SAN DIEGO — For a ballclub notoriously deliberate with the progression of its prospects through the minor league system, the Pirates’ promotion of Jordan Luplow represents a departure from the norm.
Luplow was in Class AA exactly a month ago. He reached Class AAA for the first time this season, played 21 games and continued to rake. Friday, Luplow, 23, started in right field, making his major league debut less than a year after finishing Class A ball.
“It’s an aggressive move, but I also think it’s the culmination of work we’ve seen at every step of the way,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “He’s a solid defender, he plays all three outfield positions, he’s a good baserunner. This guy is a very good baseball player that has earned the opportunity to move up levels.”
The Pirates selected Luplow’s contract Friday and optioned left-hander Steven Brault to Indianapolis. The 40-man roster now is full. The lack of a true fourth outfielder stood in stark relief during Starling Marte’s 80-game suspension. Marte had just returned when Gregory Polanco went on the disabled list again, pushing Adam Frazier, John Jaso and Jose Osuna back into the corner outfield. Luplow’s promotion adds an outfielder-by-trade to the mix.
Despite the brief stop with Class AAA Indianapolis before his promotion, Luplow (pronounced LOOP-low) certainly earned it. This third-round pick in 2014 out of Fresno State hit 16 home runs with a .368 on-base percentage in 288 plate appearances in Altoona this year. At Class AAA he hit five more homers to go with a .324 average and a .407 OBP.
“I think it goes back to approach, talking to different people, learning from guys,” Luplow said. “This comes up a lot, but Aaron Judge, me and him talk a lot during the season. If I’m going through something, he’ll help me. I have a lot of other people that I fall back on. He’s been a big one for me this year.”
Luplow played with the New York Yankees right fielder, the presumptive American League rookie of the year and an MVP candidate, at Fresno State.
“It was not fun being in his batting practice group,” Luplow joked. “I’m sure that helped me out in the long run, with scouts and stuff, but it wasn’t fun following him up.”
Because Luplow, who was born in Visalia, Calif., and has family in Fresno, debuted on the West Coast, he had a cheering section. His parents, Mark and Rebecca, aunts and uncles, and friends traveled to San Diego Friday for the game. And his grandparents were visiting him in Indianapolis Wednesday night when he got the call from Indians manager Andy Barkett.
“What are you doing?” Barkett asked.
“I just got done with dinner with the grandparents.”
“How long are they here?”
“Till Tuesday.”
At this, Barkett feigned sharp intake of breath. “Ooh … They might need to grab a plane to San Diego because they’re going up to the show.”
“I just lost it,” Luplow said. “I thought I was getting traded or something like that. It was crazy.”
Luplow acknowledged his unusually quick climb through the minors, but said “This was one of my goals coming into the season.”
“Like the swing, like the ballplayer, the combination of the two, the offense and the defense,” Hurdle said. “He can add some depth to us up here.”
Bill Brink: bbrink@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrinkPG.
First Published: July 29, 2017, 2:45 a.m.
