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Pirates Designate Will Craig For Assignment

By Steve Adams | November 25, 2020 at 2:13pm CDT

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.

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Pittsburgh Pirates Transactions Will Craig

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Hunter Renfroe, Brian O’Grady Become Free Agents
View Comments (37)
Post a Comment

37 Comments

  1. Monkey’s Uncle

    5 years ago

    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.

    5
    Reply
    • mlb1225

      5 years ago

      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.

      Reply
      • jdgoat

        5 years ago

        Why would Crick be one of the first to go?

        Reply
        • mlb1225

          5 years ago

          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.

          4
          Reply
        • TJECK109

          5 years ago

          Crick… not a chance. Wait a minute are you NH by any chance?

          Reply
        • mlb1225

          5 years ago

          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.

          1
          Reply
        • Goku the Knowledgable One

          5 years ago

          Crick is still by far one of the best arms on the entire roster

          ..that doesnt mean hes good.

          1
          Reply
  2. Get rid of the softball players

    5 years ago

    The pirates won’t be relevant for another 6 years thanks to the archer trade

    Reply
    • Mendoza Line 215

      5 years ago

      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.

      1
      Reply
  3. eddiemathews

    5 years ago

    Looks like a Brewer candidate.

    Reply
    • Chris Koch

      5 years ago

      Definitely need a 1b that can be optioned.

      Reply
      • stubby66

        5 years ago

        Definitely a Brewer possibility but on a minor league contract

        Reply
    • Phlem Johnson

      5 years ago

      Still waiting for Prince Fielder’s replacement.

      Reply
  4. davemlaw

    5 years ago

    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.

    Reply
    • DarkSide830

      5 years ago

      they still have 0 open spots

      2
      Reply
      • leefieux

        5 years ago

        And lots of flotsam to jetsam, er ahh, jettison.

        Reply
  5. 24TheKid

    5 years ago

    Will Craig be better with a change of scenery?

    Reply
    • leefieux

      5 years ago

      No.

      Reply
    • mlb1225

      5 years ago

      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.

      Reply
  6. NYYstateofmind

    5 years ago

    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!

    6
    Reply
    • piratesanddbacksfan

      5 years ago

      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

      1
      Reply
      • Mendoza Line 215

        5 years ago

        Pirates fan-NY was just being witty.

        Reply
      • mlb1225

        5 years ago

        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.

        Reply
  7. baseballpun

    5 years ago

    More like Won’t Craig.

    4
    Reply
  8. ElGaupo77

    5 years ago

    Fan graphs left him off their top prospect list this year. The list had 42 prospects.

    Reply
    • Goku the Knowledgable One

      5 years ago

      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

      Reply
      • Sports_Guy

        5 years ago

        It’s easy to say that now. Craig was the best bat in the draft with power, something they’ve always lacked.

        2
        Reply
  9. mlb1225

    5 years ago

    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.

    Reply
    • leefieux

      5 years ago

      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.

      Reply
      • Mendoza Line 215

        5 years ago

        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.

        Reply
  10. whyhayzee

    5 years ago

    Finally. I’ve been waiting for Goudeau.

    3
    Reply
    • Mendoza Line 215

      5 years ago

      Probably since 1955

      Reply
  11. dcahen

    5 years ago

    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

    Reply
  12. geoffb1982

    5 years ago

    Welcome to Oakland. Guarantee it

    1
    Reply
    • holecamels35

      5 years ago

      More like welcome to the minors or Korea

      Reply
  13. troll

    5 years ago

    90% of mlb players are limited. too much emphasis on limited

    Reply
  14. rico1957

    5 years ago

    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.

    Reply

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