Nick Yorke brings confidence into season

Photo Credit: Ryan Palencer

While the 2025 season has seen some ups and downs early on for Nick Yorke, he knows that his approach works.

Though confidence is a big key to any baseball player’s game, Yorke is able to base that belief this season on how last season wrapped up, and his promotion to Pittsburgh.

“For me, it is just about knowing that I could (be a big leaguer),” Yorke said. “It’s a big confidence boost to know that what you’re doing is working, and you’re on the right track. I just need to keep moving forward, no matter what.“

Despite a slow start to the season, Yorke has caught fire of late and is hitting .248 through his first 113 at-bats. However, in May, Yorke is hitting .302.

Two big things stand out for Yorke’s resurgence. First, he’s simply getting the bat to the ball. This month, he has struck out just six times in 43 at-bats. While he walked 11 times in April, compared to none in May, Yorke also struck out 23 times in 18 games. He may have been trying to be a bit too selective, but his overall approach was different from last season.

The second change is that overall approach. Yorke is at his best when he’s using all fields. He’s back to being aggressive and going the other way this month. On Thursday, every ball that Yorke put in play was to the right side or back up the middle.

While it’s not fully certain Yorke will get all the way back to his 2024 success, he’s fully returned to what got him to the big leagues and created that level of confidence.