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2021 Gold Glove Winners Announced

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The 2021 Gold Glove winners were announced tonight, with plenty of Cardinal Red to be found amidst the gold.  The Cardinals became the first team to ever have five players capture Gold Gloves, underlining the tremendous all-around defensive effort that helped St. Louis reach the postseason.  Ironically, the only nominated Cardinals player who didn’t win was the most decorated name of the group — nine-time winner Yadier Molina.

The A’s, Royals, Astros, and the World Series champion Braves also had multiple winners, with each club boasting two Gold Glovers.  Ten of the 18 winners captured their first Gold Gloves, though some veteran winners continued to shine.  The most notable of the multiple-time winners is Nolan Arenado, who becomes the 23rd player to ever win nine or more Gold Gloves in his career.  Arenado still has plenty of time to continue his climb up the all-time list, yet catching 16-time winner Brooks Robinson for the all-time third base record may be a tall order even for Arenado.

Here is the full list of winners, as well as the other two nominated finalists at each position….

NL Catcher: Jacob Stallings, Pirates (1st career Gold Glove)
Yadier Molina/Cardinals, J.T. Realmuto/Phillies

NL First Base: Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals (4th)
Freddie Freeman/Braves, Max Muncy/Dodgers

NL Second Base: Tommy Edman, Cardinals (1st)
Ozzie Albies/Braves, Kolten Wong/Brewers

NL Third Base: Nolan Arenado, Cardinals (9th)
Manny Machado/Padres, Ryan McMahon/Rockies

NL Shortstop: Brandon Crawford, Giants (4th)
Francisco Lindor/Mets, Kevin Newman/Pirates

NL Left Field: Tyler O’Neill, Cardinals (2nd)
David Peralta/Diamondbacks, AJ Pollock/Dodgers

NL Center Field: Harrison Bader, Cardinals (1st)
Jackie Bradley Jr./Brewers, Bryan Reynolds/Pirates

NL Right Field: Adam Duvall, Braves/Marlins (1st)
Mookie Betts/Dodgers, Mike Yastrzemski/Giants

NL Pitcher: Max Fried/Braves (2nd)
Zach Davies/Cubs, Zack Wheeler/Phillies

AL Catcher: Sean Murphy, Athletics (1st)
Martin Maldonado/Astros, Salvador Perez/Royals

AL First Base: Yuli Gurriel, Astros (1st)
Matt Olson/Athletics, Jared Walsh/Angels

AL Second Base: Marcus Semien, Blue Jays (1st)
David Fletcher/Angels, Whit Merrifield/Royals

AL Third Base: Matt Chapman, Athletics (3rd)
Jose Ramirez/Guardians, Joey Wendle/Rays

AL Shortstop: Carlos Correa, Astros (1st)
J.P. Crawford/Mariners, Andrelton Simmons/Twins

AL Left Field: Andrew Benintendi, Royals (1st)
Randy Arozarena/Rays, Lourdes Gurriel Jr./Blue Jays

AL Center Field: Michael A. Taylor, Royals (1st)
Kevin Kiermaier/Rays, Myles Straw/Guardians

AL Right Field: Joey Gallo, Yankees/Rangers (2nd)
Hunter Renfroe/Red Sox, Kyle Tucker/Astros

AL Pitcher: Dallas Keuchel, White Sox (5th)
Jose Berrios/Blue Jays and Twins, Zack Greinke/Astros

Pirates Outright Seven, Chasen Shreve Elects Free Agency

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The Pirates announced a slew of roster moves today, outrighting seven players off the 40-man roster, per the team. Pitchers Chase De Jong, Enyel De Los Santos, Kyle Keller, Connor Overton, Chasen Shreve, and Shea Spitzbarth have all been outrighted to Triple-A. Infielder Wilmer Difo was also outrighted to Triple-A.

Shreve has elected free agency, per Jason Mackey of PGSportsNow (via Twitter).The 31-year-old southpaw posted a 3.20 ERA/4.73 FIP across 57 appearances out of the bullpen. Shreve has suited up for the Braves, Yankees, Cardinals, Mets, and Pirates over an eight-year career.

The Pirates also added a number of players to the 40-man roster, returning most from the 60-day injured list. Steven Brault, Blake Cederlind, Dillon Peters, Jose Soriano, Duane Underwood Jr., and Bryse Wilson are all now on the 40-man roster.

Pirates Claim Greg Allen Off Waivers From Yankees

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The Pirates announced this afternoon that they’ve claimed outfielder Greg Allen off waivers from the Yankees. Allen had been selected to the big league roster before New York’s AL Wild Card game but didn’t appear in the contest.

