Manager Derek Shelton said Monday that Newman will head into Opening Day as the Pirates' regular shortstop, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

After taking a big step back at the plate during the abbreviated 2020 campaign, Newman entered the spring having to battle with the likes of Erik Gonzalez and Cole Tucker for an everyday role in the middle infield. Newman was able to easily separate himself from the competition, recording a whopping 20 hits in 29 at-bats (.690 average) while going 2-for-3 on stolen-base attempts through his first 12 Grapefruit League games. While this level of production is obviously unsustainable, Newman's bat-to-ball skills and willingness to run should at least make him a decent late-round target for fantasy managers looking for a boost in batting average and steals. He's just two years removed from a season in which he hit .308 with 16 stolen bases over 130 games.