Hanson happy to get the call
PITTSBURGH — Alen Hanson may not be in the major leagues for long, but he was certainly happy to get called up by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Hanson was recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis as left fielder Starling Marte was placed on the paternity list prior to Monday night’s game against the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park.
“It means so much to me to make it the big leagues, especially with the team that signed me and helped me become the best ball player I can possibly be,” Hanson said with a smile before the game through a interpreter.
Players on the paternity can take up to three days of paid leave. The Pirates don’t know if Marte will be gone the full three days, but are certain once he returns that Hanson will return to Indianapolis.
“He still has some things he needs to work on,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “He’s not a finished product yet. We do think he could be ready to come up and help at some point later in the season.
“Our thinking is to let him come up for a few days and get his feet wet. Let he see it, smell and taste it and know that he could be back for more of it if he continues to improve.”
Hanson, 23, hit .288 with two homers, 10 RBIs and seven steals in 27 games for Indianapolis.
Hanson was one considered a top-100 prospect, rising to No. 61 in Baseball America’s rankings prior to the 2013 season. However, his star has dimmed somewhat as the Pirates now look at him more as a utility player.
Hanson was a middle infielder before beginning to play some third base late last season at Indianapolis. He started 10 times in left field this season, his first action in the outfield of his seven-year professional career.
“It’s going pretty well,” Hanson said of playing left. “I’m getting more comfortable. It’s another opportunity for me to help the team. It’s fun.”
Hanson called his mother in the Dominican Republic on Sunday afternoon to inform her that he would be getting called up. For 10 minutes, he waited for a response and became worried that perhaps she had fainted.
However, it turned out that everything was fine. She accidently hung the phone up in her excitement over telling the news to everyone else in the house.