Pirates' Kevin Newman: Likely to bat in top half of order
Newman is expected to serve as the Pirates' primary leadoff man in 2020, though he could also slot third ahead of cleanup hitter Josh Bell occasionally, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.
After hitting seventh at the beginning of last year, Newman took full advantage of his opportunity to bat atop the order -- the 26-year-old slashed .328/.374/.502 in 75 games as a leadoff hitter. It remains to be seen how long he'll stick at shortstop, though. He ranked 22nd of 25 with a minus-1.7 dWAR (min. 800 innings). If Pittsburgh trades second baseman Adam Frazier, then Newman could shift to second, with standout defensive prospect Cole Tucker taking over at short. Regardless of where Newman plays in the field, his ability to hit for a high batting average and steal bases -- he swiped 16 bags in 24 tries in 2019 -- gives him fantasy value in two categories.
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