Kevin Newman might not have been the flashiest pick of the 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
He is a college shortstop who had never hit a collegiate home run. His ceiling might not be too high. He was the safe selection.
Yet, the Pittsburgh Pirates first-round pick keeps producing.
Newman’s .347 batting average is second in the Florida State League. He has even hit two home runs for Single-A Bradenton.
The 22-year-old could be ready for a call-up to Double-A Altoona in the coming weeks, and could be with the Pirates as early as 2018.
Everything is going to plan with Newman.
He was a three-year starter at shortstop at Arizona, and also spent time in the Cape Cod summer baseball league. With his experience, he was expected to go through the lower-minors rather quickly. Newman split time with the Low-A West Virginia Black Bears and Class-A West Virginia Power last year.
All he has done is hit.
In his three years at Arizona, Newman had a career .337 batting average, including a .370 average in his junior year. In his two years in the Cape Cod League, he won two batting titles – the only player in league history to win back-to-back batting titles.
He got off to a slow start with the Black Bears when he only hit .226. Still, he rebounded with the Power with a .306 average.
At the plate, he works counts well. Most of his outs are contact outs, as he has only struck out in seven percent of his at-bats this season. Newman is decent base stealer, even without possessing great speed.
The hot start to the season has not gone unnoticed. ESPN’s Keith Law ranked Newman as his 23rd best prospect in baseball on Tuesday.
Newman’s bat could result in quick promotions for Newman, and he is a plus defender. The downside to Newman’s fielding ability is his arm.
His arm strength and the presence of 2014 first-round pick Cole Tucker might cause Newman to switch to second base. However, he would give the Pirates a smooth transition away from current starter Jordy Mercer when he becomes eligible for free agency after the 2018 season.
In a system of prospects that include Tyler Glasnow, Jameson Taillon, Austin Meadows and Josh Bell, it can for Newman to get lost in the shuffle. He does not make the highlight reel the way his fellow prospects do.
Yet, he keeps producing. If he stays on the path he is, he could be starting in Pittsburgh in a few years.
Even if his ascendance is not flashy.