During the regular season, the 28-year-old Allen saw only fifteen games of action in pinstripes. He made the most of that time, putting up a huge .270/.417/.432 slash line and going a perfect 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts. His Triple-A production was even better, as the switch-hitter mashed at a .326/.442/.465 clip over 263 plate appearances with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The rebuilding Pirates will take a no-risk flier to see if Allen can build off his 2021 campaign. A fairly well-regarded prospect coming up in the Cleveland farm system, he didn’t hit well enough to cement himself as an everyday player. From 2017-20, he posted a meager .239/.298/.343 mark, and advanced defensive metrics weren’t enamored with his work in center field.

Assuming he sticks on the 40-man roster all offseason, Allen will get a shot to compete for a job in Spring Training. He’s out of minor league option years, so the Bucs will either need to carry him on the major league roster out of camp or make him available to the rest of the league.

Robert Murray of FanSided first reported the move.

Pirates Claim Eric Hanhold From Orioles

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The Pirates claimed right-hander Eric Hanhold off waivers from the Orioles, both teams announced.  Hanhold has been a member of the Baltimore organization since September 2019, when he was acquired in another waiver claim off the Mets’ roster.

Hanhold has pitched in parts of two MLB seasons, tossing 2 1/3 innings for the Mets in 2018 and then returning to The Show this season to throw 10 1/3 innings for the Orioles.  The righty has a 7.11 ERA over his brief big league career and hasn’t fared well either at Triple-A, with a 5.28 ERA over 93 2/3 frames at the top minor league level.  Not a big strikeout pitcher, Hanhold has relied on some hefty grounder rates in the minors, though he has only a modest 37% groundball rate as a Major Leaguer.

The Pirates can now take a look at the 28-year-old reliever, though it might not be surprising if Hanhold ends up designated for assignment or claimed by another team in the wake of future Pittsburgh roster moves.  Assuming he stays with the Bucs through the winter, Hanhold will get a chance to win a job in Spring Training as the Pirates sort their way through a wide assortment of bullpen options.

From the Orioles’ perspective, Hanhold may have been an expendable piece as the O’s continue to create some room on their 40-man roster.  Baltimore has several young players in need of protection from the Rule 5 Draft, so roster space will be required for the team to protect as many of these prospects as possible.

Mariners Tried To Trade For Kris Bryant, Bryan Reynolds

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The Mariners’ trade deadline endeavors ended up focusing around pitching additions, yet the club also looked into acquiring a pair of top-tier bats.  On a recent edition of the Talking Mariners podcast, 710 ESPN’s Shannon Drayer and James Osborn said Seattle tried to obtain Kris Bryant from the Cubs, with Drayer noting that the M’s “went in heavy on” their attempts to land the former NL MVP.  Additionally, The Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish reports (on the Times’ Extra Innings podcast, with MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer as a guest) that tried to pry Bryan Reynolds away from the Pirates.

Bryant is perhaps the more intriguing name, considering that he’ll be available in the free agent market in a matter of days.  As Drayer mentioned, Seattle’s interest in Bryant as a trade deadline rental doesn’t necessarily mean the club would also be open to making him a long-term free agent offer.  Signing Bryant would be expensive, but GM Jerry Dipoto has said that the M’s have more payroll to spend this winter, and the club doesn’t have much salary on the books for forthcoming years.

Tying into another recent Dipoto comment, Bryant would also fit the Mariners’ preferred desire for “a player who is adaptable and willing to move around the field.”  Bryant’s ability to play either corner infield position and all three outfield spots certainly qualifies, and his presence would allow the M’s to mix and match their current options at those positions.

Assuming Kyle Seager’s club option isn’t exercised, Ty France and Abraham Toro are penciled into the starting first base and third base spots, but landing Bryant would allow either player to fill Seattle’s vacancy at second base.  The Mariners have Mitch Haniger, Kyle Lewis, Jarred Kelenic, Taylor Trammell, and Jake Fraley set for outfield duty with top prospect Julio Rodriguez set to make his MLB debut, yet Haniger is the only experienced name in this group, and Lewis missed almost the entire 2021 season due to injury.

Since Dipoto has mainly built the Mariners’ roster via trades, however, Divish and Kramer believe the general manager is more likely to again focus on the trade market rather than free agency for any big-ticket additions.  Signing Bryant or any of the top free-agent shortstops might not be as feasible for the M’s as picking up a notable trade target, and in fact, Divish predicts J.P. Crawford will be signed to a contract extension to further entrench him as the Mariners’ shortstop.  (Drayer, for the record, believes Trevor Story would be willing to move to second or third base to accommodate, and “Story is somebody that [the Mariners] have liked for a long, long time.”)

