Position: IF/OF
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 150 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/R
Born: 02/08/2002
Country: Dominican Republic
How Acquired: International Free Agent, 2018
Bonus: $185,000
40-man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: Yes
Minor League Free Agency: 2025
Options Left: 3
Overview
Nadal was a lower-six-figure signing at the start of the 2018-19 signing period. Nadal’s defense is his strong point, as he has very good actions and agility at short, although he can be error-prone. By 2022, though, he was mostly playing other positions due to the presence of other prospects. In 2023, he began playing a lot in the outfield, where he sometimes struggled, but he did show off an exceptionally strong arm. He hasn’t hit well since he got past the DSL, but he’s developed some power. Despite his slight build, he takes a big cut and tries to pull everything, an approach that leads to very high strikeout totals.
2019-21
Nadal got off to a great start before slumping in July and then rebounding in August. He hit for decent power. He had 16 errors at short, leading to a fielding percentage of .893. He didn’t play in 2020. In 2021, he played short semi-regularly in the FCL. He had a very rough time at the plate, hitting .165 with no extra base hits.
2022-23
In 2022, Nadal stayed in extended spring training until the Pirates assigned him to Bradenton in late May. At the plate, he hit the ball with a bit more authority; in fact, after getting no extra base hits in 2021, he doubled his first time up in 2022. The hitting still wasn’t good, though, and he had trouble making contact. Nadal divided his time between second, short and third, and showed very good range, but he had trouble with errors. His playing time dwindled after July.
Nadal returned to Bradenton in 2023 and played mainly in a super-utility role, which got him into the lineup most days. After a rough first half, with an OPS of .669, he started making progress at the plate, posting a .772 OPS in the second half. Added power came with a 33% K rate.
Stats
Transactions
July 2, 2018: Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an international free agent.