Newman debuts with Pirates Thursday at PNC Park

CHARLESTON, W.V. (August 17, 2018) - After being promoted to the Pirates Thursday afternoon with Jordy Mercer heading to the disabled list, INF Kevin Newman made his MLB debut with the parent club Thursday night in Pittsburgh against the Chicago Cubs. The 25-year-old is the 72nd former Power player to play in the big leagues.
In his debut against the Cubs, Newman, the Pirates' sixth-best prospect per MLB.com, entered in the ninth inning as a defensive substitution at shortstop for Colin Moran . He was not involved in a play during his one inning of defensive work and did not receive an at-bat in the Pirates' 1-0 loss to Chicago.

The 2015 first-round selection out of the University of Arizona saw time with the Power in his rookie campaign, spending 38 games with the Short-Season A West Virginia Black Bears before being elevated to the Low-A level August 9. He played 23 games with the Power in 2015, averaging .306 with eight RBI while striking out just eight times in 98 at-bats. Newman hit safely in 18 of his 23 starts, including a five-game hitting streak from August 21 to 26 when he averaged .429 (9-for-21) with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored.
Newman went on to claim Mid-Season All-Star honors with Advanced-A Bradenton in 2016 after boasting a .366 average with three homers and 24 RBI in 41 games. He then joined the Double-A Altoona Curve early in the second half and worked his way to an MiLB.com Organizational All-Star nod by season's end.
The Poway, Calif., native earned his first non-roster invite to Spring Training in 2017 and broke camp with the Curve again, but found his way to Triple-A Indianapolis in late July, where he collected three hits in his Indy debut in Gwinnett with 3-for-5 effort. Following a second consecutive Spring Training invitation this season, Newman cracked the International League's All-Star roster after posting a .307 stroke with two homers and 23 RBI in 78 first-half games. With the Tribe this year, Newman is averaging an organizational-best .302 with four homers and 35 RBI. Most recently, he and Jacob Stallings became the second pair of teammates to complete the cycle in the same game this season when they accomplished it August 7 in a 12-5 rout of Lehigh Valley.
Newman is the seventh former Power player to make his MLB debut in 2018, following right-handers Clay Holmes, Colten Brewer, Nick Kingham, Tanner Anderson and Alex McRae, as well as outfielder Austin Meadows. For more on all the former Power players who have been in the Majors, visit www.wvpower.com.