Seattle could also use their financial flexibility to accommodate some deals, but of course, swinging a major trade that doesn’t involve absorbing a big contract would have another heavy cost in terms of surrendering prospects.  In regards to Reynolds, Divish says the M’s have tried to acquire the outfielder on two different occasions, and in the most recent trade talks, the Pirates wanted Rodriguez in return.  It seems highly unlikely that Seattle would part with Rodriguez (arguably the sport’s top prospect) in any deal, yet those are the kinds of asks that other teams would make for any premium talent.

Pittsburgh’s demand for Rodriguez also further illustrates the very high price tag the Pirates are putting on Reynolds, who was a popular trade target for many teams this summer.  Reynolds is arbitration-eligible through the 2025 season, and that type of control combined with Reynolds’ outstanding performance in two of his three seasons makes him one of the most valuable trade chips in all of baseball.  However, the Pirates have also indicated that they see Reynolds as a key member of their rebuild, and it isn’t likely Reynolds is dealt unless another team steps forward with a truly eye-popping offer, i.e. a Rodriguez-level prospect.

Coaching/Scouting Notes: Stottlemyre, Kotsay, Hanrahan, Diversity Pipeline

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Marlins pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. recently signed a contract extension to return in 2022, reports Craig Mish of the Miami Herald. It’ll be his fourth season in that capacity, as Stottlemyre originally joined Miami over the 2018-19 offseason. The Marlins have brought up plenty of talented young pitchers over the past couple years, with Sandy Alcantara, Pablo López and Trevor Rogers already having proven themselves as quality starting pitchers and plenty more highly-touted arms either at or nearing the major league level. Marlins starters ranked 13th this past season in ERA (4.08) and 15th in SIERA (4.27).

On a personal note, Stottlemyre tells Mish he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in Spring Training. He coached in spite of the diagnosis all year and underwent surgery to have his prostate removed earlier this month. MLBTR sends our best wishes to the well-respected Stottlemyre.

The latest on a some other administrative situations around the league:

  • For the first time in a decade, the Athletics are on the hunt for a manager. After longtime skipper Bob Melvin surprisingly signed on to become Padres’ manager last night, Oakland joins the Mets as clubs searching for a new dugout leader. A’s third base coach Mark Kotsay is expected to garner some consideration for the role, reports Jon Heyman of the MLB Network (Twitter link). That’s not at all surprising, since Kotsay has been on Melvin’s staff in various capacities for the past six seasons. The former big league outfielder has long been viewed as a potential skipper, and he’s interviewed with the Astros (for the job that went to Dusty Baker), Red Sox (which went to Ron Roenicke) and Tigers (which went to A.J. Hinch) over the past two offseasons.
  • Former MLB closer Joel Hanrahan has spent the past five seasons coaching in the Pirates’ minor league system. The 40-year-old served as the pitching coach with Triple-A Indianapolis this year, and it’s expected he’ll return in that capacity in 2022. Hanrahan tells Rob Biertempfel of the Athletic he’s hoping that work on the farm will eventually land him a big league coaching job. “The goal is to get back to the majors (as a coach),” Hanrahan said. “It’s been a fun five years of getting guys to the big leagues, and now there are a lot of guys in Pittsburgh who would be fun to work with. You’ve just kind of gotta wait your turn and see what happens.” A two-time All-Star, Hanrahan pitched in the big leagues from 2007-13.
  • Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com recently spoke with attendees and instructors of MLB’s Diversity Pipeline Scout Development Program. Introduced this year and slated to continue annually, the program’s goal is to increase racial and gender diversity in front offices and scouting departments by fostering a pipeline of talent evaluators. The inaugural event was led by former Braves’ and Pirates’ executive Tyrone Brooks, who now serves as MLB’s senior director for front office and field staff for the Diversity Pipeline Program. Featuring instructors from the A’s, Marlins, D-Backs and other teams, the program included daily classroom instruction over the course of a week, as well as Arizona Fall League and amateur scouting experience for its 29 attendees.

Pirates Have “Had Dialogue” With Yoshi Tsutsugo

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The Pirates have interest in re-signing first baseman/outfielder Yoshi Tsutsugo and have already “had dialogue” with his camp, general manager Ben Cherington told reporters yesterday (Twitter link via Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).

