Chad Pinder

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #7 prospect in 2017
  Pinder comes from a baseball family. His father played at Virginia Commonwealth and his younger brother Chase plays at Clemson. The Athletics have challenged Pinder since they drafted him 71st overall in 2013. They asked the former Virginia Tech third baseman to play second base in 2014, then shortstop in 2015 following the trades of Addison Russell and Daniel Robertson. Pinder held his own with each position switch and even won the Texas League MVP award at Double-A Midland in 2015. He started slowly at Triple-A Nashville in 2016, then rallied to make his major league debut. Pinder has fluid actions and an above-average arm that make him capable at shortstop and an asset at second or third base. His versatility is a major plus. At the plate, Pinder is an intelligent hitter with a solid plan, though his approach can be too aggressive for the Athletics' liking. He has a quick bat with average power and average feel to hit, and evaluators project he could hit 15-20 homers at his peak. He's a tick below-average runner. Pinder's defensive versatility and power potential make him a utility option in the big leagues for 2017. To be a regular, he'll have to win a battle with Joey Wendle and Jed Lowrie at second base.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #7 prospect in 2016
  Pinder hit over better than .300 in all three of his seasons at Virginia Tech and hasn't slowed down against professional pitchers since being the No. 71 overall pick in 2013. He was the Double-A Texas League's player of the year in 2015 after finishing second in the league in both average (.317) and slugging (.486) and leading it in RBIs (86), despite the inhospitable hitting environment in Midland. Once bound for a career at second base, Pinder's career path changed with the trades of Addison Russell and Daniel Robertson, allowing him to serve as the everyday shortstop at Midland. The organization came away encouraged at how he handled the role, showing fluid actions and good body control. His throwing motion can be a little upright but his arm is strong enough for the position, and his instincts help him compensate for a lack of above-average range. While hitting for power won't be his forte, he's learned to pull more balls, which should help, and he's able to impart backspin. He's an intelligent hitter who can handle any kind of pitch, although the A's would like to rein in his aggression at least a touch. Pinder, who will move up to Triple-A Nashville in 2016, draws comparisons to Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy. He could reach the majors at shortstop in the near future, but if he does have to move, he has prior experience at second and third base.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #12 prospect in 2015
  Pinder played primarily third base in college but not necessarily with profile power for the position. However, the Athletics felt he was underdeveloped physically for his age. Pinder worked hard in the weight room prior to 2014 and now does a better job of using his legs in his swing, lending credence to the belief he can have average power down the road. He also has an ability to backspin balls along with very quick hands. The A's hope his plate discipline improves. Transitioning to the middle of the diamond, his footwork requires cleaning up, but he can handle the routine play at second base. He still has a strong enough arm for the left side of the infield. He's a decent runner but needs to do a better job of picking his spots on the bases. He'll move with the core of the 2014 Stockton team to Double-A Midland.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #15 prospect in 2014
  Pinder, the 71st overall pick in 2013, became the highest-drafted Virginia Tech position player since Franklin Stubbs went 19th overall in 1982. A .321 career hitter in college, Pinder was a first-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference pick in 2013 after hitting .321/.404/.483 with eight homers, and he signed for $750,000 out of the supplemental second round. His father Chris was a pitcher for four seasons in the Orioles and Indians systems from 1987-90. Pinder played the bulk of his college career at third base, but he did make 17 starts at shortstop as a junior, and the Athletics are giving him a chance to play the position as a pro. He has a chance to stick there due to solid hands, a good transfer and a strong, accurate arm. His fringy range could push him to second base if shortstop doesn't work out. Pinder's bat profiles better as a middle infielder because he lacks profile corner power to fit at third base. He does generate good bat speed and has a nice path to the ball, but the A's would like to see him use a little better load in his swing. He's shown a feel for hitting in the past, but he struggled to adjust to the speed of pro ball at short-season Vermont in 2013. Shoulder and oblique injuries that cost him a month didn't help. The A's hope to see Pinder's offense show up more frequently in 2014, probably at low Class A Beloit.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #54 prospect in 2013 draft
  The Hokies have enjoyed a successful season, working their way into BA's Top 25 for the first time since 2010, and Pinder has been a big part of it, hitting .324/.410/.447 with 37 RBIs through 47 games. Pinder has good bat speed and hand-eye coordination, and his barrel stays in the zone a long time. He tends to hit from a static load and would benefit from finding a rhythm with some pre-swing movement. The knock against Pinder is a lack of power. He has just 14 homers in 137 games at Virginia Tech and projects to hit 15 a year at the pro level--not ideal for the hot corner, but playable considering his defense. Pinder shows good defense at third, with solid range and the ability to come in on balls well. He also has a strong arm. Some scouts think that he could provide solid defense at second base, where his bat might profile a little better. He fits in the second round, but could sneak into supplemental first round.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Texas League #10 prospect in 2015
  Pinder played primarily third base at Virginia Tech and moved to second base initially in pro ball because the Athletics also had Addison Russell and Daniel Robertson at the time. Following those players' trades, though, Pinder assumed regular shortstop duty at Midland in 2015 and enjoyed a terrific season. He won MVP honors in the TL after batting .317/.361/.486 with 15 home runs. He led all circuit batters with 86 RBIs and 232 total bases and all TL shortstops in assists (267) and double plays (61). While Pinder lacks the range of Russell or Robertson, he positions himself well and has great instincts. He has a plus arm, but still needs to make footwork adjustments to learn to catch and release the ball quicker. Coming out of the draft, Pinder projected to have a bat too light for third base, but he has good raw power and has shown a quick bat to drive the ball. He has learned to backspin the ball and drive it out, even in the difficult conditions at Midland's Security Bank Ballpark. Strikeouts remain a big part of his game, but he's drawing a few more walks and coaches have worked with him to not necessarily walk more but to swing at better pitches. One coach invoked the name J.J. Hardy discussing Pinder's power and strong arm.

• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Pinder comes from a baseball family. His father played at Virginia Commonwealth and his younger brother Chase plays at Clemson. The Athletics have challenged Pinder since they drafted him 71st overall in 2013. They asked the former Virginia Tech third baseman to play second base in 2014, then shortstop in 2015 following the trades of Addison Russell and Daniel Robertson. Pinder held his own with each position switch and even won the Texas League MVP award at Double-A Midland in 2015. He started slowly at Triple-A Nashville in 2016, then rallied to make his major league debut. Scouting Report: Pinder has fluid actions and an above-average arm that make him capable at shortstop and an asset at second or third base. His versatility is a major plus. At the plate, Pinder is an intelligent hitter with a solid plan, though his approach can be too aggressive for the Athletics' liking. He has a quick bat with average power and average feel to hit, and evaluators project he could hit 15-20 homers at his peak. He's a tick below-average runner.
  
  The Future: Pinder's defensive versatility and power potential make him a utility option in the big leagues for 2017. To be a regular, he'll have to win a battle with Joey Wendle and Jed Lowrie at second base.