Following being drafted in the first round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2016 MLB Draft, Will Craig struggled in his adjustment to being a professional hitter.
Since then, Craig has slowly and steadily improved his bat as a professional hitter evident in a mid-season 17-game hit streak for the Single-A West Virginia Black Bears.
The starting third baseman for the Black Bears, Craig has dramatically improved his batting average from a season-low .077 to his current .247 average as of August 22.
According to his manager, Craig’s struggles in getting acclimated to the professional game began when the season got underway for the Pirates’ New York-Penn League affiliate.
“When he got here, he was feeling a lot of pressure that really wasn’t there,” manager Wyatt Toregas told Pirates Breakdown recently of his third baseman. “He got off to a really, really slow start.”
Settling In
After the slow start, Craig was able to settle in and figure out what he needed to do each day at the professional level to become successful and it was evident to his skipper.
“He’s started to settle in, he’s started to realize what he needs to do everyday,” Toregas said. “He’s realized he needs to show up every day and now that his minds in the right spot and he’s taking care of his body better, he’s starting to get into the consistent hitting approach.”
The 22nd-overall pick has hit one home run for the Black Bears this season to go along with 12 doubles in 49 games.
Defense Still Lags
While Craig has transitioned well to the offensive aspect of the professional game, his defense has not caught up. The Wake Forrest grad has 16 errors in 112 chances with the Black Bears this season. Playing the hot corner is a daunting task for those right out of college and even throughout the ranks as Pirate fans have seen first hand at the big league level.
Craig overcame his sluggish start in part staying confident as he grew into being a professional player.
As far as what the Black Bears need to do to keep Craig progressing, Toregas is keeping it simple, “Getting him comfortable, getting him at bats professionally, and keeping him confident through the lows.”
Still Developing
At 21, Craig is still growing into his 6’3″ frame which bodes well for the former Demon Deacon who hit .347 as a junior this spring. The power surge should come as well as he grows into his frame and continues his growth as a professional on the field and off the field with preparation.
Craig may not look like the third baseman of the future just yet, but as the bat comes around and the defense comes with it, he will continue to rise through the system and could find his way into a Pittsburgh Pirates uniform in the years ahead.
“He’s got a long way to go to get to the big leagues as anyone at this level does, but he’s got the tools to do it.” Toregas said.
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