Craig agreed Tuesday with the Korea Baseball Organization's Kiwoom Heroes on a one-year, $371,000 contract, Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency reports.
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington previously said over the weekend that Craig planned to explore opportunities in Asia, so the 26-year-old's decision to move to the KBO doesn't come out of nowhere. Since being selected in the first round of the 2016 first-year player draft, Craig struggled to live up to expectations, as he'll move on from Pittsburgh having appeared in only 20 games with the big club while batting .203.
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Will Craig: Headed overseas
Rotowire
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Sunday that Craig has left Triple-A Indianapolis to explore playing opportunities in Asia, Mike Persak of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Craig will likely remain on Indianapolis' temporary inactive list until he settles on a landing spot overseas. Given that he's an older prospect (he'll turn 27 years old in November) who was recently outrighted off the 40-man roster, Craig didn't appear to factor into Pittsburgh's long-term plans, so the decision to pursue work in Asia isn't overly surprising. The 2016 first-round pick appeared in 20 games and logged 69 plate appearances at the big-league level across the past two seasons, slashing .203/.261/.281 with a 33.3 percent strikeout rate.
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Pirates' Will Craig: Outrighted to Triple-A
Rotowire
Craig cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
The 26-year-old was designated for assignment by the Pirates on Friday, and he'll remain in the organization after going unclaimed on waivers. Craig had a .217/.277/.300 slash line with 22 strikeouts in 65 plate appearances before being DFA'd.
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Pirates' Will Craig: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Craig was designated for assignment by the Pirates on Friday.
Craig had played an everyday role for the Pirates recently, but he was out of the lineup Thursday after Ke'Bryan Hayes was reinstated from the 60-day injured list. The 26-year-old slashed .217/.277/.300 with a home run, five runs and three RBI in 18 games this season, and it's not yet clear whether he'll be claimed on waivers. Right-hander JT Brubaker was reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list in a corresponding move.
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Pirates' Will Craig: Time in everyday role may be over
Rotowire
Craig is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Marlins, Jake Crouse of MLB.com reports.
The return of third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (wrist) from the 60-day injured list Thursday could indirectly close the door on Craig's path to an everyday role. After sitting out against a right-hander (Brady Singer) in the Pirates' last game Tuesday in Kansas City, Craig will be on the bench versus another righty (Elieser Hernandez) on Thursday. Erik Gonzalez will pick up another start at first base now that Hayes has pushed him off the hot corner. Craig is slashing .217/.277/.300 over 65 plate appearances since being called up from Triple-A Indianapolis in mid-May.
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Pirates' Will Craig: Sitting Tuesday
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Craig is not in the starting lineup Tuesday against the Royals, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Craig has served as the Pirates' primary first baseman with Colin Moran (groin) and Phillip Evans (hamstring) both currently on the 10-day injured list. He'll get a breather Monday as Erik Gonzalez shifts across the diamond and Wilmer Difo takes over at the hot corner.
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Pirates' Will Craig: Playing regularly at first base
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Craig will start at first base and bat fifth Wednesday against the Cardinals.
Since being called up from Triple-A Indianapolis on May 13, Craig has settled in as the Pirates' everyday first baseman while Colin Moran (groin) and Phillip Evans (hamstring) reside on the 10-day injured list. Craig will draw his sixth straight start Wednesday after going 3-for-19 with a solo home run and a 1:10 BB:K through his first five games with Pittsburgh.
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Pirates' Will Craig: Contract selected by Pirates
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Craig's contract was selected by the Pirates on Thursday, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.
Craig made his major-league debut in 2020 and went hitless with a strikeout in four at-bats. He'll return to the big leagues after Phillip Evans (hamstring) was placed on the 10-day injured list, and Craig could see playing time at first base while Evans is sidelined.
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Pirates' Will Craig: Moves to minor-league camp
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Pittsburgh reassigned Craig to its minor-league camp Wednesday.
Craig received a call-up to the big leagues last August, but after being outrighted off the 40-man roster over the winter, he was a long shot to a win a spot on the Opening Day roster. The 26-year-old first baseman will likely handle an everyday role at Triple-A Indianapolis in 2021.
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Pirates' Will Craig: Outrighted to Triple-A
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Craig cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A on Wednesday, Stephen J. Nesbitt of The Athletic reports.
Considering accomplished designated hitters are being non-tendered, Craig going unclaimed can hardly be a surprise, as he profiles best at the bottom of the defensive spectrum and is unproven against MLB pitching. He will provide organizational first base depth going forward.
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Pirates' Will Craig: Removed from 40-man roster
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The Pirates designated Craig for assignment Wednesday, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.
A 2016 first-round pick, Craig will cede his spot on the 40-man roster to reliever Ashton Goudeau, whom the team claimed off waivers from the Rockies. Craig turned in 20-homer seasons in the minors, but his 92 wRC+ as a 24-year-old at Triple-A Indianapolis in 2019 was rather unremarkable, given his pedigree. He'll likely return to Indianapolis in 2021 if he doesn't get claimed by another organization.
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Pirates' Will Craig: Optioned to alternate site
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Craig was optioned to the Pirates' alternate training site Monday, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.
Colin Moran (concussion) was activated in a corresponding move, so Craig's time with the big club was short lived. He went 0-for-4 with one strikeout during his first taste of the majors and will serve as first base/designated hitter depth going forward.
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Pirates' Will Craig: Joins big-league club
Rotowire
Craig was recalled from the Pirates' alternate training site Sunday.
The 25-year-old was optioned off the major-league roster Saturday, but he'll make a quick return with Bryan Reynolds heading to the paternity list. Craig went 0-for-4 in two games during his first taste of the majors earlier this week.
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Pirates' Will Craig: Optioned to alternate camp
Rotowire
Craig was optioned to the Pirates' alternate training site Saturday.
Craig appeared in two games during his time in the majors and went 0-for-4 with one strikeout. He'll now continue to work at alternate camp to make room for a pitcher on the Pirates' active roster.
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Pirates' Will Craig: Gets start against St. Louis
Rotowire
Craig went 0-for-3 in a 4-3 win over the Cardinals on Thursday.
Although he went hitless in his big-league debut, Craig played a strong defense at first base. He also flew out to the left-field wall, narrowly missing at least an extra-base hit. Craig did not play in Game 2 of the twin bill, with Josh Bell starting at first base and Gregory Polanco serving as the designated hitter.
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Pirates' Will Craig: Called up, hitting ninth in debut
Rotowire
Craig was called up from the alternate training site and will start at first base and bat ninth in Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader against the Cardinals, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.
As the No. 22 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Craig is a prospect of some note, although he was a below-league-average hitter (92 wRC+) as a 24-year-old at Triple-A last year. Craig has some pop from the right side but he has plenty of swing and miss in his game and is best suited as a designated hitter, but the same can be said of Josh Bell. He takes the place of Colin Moran, who was placed on the 7-day concussion injured list.
Craig was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday.
Craig spent the entirety of last season with Indianapolis, but he hasn't done enough to prove himself worthy of a big-league roster spot just yet. In 131 games at the Triple-A level last season, he hit a modest .249/.326/.435 (good for a 92 wRC+) with 23 homers.
