Pirates A to Z: Claimed off waivers, Ryan Vilade seeks fresh start with opportunity in outfield

During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z: An alphabetical, player-by-player look at the 40-man roster, from outfielder Miguel Andujar to pitcher Bryse Wilson.

Player: Ryan Vilade

Position: Outfielder/third baseman

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

Age: 23 (Feb. 18)

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 226 pounds

2022 MLB statistics: None

Contract: Not yet eligible for arbitration

Acquired: Claimed off waivers from the Colorado Rockies on Nov. 9

This past season: Vilade was ranked the Rockies’ No. 4 prospect entering the 2021 season, made his major league debut at Washington on Sept. 18 and then played in two games against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field.

18 hours ago, Ryan Vilade was getting ready to eat a cheeseburger at a Cheesecake Factory in Sugar Land, Texas. Now he’s in DC with the #Rockies for his major league debut pic.twitter.com/l0Qi0sitHD

— Danielle Allentuck (@d_allentuck) September 18, 2021

Vilade played in the Arizona Fall League, batting .253/.344/.304 with two doubles, a triple and 12 RBIs in 23 games with Salt River to make the Fall Stars Game.

He was hoping to make a permanent move to the majors this past summer and, after a slow start in April, when he batted .206, Vilade started hitting his stride – not to mention above his weight – over the next two months with Triple-A Albuquerque.

Ryan Vilade was a tough out for the @ABQTopes.

The @Rockies’ No. 9 prospect recorded his first career five-hit game: https://t.co/vTF9LjuTJG pic.twitter.com/dOCywjQxaw

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 1, 2022

Vilade batted .299/.382/.402 with seven extra-base hits in May but was still seeking his first home run when he entered June. Vilade slashed .274/.357/.425 and had three homers and 11 RBIs.

“I felt like I caught my rhythm, then got injured,” said Vilade, who strained his right quadriceps. “I was playing through it a little bit. It didn’t feel right. I felt like I wasn’t myself. I had to be careful on hits to the shortstop. I run hard down the line, and we were playing in Vegas and I was running down the line and couldn’t run.”

That required a stint on the injured list that caused him to miss most of July. When he returned to the Isotopes, Vilade batted .208 in August and .231 in September. Those numbers might have been more acceptable if he were still an infielder with a great glove.

But the Rockies had moved Vilade from shortstop, where he was drafted in the second round in 2017 but committed 34 errors in his first pro season and 23 the next, to third base when he was in High-A in 2019. After missing the 2020 season due to the covid pandemic, the Rockies moved Vilade again, this time to the corner outfield spots.

“It was hard to swallow at first just because infield was everything I knew, especially shortstop,” said Vilade, who has played 187 games in the outfield, 46 at third base and five at first base. “As a shortstop, you’re the captain of the field. That aspect is fun, too, telling guys where to go on cuts, relays, pickoffs. Outfield was definitely an easier transition because outfield is easier than infield, in my opinion. I was second in outfield assists in the league last year. That’s a very positive.”

Vilade’s manager at Albuquerque was Warren Schaeffer, a Greensburg Central Catholic alum who has since been promoted to third base/infield coach for the Colorado Rockies. Schaeffer credited Vilade for how far he’s come as an outfielder.

“Defense is night and day from last year,” Schaeffer told the Albquerque Journal about Vilade. “He works harder than anybody.”

#Rockies OF prospect Ryan Vilade got a brief look in the Majors at the end of last season. Can he put together power and hitting approach? pic.twitter.com/qPsrzsFKQq

— Thomas Harding (@harding_at_mlb) March 12, 2022

The son of a longtime coach – his father, James, was head coach at hte University of Dallas and University of Texas at Tyler and a hitting coach at Double-A Frisco – Ryan showed patience at the plate and a good eye. He posted a .345 on-base percentage and drew 52 walks against 69 strikeouts. But Vilade never displayed his power potential.

“The bat is a big factor when you go to the outfield,” Vilade said. “All the other aspects were good. We were just waiting for that damage part to click. I’ve shown bits and pieces.”

When the Rockies designated Vilade for assignment, he was claimed off waivers by the Pirates. The outfield in flux, as Bryan Reynolds has requested a trade and seven rookies played last season, so Vilade is excited about finally get a chance to make his mark in the majors.

“When I got the call saying I was DFA’d and claimed by the Pirates, it’s that sweet-and-sour feeling,” Vilade said. “You’re leaving the organization you’ve been with for six years. Then again, it’s an opportunity to get back to the big leagues. It’s a young team, and I can help them win some games. It’s a new start for me. I’m really, really excited for this opportunity.”

Here are Ryan Vilade's first 4 hits from today. He had a 5th that I didn't catch. 3 of the ones in this video were hit over 100 mph.

If he's not gonna hit for a lot of power, doing stuff like this will get him somewhere. pic.twitter.com/7e9FqtPt7g

— Tyler Paddor (@RoxDontRake) May 2, 2022

The future: Vilade spent three days at Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla., working in the batting cage with Pirates hitting coach Andy Haines and talking about the changes he has made.

Vilade went from an open stance to even and stopped going up on his toe, but the focus was on his contact point and putting the ball in the air as a way to elevate his launch angle and tap into his power.

“We got to sit down and talk hitting, throw thoughts off each other,” Vilade said. “After three days of hitting, I felt like I was going somewhere. I felt like there was a purpose of what I’m doing. I got a lot of positive feedback.”

Vilade believes that if he can get his timing down, he can produce more extra-base hits, if not home runs, and become a run producer.

Speaking of hits, he’s still seeking his first in the majors. Vilade was 0 for 6 with a walk in three games for the Rockies, so he’s hoping to check some boxes for milestone moments with the Pirates.

“I’m really looking forward to it, espeically if it helps the team win,” Vilade said. “Those accomplishments are great but you’re up there to help the team win ballgames. If you want to stay, you’ve got to bring something to table to help the team win.”

Vilade will compete for a roster spot with a handful of rookies, including one of his good friends and a former teammate for the Dallas Tigers club team, Canaan Smith-Njigba, as well as Ji Hwan Bae, Diego Castillo, Tucupita Marcano, Cal Mitchell, Jack Suwinski and Travis Swaggerty.

“That’s exactly why I’m really excited,” Vilade said. “There’s a lot of opportunity. There’s a lot of great players there, but I think I’m a great player, too. If you work hard and compete, going into spring training is going to be a lot of fun. If I do my thing, I can potentially have one of those spots.”