Indy Watch: Craig focused on completeness

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- Will Craig is focused on becoming the complete player at the plate the Pirates envisioned him to be when they drafted him in the first round of the MLB Draft in 2016.

For a guy who hit 20 home runs and drove in 102 a year ago, that could be a scary thought for opponents.

Primed for another breakout year, this time with Class AAA Indianapolis, the 6-foot-3, 212-pound Craig said he is focused on not only driving in runs, but getting on base as the Pirates' 16th-best prospect according to Baseball America. 

“For me, my goal being a corner guy is to drive in runs — whether it be a home run or a double, whatever — to give myself and the team the best chance to win the game,” Craig told me after a recent team workout. “The previous few years, I was more focused on trying to get on base.”

And he's off to a good start so far. He's slashing .308/.438/.795 in the team's first 10 games. He's slugged six home runs and has driven in 11 runs over the opening stretch while slapping a double and five singles. Over that stretch, he's helped power Indianapolis to a 6-4 record.

One of those home runs was this 437-foot blast:

Over his first two years in the Pirates farm system, Craig, a right-handed batter and thrower, posted batting averages of .280 with West Virginia and .271 at with Bradenton — both in Single A. His averaged dipped to .248 last year with Double A Altoona, though, but it was a sacrifice he knew he’d have to make to see a rise in power.

“There was, overall, the understanding that that would probably happen,” Craig said of the drop in his average.

When hitting for consistent on-base numbers as compared to working on driving in runs, Craig said the mindset was different for him.

“I was just trying to use the guys around me to help out,” he said.

But management had a different vision for him in Altoona.

“Last year they told me they wanted me to drive in runs. They said, ‘We want you to be the guy to put us ahead,’” Craig said. “This year, I’m trying to do both — be the on base guy and also drive in runs.”

Prior to this year, Craig carried a respectable .263/.360/.401 with 28 career home runs, 68 doubles and 186 RBI.

During spring training this preseason, Craig hit .296/.444/.370 in 20 games and 36 plate appearances. He hit two doubles and drove in five.

But with some new added emphasis on getting runners moved across the plate, Craig said his already-run-driven mindset gets amped up a little bit now.

“I’ve always been a guy who drives in runs. You know, my first two years of pro ball I didn’t drive in as many as last year, obviously, but I still had a pretty good mindset,” he said. “Last year with trying to drive in more than one run at a time — and of course hitting home runs helps out; it helps out a lot — it’s now like a do-or-die situation for me to get the guys in.”

Craig's even upped his game on the base paths. He's stolen home already this season:

Craig has made strides in the fielding aspect of the game, too. After committing 16 errors in short-A ball his first year in the pros, he’s committed just 15 over the last two seasons, with a fielding percentage of .993 that two-year stretch.

The key, Craig said, is staying locked in every pitch.

“Baseball’s a long game — three hours usually. You’re not on defense the entire time, but when you are out there it feels long,” he said. “I’m trying to stay locked in as much as I can and help my other infielders out, too. Picking balls, stretching, being in the right place at the right time… that makes their lives easier as well as mine.”

Through 10 games so far this season, Craig has a perfect fielding percentage.

First base is one of those positions that it could be easy to stay involved with the game but also lose track of things while you’re chatting it up either opponents, umpires or sometimes even fans.

Craig said he’s the type of guy who knows how to stay focused, but he also enjoys “making friends.”

“That’s where you get to know a lot of people,” Craig said. “I like to talk to people, see how they’re doing. I like to make friends.”

Though knowledgable about the game, Craig said he learned a lot about the future of his game from Lonnie Chisenhall and Corey Dickerson, his locker mates during spring training.

“The game can beat you down pretty harshly, but they told me to always stay on top and be the best person you can be,” he said. “Don’t worry about the outcome — just go to work every day and be efficient in what you do. Play each day like it’s your last.”

Solid advice for a guy whose potential next stop is Pittsburgh, right? Yeah, Craig agreed, noting that it’s already hit him that his next progression is the MLB.

“It’s definitely hit me,” Craig said. “It hit me the most when I was driving up the other day. Being out at AA, the cities are kind of smaller cities. Now, I’m in a place like Indianapolis, seeing skyscrapers and buildings and knowing where I’m going to play — like Charlotte and Durham and Columbus; bigger cities. I’m just really excited to get the big city feel.”

But it’s a journey that Craig’s been on with a list of other guys, and the feeling that if they play well, then they can move up has the group ready to compete this season.

“We talk about it, you know. We’ve been together for three years, most of us,” Craig said. “Now, we’re one step away from where our dreams are. That’s pretty cool.”

TRIBE'S TOP HITTERS

For this week's purpose, I'm going to skip Craig since I highlighted him above. Here's three other bats that have had success through the first 10 games:

Trayvon Robinson, OF - 12-for-26 (.462) with two doubles, two triples and three RBIs.

Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B - 11-for-39 (.282) with six doubles, a homer and seven RBIs.

Cole Tucker, SS - 13-for-40 (.325) with two doubles, two homers and five RBIs to go with four stolen bases.

TRIBE'S TOP PITCHERS

Top starting performance: JT Brubaker vs. Toledo on April 10: 6.0 innings pitched, five hits allowed, one earned run given up and seven strikeouts. Brubaker is 1-0 with a 2.53 ERA in two starts with 10 strikeouts. He's allowed just three runs on 11 hits, but he's hit two batters and walked a total of three.

Top reliever: Brandon Maurer. Maurer is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in four appearances over the last 10 games. He's pitched 4.1 innings in relief, allowing just one run on two hits in the process while striking out five. He's walked just two batters.

THE ROSTER MOVES/INJURY UPDATE

Here's the roster moves from Opening Day to now:

4/4: RHP Tom Koehler assigned to Indianapolis and placed on the 10-day IL (right shoulder).

LHP Nik Turley assigned to Indianapolis and placed on the 10-day IL (left elbow).

RHP Rookie Davis assigned to extended spring training.

OF Eric Wood assigned to Indianapolis. He signed with Pittsburgh as a minor league free agent on March 29.

4/5: OF Jason Martin recalled by Pittsburgh.

4/6: RHP Eduardo Vera transferred from Double-A Altoona to Indianapolis.

4/8: LHP Sean Keselica transferred to Double-A Altoona from Indianapolis.

4/9: C Elias Diaz has MLB rehab assignment transferred from High-A Bradenton to Indianapolis. 

RHP Rookie Davis transferred to Indianapolis from Short-Season A West Virginia.

4/11: INF Kevin Kramer recalled by Pittsburgh.

INF Alfredo Reyes transferred to Indianapolis from Double-A Altoona.

4/13: OF Gregory Polanco has major league rehab transferred to Indianapolis from High-A Bradenton. 

RHP Dovydas Neverauskas has major league rehab transferred to Indianapolis from High-A Bradenton.

THE RESULTS/SCHEDULE

Indianapolis is 6-4 over the first 10 games of the season. After dropping the first three games to open the season against Columbus on the road, the Indians won six straight. Most recently, the team dropped a game to Charlotte on Sunday.

The Indians dropped the opening series, 3-1, against Columbus, but swept Toledo in a two-game series before besting Charlotte, 3-1.

Over that stretch, the Indians have tallied 55 runs on 103 hits, posting a team .288 average in the process. The team has hit a collective 24 doubles, four triples and 16 home runs.

INDY FUN THING

 Our Jason Rollison, who brings you his take on the Pirates with his Monday Mound Visit, talked with Tucker last week. Tucker is the Pirates' No. 5 prospect. Together, the two talk about his journey through the minors so far, the art of switch hitting, and youth sports. Enjoy.