WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2005
R:  339/389/380, 121 AB, 5 2B, 10 BB, 22 K, 8-10 SB
R+:  208/296/222, 72 AB, 1 2B, 6 BB, 18 K, 3-6 SB

De Jesus played at two different rookie levels in his debut, hitting very well at the lower one but not in advanced rookie ball.  He played short exclusively.

2006
A:  277/361/327, 483 AB, 17 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 63 BB, 85 K, 16-21 SB

The Dodgers moved De Jesus up to full season ball and he hit reasonably well, with good plate discipline and very little power.  He was helped by a good hitter’s park, as he batted only .228 on the road.  At this stage he was still only 19 and Baseball America rated him as the Dodgers’ sixth best prospect after the season.

2007
A+:  287/371/381, 428 AB, 22 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 57 BB, 64 K, 11-17 SB

De Jesus hit the ball with more authority, but that may had more to do with the California League than anything else.  He continued to show very good strike zone judgment.

2008
AA:  324/419/423, 463 AB, 21 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 76 BB, 81 K, 16-18 SB

In AA, De Jesus had his best season, leading the Southern League in OBP.  He again ranked as the Dodgers’ sixth best prospect after the season.

2009
R:  200/308/300, 10 AB, 1 2B, 1 BB, 6 K

After suffering a broken leg in spring training, De Jesus missed nearly the entire season.

2010
AAA:  296/335/405, 533 AB, 33 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 32 BB, 81 K, 6-7 SB

De Jesus had a good year in AAA, although his plate discipline wasn’t as good as it had been.  He showed decent gap power.  The Dodgers used him mostly at second.

2011
AAA:  310/389/432, 387 AB, 19 2B, 2 3B, 8 HR, 45 BB, 68 K, 4-5 SB
MLB:  188/235/188, 32 AB, 2 BB, 11 K

The Dodgers kept De Jesus in the majors to start the season, but after he went 0-for-7 with five strikeouts in his first two games, he seldom played.  The team sent him to AAA in mid-May and called him back up for just one more game.  He again hit well in AAA, where he played mostly second.

2012
AAA (LAD):  295/333/415, 224 AB, 12 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 14 BB, 53 K, 1-2 SB
AAA (Bos):  385/429/423, 26 AB, 1 2B, 2 BB, 3 K, 1-1 SB
MLB (LAD):  273/324/364, 33 AB, 3 2B, 3 BB, 7 K, 1-2 SB
MLB (Bos):  000/000/000, 8 AB, 6 K

De Jesus suffered an oblique tear in spring training.  When he returned in May he spent about a month with the Dodgers in a utility role, then went back to AAA.  After the trade to the Red Sox, he split his time between AAA and the majors, getting only eight ABs with the Sox and striking out in six of them.

The Pirates already had an abundance of candidates for a utility role, with Jordy Mercer, Josh Harrison, Chase d’Arnaud and Brock Holt.  They effectively exchanged Holt for De Jesus, with the main difference being that De Jesus won’t have to go on the 40-man roster.  He’s not really a shortstop any more, but could be a good candidate to serve as a utility player.  The Pirates played him a lot at short in spring training and he had a strong spring.  His chances of making the roster disappeared when the team, in their continuing determination to avoid using younger players off the bench, acquired John McDonald.  If De Jesus isn’t added to the 40-man at some point, he’ll be eligible for minor league free agency after the season.