Pittsburgh Pirates: Matt Hague Hitting His Way Toward a Roster Spot

In a Pittsburgh Pirates system rich with Top 50 talent including Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, and Josh Bell, it’s a fringe prospect that’s generating the most buzz at spring training. With presumably two bench spots remaining for a corner and middle infielder, Matt Hague continues to complicate the thought of a roster finalization.

Among the players competing for the corner infield bench spot, there are two familiar names. Jake Fox, the spring training deity who belted 10 home runs in 2011 during spring training with the Baltimore Orioles, and Nick Evans, who has spent the better part of the last five years bouncing around the New York Mets' system.

And then there’s Hague, a 26-year-old professional hitter on the precipice of becoming a Quad-A player.  At 6'3", 215 pounds, the thump in Hague’s bat in undeniable even though he’s never had the power numbers to truly support such a claim.

In 2010, the right-handed hitter slashed .295/.375/.442 with a .147 ISO rate. However, he did collect 45 extra base hits while driving in 86 runs and posting a 62/61 K/BB rate in 135 games.

Hague spent the 2011 season at Triple-A where it was more of the same: .310/.373/.460, .150 ISO, 53 extra-base hits, 75 RBI, and a 68/47 K/BB rate.

Still, while Hague’s bat may be big-league ready, he doesn’t possess the prototypical 30-plus home run potential associated with a first baseman.

That’s why he’s spent spring training taking reps at third base with the hope that increased versatility may improve his odds of breaking camp with the team. At the hot corner, Hague’s penchant for roping doubles and driving in runs is a more appropriate fit.

And after surviving the latest round of cuts this past weekend, Hague’s chances of making the team appear favorable, especially when considering that he’s batting .429 with three home runs in 28 spring training at-bats.

Plus, it probably helps that his main competition, Pedro Alvarez and Casey McGehee, are batting .148 and .231, respectively.