Pittsburgh was Tsutsugo’s third organization in two MLB seasons. Originally signed by the Rays to a two-year, $12MM contract, the former Yokohama DeNA BayStars slugger was unable to find his footing in St. Petersburg or in Los Angeles, after being picked up by the Dodgers. The Pirates signed him midway through August and enjoyed a productive six-week stretch from Tsutsugo to close out the season.

[Related: Yoshi Tsutsugo Is Finding His Stride In Pittsburgh]

It was only a sample of 144 plate appearances, but Tsutsugo swatted eight home runs as a Pirate — matching his 2020 season output — and notched an impressive .268/.347/.535 batting line down the stretch (134 wRC+, 136 OPS+). After punching out in nearly a third of his plate appearances between the Dodgers and Rays, Tsutsugo curbed that to a much more reasonable 22.9 percent. Statcast credited Tsutsugo with 10 barreled balls in Pittsburgh — just one fewer than he’d turned in through 303 plate appearances between Tampa and L.A. in 2020-21.

It’s not clear just what role Tsutsugo would hold if he did return to the Bucs, though given their rebuilding state, it wouldn’t be hard to slot him into the lineup. Colin Moran is currently slated to play first base in 2022, although with a projected $4MM salary and an injury-marred 2021 showing, he may not be a lock to return. Bryan Reynolds is obviously a lock in center field, but the corners are a bit more open for now. Ben Gamel may have played his way into a 2022 role, but there’s a fair bit of uncertainty. It’s also quite possible the National League will have a designated hitter in 2022, which would make it easier for the Bucs to get Tsutsugo in the lineup.

From a payroll vantage point, there’s obvious space for a handful of offseason additions. The Pirates, somewhat remarkably, don’t have a single guaranteed contract on the books in 2022. They have 11 players up for arbitration this winter, headlined by Reynolds, but those 11 names come with a combined projected salary of just $27.9MM — and some will surely be non-tendered.

Quick Hits: Thames, Tsutsugo, Minors

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Eric Thames is planning on holding a showcase in Korea in November, according to a report from MK Sports relayed by The Athletic’s Sung Min Kim. The slugger previously played in Korea from 2014 to 2016 and parlayed his star turn there into a three-year, $16MM deal with the Brewers for the 2017-2019 seasons. He had a solid run over the length of that deal, playing 383 games, hitting 72 home runs and slashing .241/.343/.504. That production was 18% better than league average, according to wRC+. But it only amounted to 5 fWAR due to his defensive limitations. The Brewers passed on a 2020 option, leading Thames to sign a one-year deal with the Nationals. That turned out to be a miserable campaign for Thames, as he hit just .203/.300/.317. He then signed with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. Unfortunately, as Kim notes, Thames missed all but one game this year due to a torn achilles. It’s unclear who will be invited to the showcase, but it stands to reason that interest from MLB teams will be limited, given how the past couple of years have gone. However, if this winter’s Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations lead to a universal DH, as has been widely speculated, that could theoretically increase the chance of Thames getting offers, though likely only of the minor league variety.

Some other items of note from the baseball world…

  • The Pirates have interest in re-signing Yoshi Tsutsugo, according to Alex Stumpf of DK Pittsburgh Sports.  Given how Tsutsugo performed (.268/.347/.535 with eight homers in 144 plate appearances) after signing with the Pirates in August, it isn’t a surprise that the Bucs would want him back in the fold.  Returning to Pittsburgh on a short-term (or one-year) deal makes sense for both sides, Stumpf reasons, as Tsutsugo would get a full season as a platform year for a bigger deal in the 2022-23 offseason, while the Pirates would get a relatively inexpensive player who could maybe be flipped at the trade deadline.  A few weeks ago, MLBTR’s Steve Adams wrote about Tsutsugo’s breakout with the Pirates.
  • Over at Baseball America, in relation to the CBA expiring December 1st, J.J. Cooper answers a question about a theoretical work stoppage and how that would impact the minor leagues. Cooper reminds readers about previous stoppages and how the minor leagues continued essentially as normal. However, only players not on a 40-man roster were allowed to participate since the MLBPA includes every player who is on one. If the next strike or lockout follows historical precedent, that means baseball fans could get their fill with minor league ball while waiting for the big leagues to return. Cooper also relays that the 1994 Rule 5 draft took place during the most recent strike of 1994. This situation could theoretically pop up again, as the current CBA expires December 1st, with the Rule 5 draft typically taking placing a the end of the Winter Meetings, in the second week of December.

Coaching Notes: Cardinals, Pirates, Diamondbacks

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Cardinals manager Mike Shildt won the Manager of the Year award in his first full season at the helm, and he’s taken the club to three consecutive postseason appearances, including a division title in 2019. He’s under contract for just one more season, though St. Louis is likely to explore a contract extension for their skipper, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak considered making some personnel changes on the coaching staff, but they held firm and eventually turned the season around. Now it appears that most of the coaching staff will return, though decisions are still being made about 2022 and beyond.

