The Pirates have designated first baseman/outfielder Will Craig for assignment, per a club announcement. He was the team’s first-round pick back in 2016. Craig’s roster spot will go to right-hander Ashton Goudeau, whose previously reported waiver claim out of the Rockies organization has now been formally announced by Pittsburgh.
Craig, 26, made his MLB debut this past season but didn’t get a real look, as he appeared in just two games and was hitless in four plate appearances. The former Wake Forest slugger ripped through A-ball and had an above-average showing at Double-A in 2018, but his 2019 campaign in Triple-A left plenty to be desired: .249/.326/.435 with 23 home runs and a 26.3 percent strikeout rate.
Scouting reports on Craig throughout his career have praised his above-average raw power, a potentially average hit tool and a strong throwing arm, but he’s limited to the outfield corners or first base on the defensive spectrum. Pittsburgh gave him 400 innings at third base at Class-A in 2016, but he’s been exclusively a first baseman/right fielder since. A player with that limited defensive profile needs to hit more than Craig has shown in the upper minors, but it’s at least a bit surprising that the club felt him to be the most expendable player on the 40-man roster. The Pirates will have a week to put him through outright waivers, trade him or release him. Craig has multiple minor league options remaining, which could potentially be of appeal to another organization.
Craig may or may not ever turn out to be a big leaguer, but there are few pitchers on the 40 man who I would have suspected to be DFA’ed before Craig.
Agreed. I thought for sure that Kyle Crick would get the axe before Craig did, but Craig has looked like a bust since his first professional season.
Why would Crick be one of the first to go?
Crick saw a massive drop in fastball velo in 2020. He only averaged 90.9 MPH in 2020. In 2019, he averaged 95.3 MPH. Even if it wasn’t him, I thought that either Tyler Bashlor or Sean Poppen would get the axe before Craig.
Crick… not a chance. Wait a minute are you NH by any chance?
Crick really hasn’t been good with the Pirates. His 2018 was a bit flukey when you look past the surface numbers. He’s always struggled with control and the large dip in velocity is really concerning. It wasn’t just a .5-1 MPH drop. It was a 4.4 MPH drop.
Crick is still by far one of the best arms on the entire roster
..that doesnt mean hes good.
The pirates won’t be relevant for another 6 years thanks to the archer trade
Get rid- Is that your opinion or a fact?
I think that if a fact I request that you tell me the next six Kentucky Derby winners even though several have not been born yet.
Looks like a Brewer candidate.
Definitely need a 1b that can be optioned.
Definitely a Brewer possibility but on a minor league contract
Still waiting for Prince Fielder’s replacement.
This is the tip of the DFA player iceberg. More to come and December 2 is going to be a bloodbath.
I think the Bucs just wanted to clear room early in case someone else piques their interest.
they still have 0 open spots
And lots of flotsam to jetsam, er ahh, jettison.
Will Craig be better with a change of scenery?
No.
He had a .438 slugging at Triple-A last year. If he can’t have a slugging above .450 during one of the most hitter friendly eras in baseball at one of the most hitter friendly levels, unless he goes to Colorado, things aren’t looking good for him.
Listen Craig, I know you’re a former 1st round pick but you went 0 for 4, I mean how many chances are we supposed to give you? Now get your sh!# & get out…and stay out!
FOUR AB really what can you prove in FOUR ABS we have inferior pitchers that could been cut Davis / crick / Fulmer Bashlor amomg others – but craig for a Rockies reject really -this pitcher better be damn perfect or near it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #Save WillCraig
Pirates fan-NY was just being witty.
Meh, it’s not like even if we did keep Craig around, he wouldn’t be anything more than an all or nothing guy. His plate discipline has really taken a hit in the last few years and I really don’t think he would be anything more than like Maikel Franco from 2016 to 2019. He did hit 88 home runs, but that was the only redeming factor with a sub-.300 OBP and 90 OPS+. Personally, I was a bit surprised they picked him over the names you mentioned, but still. It’s not like they DFA’d some top prospect.
More like Won’t Craig.
Fan graphs left him off their top prospect list this year. The list had 42 prospects.
I cant believe dude was a 1st round pick.
Same with Cole Tucker. I understand the mlb draft is far from a sure thing, but some of these picks were just downright pathetic
It’s easy to say that now. Craig was the best bat in the draft with power, something they’ve always lacked.
Craig really wasn’t going to find playing time with the Pirates with Moran, Bell and Phillip Evans and doesn’t have much trade value. He has some pop, but strikesout a lot, is an average fielder limited to first base and doesn’t put up outstanding walk rates. There are about 20 of those guys avaiable right now.
Agree. He was a wasted 1sr round pick from the start. Ben C had no ties to him. So off the roster you go, Will.
I agree that he was not one of BC’s guys so off he went.I would have thought that they would have given him more of a chance this year though.He is a victim of numbers at first base.Bashlor is the next one to go.
Finally. I’ve been waiting for Goudeau.
Probably since 1955
I’d have traded Josh Bell & gave Craig a chance, at least to platoon with Moran. He’s been an RBI machine in the minors, maybe more upside in that regard than Bell. Hope he kills it with someone else, like an AL team
Welcome to Oakland. Guarantee it
More like welcome to the minors or Korea
90% of mlb players are limited. too much emphasis on limited
Good possibility Pirates may trade Craig. They have a week to waive, trade or release. Pirates have acquired players in this scenario themselves before(Dickerson). Trade can also turn into a salary dump. If there are team(s) out there interested they can trade for him now or wait. While not ideal it might force hands of a team really interested in giving him a shot rather than grab him afterward as he may choose a different team to sign with. Not sure other DFA candidates would meet this demand, not even sure if Craig will.