Pittsburgh Pirates: With season winding down, who might still make debut?
Several prospects have already made their debut, who else might join them?
The Pittsburgh Pirates have seen 14 players make their major league debut this season, seven pitchers and seven hitters.
That’s just debut as well, they’ve had a total of 19 players who have played with rookie status at some point or another during the season, making their debuts previously.
With the season winding down, and more and more of the minor league affiliates wrap up, a lot of prospects year’s are coming to an end, but could there be anyone left that could be worth a look on the major league roster to make their debut before the schedule runs out?
Here are a few names in Triple-A to monitor who have yet to make their major league debut.
Kyle Nicolas
He’s probably the most obvious, and convenient player to make his debut by the end of the year. He’s Rule 5 eligible, recently made the switch to the bullpen and has done really well since then.
Since the beginning of August, Nicolas has allowed just 10 hits and five earned runs across 22 innings while striking out 31.
The biggest question with Nicolas will be his control, as he also has 10 walks in that same span.
Matt Gorski
He’s one home run away from his second straight 20/20 season, and could have easily topped 30 in each last year if not for an injury.
The skillset is fascinating but the contact rates aren’t ideal. He plays a really great center fielder, and has some of the best in game power in the entire system.
Mason Martin
If there is one player that can match Gorski when it comes to power, it’s Martin. Only Griffin Conine and Josh Lester have more home runs than Martin since 2019 among all minor leaguers.
The strikeouts will always be a thing, but the power is game changing. There really isn’t too much risk in it, as Martin will be a minor league free agent at the end of the season.
Long Shot: Jared Jones
In 2021 we saw Roansy Contreras go from Altoona to Pittsburgh in the course of one season, and if there is any player who could follow that path, it’s Jones.
He’s struggled a bit in Triple-A, but pitched the majority of the season as a 21-year-old - which would have been young for Double-A.
As the season has gone on, he’s starting to rely a little too much on just his fastball and slider, not ideal for a starter, but he’s also in the midst of perhaps his best two start stretch of the season.
There’s zero rush in getting Jones to the majors, especially since it would mean adding him to the 40-man, and the Pirates will have enough to worry about when it comes to the injured players, they probably don’t want to complicate things.
Nicolas seems like the most likely. Jones due to his Rule 5 status seems unlikely. I think he will just be added to the 40-man when he is ready next year. Gorski is definitely a fringe mention. Could go either way. Take a look in meaningless games and see him up close against big league pitching can't hurt. If you don't like the results/look, cut him.
Martin is a no. He has a .529 OPS as a part-time player over the last month. They moved on from him when they placed him in Altoona to start the year. He will go somewhere else in 2024 and they will try to make adjustments to cut down on the strikeouts while maintaining the power. His 34.4% strikeout rate while being demoted for most of the year is why he's playing three times a week now. Luckily for him, age is still on his side.
I am very excited for what nicolas could be for our pen next year