  • The Pirates will not bring back third base coach Joey Cora, the team announced today, per Jason Mackey of PGSportsNow (via Twitter). The 56-year-old Cora began his Major League coaching career in 2003 on Ozzie Guillen’s staff with the White Sox, where he eventually rose to the level of bench coach. He was the third base coach for the World Series winning team in 2005. His time in Chicago ended after in September of the 2011 season, corresponding with Guillen’s own departure. Cora would joined Guillen’s staff in Miami for 2012. He had been the Pirates’ third base coach since the 2017 season.
  • Pirates’ manager Derek Shelton will need to fill out a couple of positions on his staff for next season, including hiring a new hitting coach following the mid-season firing of Rick Eckstein. The Pirates are likely to hire from outside the organization to fill Eckstein’s spot, per Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic (via Twitter).
  • The Diamondbacks are rethinking the way manager Torey Lovullo builds out his coaching staff, writes The Athletic’s Zach Buchanan. Primarily, Lovullo is looking to better bridge the gap between the Majors and Triple-A, allowing for a more cohesive promotion process for young players. They’ll do so by hiring a number of assistant hitting and pitching coaches, some of whom will themselves split their time between the Majors and Triple-A.

Pirates Promote Oneil Cruz

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TODAY: Cruz’s promotion has been officially announced by the Pirates.  Right-hander Tanner Anderson has been placed on the 10-day IL due to a right foot contusion.

OCTOBER 1: The Pirates are planning to promote shortstop prospect Oneil Cruz to make his major league debut, reports Héctor Gómez of Z101 (Twitter link). The 22-year-old checked in as the game’s #50 overall farmhand on Baseball America’s midseason update. Cruz is already on the 40-man roster.

Cruz signed with the Dodgers out of the Dominican Republic over the 2015-16 international signing period. Los Angeles included Cruz, who was then in Low-A, as part of a package headed to Pittsburgh for Tony Watson at the 2017 trade deadline. The left-handed hitter has spent the past four years climbing the minor league ranks, moving fairly slowly but posting big numbers at every level.

In 2018, Cruz hit .286/.343/.488 while spending the entire season at Low-A. He split the 2019 campaign between High-A and Double-A and was added to the 40-man roster that offseason to keep him from selection in the Rule 5 draft. Last year’s canceled minor league season obviously cost Cruz the chance to play in games, although he was part of the Bucs’ alternate training site group.

As Cruz has aged, he’s continued to fill out one of the bigger frames in affiliated ball. The 22-year-old is now listed at 6’7″, 210 pounds, and he’ll soon become the tallest shortstop in major league history. That atypical profile has led to some concern among prospect evaluators he’d eventually have to move off the position, but he’s worked there exclusively in the minors this year and has continued to hold his own. In their midseason report, BA pegged Cruz as a capable defender, and evaluators credit him with one of the better arms in the minor leagues. There’s still some sentiment he could wind up moving into the outfield eventually, but it seems he’ll at least get an opportunity to first try and stick on the left side of the infield.

While there may be some questions about his long-term defensive home, there’s no debate concerning Cruz’s power potential. His exceptional size and athleticism leads to some of the game’s biggest power projection, with Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs grading his raw power as a future 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale. BA, meanwhile, pegs his power potential at a 70 on the same scale.

Cruz’s size has led to some trepidation about his ability to consistently make contact. Longer-levered players can sometimes have trouble synchronizing their swing mechanics, and Cruz indeed had some alarming strikeout numbers early in his minor league career. As he’s climbed the ladder, he’s ironed out those issues significantly. Cruz has taken 302 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A this season, hitting .310/.375/.594 with seventeen home runs and a 22.8% strikeout rate that’s right in line with this year’s major league average.

With Cruz performing at a high level on both sides of the ball, the Pirates will give him a two-game cameo to close out the season. He can still be optioned to the minors in one more season, and he’s only played in six career Triple-A games. It’s certainly possible he starts next season back in the upper minors, whether for developmental or service time reasons. (Barring a change to the current service time structure in the upcoming collective bargaining agreement, the Pirates would only have to keep Cruz in the minors for a couple weeks to delay his path to free agency by an additional season). But whatever long-term plans the organization has, they’ll reward his consistently strong performance with his first big league call to close out this season, giving fans a glimpse at one of the most exciting young players in the organization in the process.

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