Rookie debuts keep coming for Pirates
ST. LOUIS — Although he had to wait longer than he probably would have liked, Canaan Smith-Njigba’s MLB debut was largely normal, the outfield prospect joining the club Monday because he was playing well and doubling as a pinch-hitter in the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader.
“It was a special moment,” Smith-Njigba said.
Catcher Jason Delay took the road less traveled to his first MLB action.
Added to the taxi squad in Atlanta, the Pirates activated Delay before Monday’s game when Duane Underwood Jr. went on the COVID-19 injured list. They told Delay on Monday night he would catch the first game Tuesday and did so by pulling him out of a pregame meeting with Mitch Keller and a couple of coaches.
“I didn’t really want to interrupt the meeting,” Delay said. “I wanted Mitch to be locked in. But I turned around, and a bunch of the bullpen guys were behind me screaming. It was a really cool moment.”
Not nearly as special as what happened Tuesday, when Delay worked a ninepitch walk in his first at-bat and handled himself well on a wacky rundown in the fourth inning. Oh, and getting congratulated by legends such as Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina.
“Pujols and Molina coming up to me and congratulating me on my debut, that’s something I’ll never forget,” Delay said. “Those are guys I’ve looked up to my whole life.”
Smith-Njigba and Delay are the eighth and ninth Pirates to make their MLB debuts this season. Behind the plate, the Pirates have now used an MLB-high six backstops to replace Jacob Stallings.
A fourth-round draft pick in 2017, Delay began the season on Class AAA Indianapolis’ opening day roster and hit .250 in 22 games, including a .327 average over his last 49 atbats. He also hit .313 with five extra-base hits in 11 May games.
In college, Delay played on Vanderbilt teams that featured Bryan Reynolds, Tyler Beede and Braves pitcher Kyle Wright. He and Reynolds are close and were in each other’s weddings. Delay joked Reynolds has been helpful “making sure I don’t do anything stupid in the clubhouse.”
“The fact that I get to be here and watch him make his MLB debut,” Reynolds said Tuesday morning, “It’s sweet.”
And short, as the Pirates optioned Delay back to the minors after game one, reinstating Heath Hembree (right calf strain) from the 15-day injured list.
Smith-Njigba’s double was uniquely him, featuring a refusal to give in. More than any of their prospects, SmithNjigba prides himself on being a tough out. He’s OK taking walks and made it this far by beefing up his on-base percentage.
It also didn’t hurt that he hit .342 with three doubles, two triples and nine RBIs in nine games this month with Class AAA Indianapolis.
So, when Smith-Njigba walked to the plate with two outs in the top of the ninth Tuesday afternoon, he had a message for himself before stroking a 1-2 fastball from Giovanny Gallegos into leftcenter field.
“I don’t like being the last out of the game,” he said. “I definitely want to do what I can to get the next guy up. I’m just happy he grooved a fastball there. I hit it, and my name’s in the books.”
With his first hit out of the way, now the hard part starts. Smith-Njigba started in game two, and he’ll try to play as well as possible to stick around.
As for Delay, he could conceivably get another chance. The Pirates need catching help. He seemed to work well with JT Brubaker and had to block a couple of sliders the pitcher spiked in the dirt.
“[Delay] did a nice job,” manager Derek Shelton said. “He had some really tough blocks. He did a nice job with the game-planning. … And to see Canaan get his first hit late in the game off of a really good leverage reliever was cool to see.”
Before the game, Delay joked he would debut “in 150 [degrees]. I’m just happy to be here.”