HITTING RESET
Prospect Marcano tries to regain footing in Altoona after difficult season
ALTOONA, Pa. — Last year was a whirlwind for Tucupita Marcano.
At just 21 years old and with the San Diego Padres, Marcano mashed the ball in spring training. Injuries forced open a roster spot by the end of spring, so, despite only reaching high Class A ball in 2019, then sitting through the COVID-cancelled 2020 minor league season, Marcano was chosen. He made his major league debut on opening day, walking and scoring a run in his lone plate appearance.
Marcano played 25 games for the Padres last season, slashing .182/.280/.205. The rest of the season, Marcano spent his time in Class AAA, first with the Padres, then with the Pirates after he was sent to Pittsburgh as part of the return for Adam Frazier. He struggled after making that move, too, hitting just .230 with a .606 OPS at Class AAA Indianapolis, though he was still playing against opponents typically much older than he.
So now, entering 2022, the Pirates and Marcano might be hitting the reset button a bit. To begin the year, they sent him to Class AA Altoona, to play at a level he had skipped in San Diego. He’s around prospects his own age, sandwiched agewise between top middle infield prospects Nick Gonzales and Liover Peguero. More than that, Marcano is hoping to prove that there is more to him than what he was able to show in 2021.
“Last year for sure was a different year. I learned a lot,” Marcano said, with bench coach Stephen Morales translating. “Now, being around players my age, I’m going to help them out with things I learned at the higher levels just to be better baseball players, better on the field and off the field. I look at it as a really good challenge for me, but I’m happy to be here.”
Calling 2021 “a different year” may be underselling it.
Marcano took time Friday to reflect on the fact that he knew nobody in Indianapolis when he arrived. The mid-season trade made it impossible for his family to join him when he moved.
“I was by myself,” Marcano said. “My family wasn’t here, coming to a new place, and new changes sometimes are hard to get used to. I started to meet people, players, coaches, all that. It was easier at the end to get used to a new organization.”
In terms of development, Marcano’s move to Class AA makes sense on multiple fronts. It seems likely that the Pirates will want to give him an opportunity to play multiple positions, both infield and outfield. In Altoona’s season opener, Marcano played left field, a position he had played in just 23 games previously.
Plus, the loaded roster that was in Altoona last year is now in Indianapolis. If Marcano had started there, too, it would have been difficult to decide how to divide at-bats equally. If Marcano had struggled again, it would have been tough to argue that he should get many at-bats over some of the other elite prospects.
Marcano could use a few good breaks in 2022. Getting comfortable in his surroundings could certainly help. Marcano will get plenty of opportunities to find his stride in Altoona.
Though it hasn’t been shown consistently enough, Marcano was good for San Diego’s Class AAA team, with an OPS over .800 and 27 RBIs over 45 games. He continued to keep his strikeouts down after moving to the Pirates. He remains a top-25 prospect in Pittsburgh’s system.
Marcano believes he has put last year behind him, learning some tough lessons along the way that he hopes can help him as he begins anew in Altoona.
“It wasn’t easy, all those changes,” Marcano said. “For sure, I learned to become a stronger person, when it comes to mindset and stuff like that. I always woke up in the morning to givemy best every day.
“... It doesn’t matter what level I play, I’m just going to domy best and get better day by day. That’s the most important thing.”