BRADENTON, Fla. — As a cart of baseballs was wheeled over to home plate at Pirate City, Adam Frazier ran out to left field with Starling Marte standing in center and Gregory Polanco in right.
With Andrew McCutchen gone, Monday's first full-squad workout offered a first glimpse at the Pirates' possible outfield alignment for opening day.
Although Frazier, a utility man for much of his young major league career, is the early favorite to fill the outfield vacancy, the competition has just begun. But the quiet 26-year-old showed both in left field and at the plate in 2017 that he could be ready for a full-time role.
"I’m excited," Frazier said. "I feel good out in left field, so I'm excited about that opportunity. Try to make the most of it. Any way I can, help the team win, whether it’s in left, whether it’s at second, whether it’s anywhere. Anytime I’m out there I'm going to play hard, try to catch the ball and get outs."
Frazier didn't want to label himself as a left fielder quite yet. He emphasized that he still has to "take" the job over the next five weeks, and he also wanted to clarify that his versatility could still be of use throughout the season.
After all, Frazier has played left field, center field, right field, second base, shortstop and third base since making his major league debut in June 2016. Clint Hurdle's initial plan is to have Frazier receive "sufficient" time in left field this spring, but he also wants Frazier to see time in the infield.
The plan is to keep Frazier sharp enough at second and short in the event of an injury, or in the event that he loses the starting left field job to either Sean Rodriguez or Jordan Luplow.
There could also be a vacancy at second base.
Neal Huntington was noncommittal Sunday when asked if Josh Harrison will remain with the team through spring training. Harrison, 30, told reporters Sunday that he still prefers to be traded if the Pirates don't intend to win in 2018.
If Harrison stays, though, he's the starter at second base. He labeled himself as one of the best defensive second baseman in ball during his conversation with reporters, and he backed that up last season by registering 6 defensive runs saved, according to FanGraphs.
Regardless of Harrison's status, though, Frazier might be best suited for the outfield. In the final days of last season, Kimera Bartee, the club's first base and outfielders coach, asked Frazier to guess how strong his advanced metrics were in left field.
Frazier thought he fared well in left, but his self-evaluation was off the mark.
"It was kind of surprising, but I knew I played well, so I guess that was nice to hear some affirmation," Frazier said. "It was cool. It was something to build off of and as time goes on hopefully I can make those better. Out there it’s just kind of react and go do what I can to get that out and get that ball back to the infield as quick as possible."
Last season, Frazier appeared in 52 games in left field, 42 at second, 15 in right, four in center and one each at short and third. His ultimate zone rating in the outfield was 0.4 while it was negative-3 at second base. Also, he recorded 6 defensive runs saved, which was only 3 fewer runs saved than Marte recorded in left field last season.
Also, there aren't many remaining free agent outfielders with Frazier's combination of defensive prowess and offensive ability. Although Melky Cabrera could have higher short-term upside than Frazier, the 33-year-old had minus-10 defensive runs saved last season.
Frazier is working with Bartee on improving his throwing, specifically on accurate throws to the cutoff man with an emphasis on improved arm strength. Moving from the infield to the outfield has forced Frazier to change where he releases the ball on each throw, but one teammate familiar with the process expressed confidence that Frazier is the right fit in left.
"Everybody’s role is different, but for him he has an opportunity," Harrison said. "We know what he brings to the table. That’s a good player, man. For him it’s a matter of going out and doing what he does. ... We know he’s going to give the effort. He can run, he can hit. He’s going to be what we need out there. I don’t have to tell you that Frazier’s got some confidence. I have no doubt in my mind he’s up for the task. He can play."
The Pirates are motivated to find more playing time for Frazier after what he was able to accomplish offensively in his first full major league season.
Frazier slashed .276/.344/.399 with six home runs, 53 RBI and an OPS+ of 95 — only 6 points lower than Harrison — in 121 games. He batted .304 in 54 games following the All-Star break and his .415 average with runners in scoring position during that span ranked fourth in Major League Baseball.
He also excelled against lefties with a .304 average and was the Pirates’ most-used leadoff hitter.
"Aggressive within the zone," Hurdle said, explaining why Frazier excels in that role. "A walk can show up. ... The barrel can show up as well when that lineup turns around. I just like that dynamic of him going up there. He’s up there with intent. Some guys look to get on base. He’s looking to get on base, but he also has bad intentions with the bat in his hand."
In addition to recording a 1.1 fWar, Frazier's BABIP of .306 in 2017 and .353 in 66 games in 2016 indicate his production is not simply luck. His swinging strike percentage and walk-to-strikeout ratio also improved from 2016 to 2017. He is also an above-average baserunner, according to advanced metrics.
Frazier insisted he doesn't want to try to replace McCutchen. Instead, he wants to prove that what he accomplished as a utility player laid the foundation for what's to come.
"That’s everybody's dream: to try to win a starting job on a big league team," Frazier said. "That’s what you play for. It’s what you play for your whole life. To have that opportunity right now, you try to take advantage of it and go get it."
MATT SUNDAY GALLERY