Tallion could very likely each develop into aces. Of course Cole already has flashed his potential many times. And don’t forget about Nick Kingham – another top RHP in their system. They are LOADED. Wow. Still prob not enough to catch Cubs, but probably enough to make it interesting and easily wrap up the 1st wild card spot.
As a Cubs fan…. They are getting scary. Depends on the pitching. Tallinn is injury prone and Glasnow didn’t impress. Kingham is interesting. Cole comes back… Should be a team to watch
Taillson had TJ and a hernia, I’d hardly call him injury prone. Glasnow had 1 start, had to say he didn;t impress.
The Pirates are well off for the future. Personally, I’d try to sell Cutch before his value drops too low.
Glasnow did excellent his first game, IMHO. I was very impressed. Had control and could crank up the velocity when he wanted. He threw a couple of bad pitches but for a 22 year old, he did incredible. Very bright future for that kid. I bet he’s a major contributor the rest of the year for them.
I’d hold Cutch until Meadows is up for them. Won’t be this year, maybe next. Marte is prob better in CF than Cutch ever was anyways. Not sure how Meadows is defensively but hard to imagine any outfielder being better defensively than Marte with his speed and cannon.
And if Brandon Belt gets an All Star spot over Marte that’s just sickening. It’s crazy Marte isn’t a starter. The guy is having a great year.
Amen to that!
Personally, I think Jake Lamb should get in, although he won’t (full disclosure: I’m biased as a D-Back fan, as are you in Marte’s favor as a Pirate fan), but personally I don’t understand Marte not getting in over Adam Duvall. I know the Reds need a representative, but I’d have had Cozart over Story
My bad, just realized Story isn’t in, but Russell certainly shouldn’t be there
Hmmmmmm, Cutch. Tough to sell a .235 hitter who strikes out twice or more per game and rarely hits the ball hard anymore. Very curious for sure. Bad years happen, but this seems like much more.
Kingham is just pitching in a game for the first time since Tommy John today actually so he’s not an option for the MLB team this year, the back end of next year’s opening day rotation seems plausible for him though.
Exactly. The young RHP talent they have is crazy.
Can’t wait to see this guy. I’ve been waiting for this
This, along with. Glasnow’s promotion, re the two moves I’ve been waiting for! Bell has developed nicely in the minors; he needs to see big league pitching under big league pressure to grow into the player he’s capable of becoming. I hope he occasionally gets to play RF when Polanco needs a blow. Let’s go Bucs!
With all the young talent these Pirates have hitting the majors at the same time, I think it’s conceivable that they can field a championship contending team for the next 3-5 years on a $60mm/year budget. Of course that takes into account a trade of McCutchen, letting Melancon walk, ect.
They prob need more than 60. Any of these guys would be the #1 guy for most teams and the Pirates have them all. Totally crazy. I think Melancon is the luckiest reliever in all of baseball. He gets hit really hard but the Pirates shift a lot and very well. The Pirates young talent along with some vets sprinkles throughout for clubhouse presence and leadership could be a recipe for a championship or two. But I’m not sure where they will need a vet. Bench? Reliever? The number 4 or 5 starter?
It was all theoretical that I posited. McCutchen plus Melancon, Jaso, Rodriguez($14,$10, $4, $2) frees up $30mm and their replacements would make league minimum either riding the bench or starting(Meadows, Bell, veteran minor league type). $30mm is a large chunk when you consider their payroll is in the $90mm range. Now if you get rid of Liriano and his $13mm, the $60mm figure is well within reach. Bob Nutting might get a chubby if he realized that.
2017 looks better and better….
LOL is this a joke?!?!
Trevor Story? LOL
Your points are fair, but personally I think the ASG is a reflection of individual performance. I don’t think Pittsburgh would be the same without Marte (not sure how you came up with that), but the Giants being so good without Belt or the D-Backs being terrible even with Lamb aren’t reflections of how well they’ve played individually
On Marte, I agree completely with or without him this year they’d be in third. My thought was more in regard to their standing overall. I don’t think they’re right behind Miami for a Wild Card spot if Marte’s not having that great of a year
Different screen names same post? It’s Not that serious, dude!
You think Story is an All Star? He plays in Colorado. Those are not numbers he would have anywhere else
A ridiculous mega-trade between multiple teams would only get the media talking about baseball for a day or two. Then it would be back to business as usual. So your entire idea to try to drum up support for your unrealistic trades is at best silly.
You should also really strongly consider toning down the amount you post (especially when you cross post the same thing between dozens of articles). Chances of you getting positive feedback is ruined if you look like you’re spamming the site consistently. Plus, you might lose the right to post…like you already have on other sites.