Starling Marte is a 23 year outfielder from the Domincan Republic. He has been in the Pirates system since age 18 and has batted over .300 in each of his stints in the minor leagues. He has started in the Futures game and dazzled in spring training this year for the Pirates. But spring training is spring training and not much was made of the young Marte's spring play. However, Marte is key to the Pirates future and his presence in the outfield may be needed sooner than most would have thought.
At the beginning of the season it appeared that the Pirates outfield may be overcrowded. With the signing of Nate Mclouth, Clint Hurdle has rotated the corner outfield position as much as any team in the game. Andrew McCutchen is a staple in center and will be for years to come. But with Jose Tabata, Alex Presley and Nate McClouth, the Pirates rarely have the same starting outfield in back to back games. They have even used Garrett Jones and Yamaico Navarro in outfield spot starts. Coincidentally, the production from these outfielders, minus Cutch, has been very minimal. An outfield that appeared to be up for grabs is now searching for the right trio of players.
At this point in their careers, Alex Presley and Nate McClouth will be nothing more than quality utility men. Presley adds dynamic speed to left field, but he has struggled at the plate and has been in Clint Hurdles doghouse lately. McClouth is yet to make a big splash in his return to he Buccos, and his age suggests he can only go downhill from here.
Jose Tabata, at 23 years old, has show great upside with his bat and good speed. He started slow this season, but has emerged as a threat at the top of lineup. With Presley and McClouth struggling, Tabata's spot in the lineup is secure.
The Pirates have been sporadic in how they handle their best prospects. Andrew McCutchen was held in AAA for longer than most fans wanted, and his impact was immediately felt at the big league level. Jose Tabata and Pedro Alvarez were both thrust into the spotlight after spending minimal time in the Pirates minor league systems. Neil Walker didn't begin to see regular major league playing time until he was 24 years old, so what should the Pirates do with Marte?
The big knock on Marte is that he swings at bad pitches and rarely takes a walk. With the speed this young man has, reaching base at any cost should be his main priority. His defense is superb, and his power has improved each year and shouldn't be a weakness in the big leagues. He definitily needs more time to develop, but how long will Hurdle wait for Presley to turn things around? Don't expect to see Marte any time soon, but if the Pirates are in contention and looking for a spark, he could be the man they call upon.
Written by Rick Bauer
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