Stud outfield prospect Gregory Polanco is making his MLB debut tonight and the Pirates have him starting in right field and batting second in the lineup.
Polanco hit .347 with a .405 on-base percentage and .540 slugging percentage in 62 games at Triple-A to earn the call-up and that type of player would obviously fit anywhere in the batting order, but at this point in his development the 22-year-old has more speed than power so the second spot makes sense for now.
Ultimately he projects as a prototypical No. 3 hitter if things go well for Polanco, but of course the Pirates have one of the best No. 3 hitters in baseball already in reigning MVP Andrew McCutchen. It’s a very nice problem to have and Polanco batting directly in front of McCutchen should be fun for Pirates fans to watch however long it lasts.
