Pirates sign 2016 first round selection Will Craig

The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced they have signed infielder Will Craig, the 22nd overall selection in the 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President and General Manager Neal Huntington and Pirates Director of Amateur Scouting Joe DelliCarri.
Craig hit .379 (69-for-182) with 16 doubles, 16 home runs, 66 RBI, a .520 on-base percentage and .731 slugging percentage in 55 games this season as a junior at Wake Forest University.
The 21-year-old Craig was named one of five finalists for the prestigious 2016 Dick Howser Trophy, which is awarded to the top player in collegiate baseball. He is also a semifinalist for the 2016 Golden Spikes Award, which is awarded to the top amateur baseball player in the United States.
"The Pirates are excited to bring Will into our organization," said DelliCarri. "We believe Will's strong abilities as a hitter, along with the strengths he brings as a competitor and a person, align well for his continued growth within our player development system and his path to playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park."
Craig, who ranks third nationally with a .731 slugging percentage and eighth with a .520 on-base percentage, also took home first-team All-American honors this season by both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball.
During his sophomore season with Wake Forest in 2015, Craig led the team in batting average (.382), home runs (13), RBI (58), runs scored (52), OBP (.496) and slugging percentage (.702) while taking home several accolades, including being named the ACC Player-of-the-Year and a Louisville Slugger First-Team All-American and Baseball America second-team selection.
Craig, who was signed by Pirates Area Scouting Supervisor Jerry Jordon, will begin his professional career with the West Virginia Black Bears of the New York-Penn League.
The Pirates will introduce Craig at a press conference at 5 p.m. this afternoon in the PNC Park Press Conference room.