A.J. Schugel Must Prove Himself To Pittsburgh Pirates In 2016 Spring Training

Life for the Pittsburgh Pirates without A.J. Burnett may take some getting use to in 2016. Burnett retired this offseason after spending three of the past four seasons in Pittsburgh. The Pirates have brought Ryan Vogelsong back after a ten year hiatus, but he shouldn’t be expected to last the season.

Everyone knows about Tyler Glasnow and James Taillon. They are both expected to make their debuts at the start of the 2017 season. With Vogelsong slated in as the No. 5 starter, the Pirates need someone to be ready to step in as early as May. Without exposing their elite prospects, the Pirates have to look to the future.

A.J. Schugel is the most big league ready starting pitcher in the minors for the Pirates who isn’t considered an elite prospect. He is a non-roster invitee who has gotten into seven games including one start, allowing three earned runs over eight innings. He won’t be on the 40-man roster until the Pirates are ready to call him up and he needs to force their hands.

As Schugel gets more chances he needs to continue to show his flexibility. It appears that Juan Nicasio will open the season as the Pirates’ emergency starter. Schugel needs to spend the rest of spring proving that he can be that swingman. Nicasio was signed with the idea of having him be a multiple-inning, high-leverage reliever. Schugel needs to show that he could be a low-leverage reliever and emergency starter. At the very least he needs to show management that he needs to be the one to get the shot when Vogelsong invariably falters.

For players like Schugel, spring training is vitally important. They neither have a roster spot nor a clear path to the major leagues. Schugel needs to show management that he belongs in Pittsburgh every time he takes the mound.