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Unheralded Pirate Flores Jr. Stakes Rookie Claim
22 Sep
Summary
- Rafael Flores Jr. is making a late-season impact for the Pirates.
- He was acquired in a trade last year for closer David Bednar.
- Baseball America downgraded Flores from No. 6 to No. 17 prospect.
The Pittsburgh Pirates chapter of the Baseball Writers Association is set to announce its annual awards. Brandon Lowe is expected to win the Roberto Clemente Award for Most Valuable Player, while Braxton Ashcraft is the likely recipient of the Steve Blass Award for best pitcher. Lowe leads the team with 33 home runs and 93 RBIs, batting .262.
Ashcraft finished his season 14-6 with a 3.65 ERA, though he ended on the injured list with arm fatigue. This year has seen multiple rookies make significant contributions as the Pirates aim for their first winning season since 2017.
Shortstop Konnor Griffin would be the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year if the award existed, hitting .267 with five home runs and 22 stolen bases. Other rookies like Esmerlyn Valdez and pitcher Bubba Chandler have also shown promise.
However, catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores Jr. is making a compelling case for top rookie. Acquired last year in a trade for David Bednar, Flores Jr. has hit 10 home runs in 43 games with a .286 average. Despite initial skepticism and a significant drop in prospect rankings, he has found confidence and is performing exceptionally well late in the season.
