Jack Suwinski

The Pirates are notorious for slowly promoting their prospects, so it was a surprise when Suwinski got the call to Pittsburgh directly from Double-A Altoona to make his major-league debut on April 26, 2022. It was even more surprising when he stuck in Pittsburgh and ultimately took over a regular role as a corner outfielder. He earned the opportunity, as through his first 162 plate appearances he smacked 14 home runs while maintaining a .345 wOBA and 123 wRC+. Less positive was his 30.2 percent strikeout rate in that span, also a primary factor in his tailspin and ultimate demotion to Triple-A Indianapolis for much of July and August. Suwinski managed to get back on track in the final month of the season at the big-league level and now appears to have a clear path to regular playing time in a corner outfield spot for the Pirates heading into 2023. His primary attribute will be his power, and his 86th percentile barrel rate and 85th percentile max exit velocity illustrate that he has plenty of it. Unless the Pirates drastically upgrade their lineup - something that looks unlikely - he'll also have a spot in the middle of the order, creating the path to potential counting stat upside. The primary problem for Suwinski is his aforementioned strikeout rate, which was high as he climbed through both the Padres and Pirates organizations and remained elevated in his first taste in the majors. The same can be said of his infield flyball rate, factors which will combine to sink his batting average potential in the short term. The Pirates will give Suwinski every chance to figure it out in the long term, but 2023 will likely be about balancing his power potential with the likelihood of a subpar batting average.