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Let’s take a look at where the MLB Draft Class of 2016 is now

By Joshua Sadlock

TAMPA, FL - JUNE 03: Mickey Moniak (2) of the Threshers hits his first home run of the season during the Florida State League game between the Florida Fire Frogs and the Clearwater Threshers on June 03, 2018, at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - JUNE 03: Mickey Moniak (2) of the Threshers hits his first home run of the season during the Florida State League game between the Florida Fire Frogs and the Clearwater Threshers on June 03, 2018, at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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BRADENTON, FL – FEBRUARY 27: Will Craig #75 of the Pittsburgh Pirates tosses his bat after drawing a walk during the Spring Training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at LECOM Park on February 27, 2019 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)
BRADENTON, FL – FEBRUARY 27: Will Craig #75 of the Pittsburgh Pirates tosses his bat after drawing a walk during the Spring Training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at LECOM Park on February 27, 2019 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images) /

22. Pittsburgh Pirates: Will Craig, 3B, Wake Forest

Picking towards the end of the first round can leave MLB teams hunting for value in a prospect with one tool that really stands out. That’s what the Pirates got in Wake Forest third baseman Will Craig. He was an extremely productive college hitter with limited defensive ability and poor speed. Craig was destined for first base and would need to hit his way to the big leagues.

As a professional, Craig has shown the type of hitting ability that made him a first-round pick. He hit .280/.412/.362 in his debut season with more walks than strikeouts. Craig had another solid season with the bat in 2017, continuing to prefer making contact over power. That changed last season, when he began looking to drive the ball and hit for more power. The new approach led to an uptick in strikeouts, but not to an extreme level.

Craig hit .248/.321/.448 with 20 home runs and 102 RBI at Double-A last season and is putting up another set of strong numbers in 2019. Through 72 games at Triple-A, he is hitting .262/.342/.483 with 16 home runs and 45 RBI. He appears to have found a very happy medium between the contact-first approach he used his first two seasons and a swing-for-the-fences mentality.

He has also made strides to improve as a defender at first base, a move that was accelerated after he made 16 errors in 46 games at third base as a rookie. The Pirates might have a difficult time finding a place for Craig in their lineup with Josh Bell putting up MVP-caliber numbers at first base, but he is still on track to reach the big leagues this season and looks like a solid pick at the end of the first round.

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