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In 2014, the Pittsburgh Pirates received a pleasant surprise in the play of 3B/2B/OF Josh Harrison. Not only was he an incredibly versatile utility man who was serviceable defensively in a myriad of spots, but Harrison also provided the Pirates with a tremendous spark offensively. Harrison played so well, in fact, that he was selected for the NL All-Star roster, which was quite the feat for someone who was not in the team’s plans to start the season.
Now, Harrison is in Pittsburgh’s long-term plans, as the Pirates have signed their now third baseman to a four-year contract extension.
Harrison deal 4 yrs just over $27M could reach 50M. Good job @irates, @MSMsports
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) April 8, 2015
This is a win-win for everyone involved. In 143 games for the Pirates in 2014, Harrison hit .315 with 13 HRs and 52 RBIs to go along with 18 stolen bases. Adding his 13 HRs to his 38 doubles and seven triples gives Harrison a total of 58 extra-base hits, which is above average, especially for someone who profiles as a middle infielder.
While Harrison is undoubtedly not your prototypical corner infielder, he’s well worth locking up on a club-friendly deal for years to come. With longtime Pirate Neil Walker‘s future with the organization somewhat in doubt going forward, it’s fair to assume that Harrison could move over to second base next season if Pittsburgh elects to find someone with a tad more pop at the corner and move on from Walker. However, regardless of the direction the club decides to go, Harrison is going to provide adequate offensive production for the way this team is built, so there’s not much downside to extending him right this minute.
The Chicago Cubs have been all the rage where the NL Central is concerned in 2015, but make no mistake — this Pirates organization has every bit of the same potential to make a run at the World Series over the next five seasons.
Timothy Downs is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. You can ‘like him’ on Facebook add him on Google or follow him on Twitter @Tidow1212
