Baseball season is officially here for the Pittsburgh Pirates with spring training underway this week.
Pittsburgh has a tough road ahead in the National League Central, though, young talent around the roster sparks for exciting storylines entering the 2025 season. Starting pitching certainly is the story to create buzz for the Pirates in the positive outlook for the future.
As spring training begins, here’s three central thoughts on what’s ahead for the Pirates.
1. First full season of Paul Skenes
Skenes cruised to National League Rookie of the Year honors last season after his call to The Show in May. Skenes went 11-3 down the stretch with a 1.96 ERA in dominant fashion. The tall flamethrower showed plenty of promise and could immediately push himself into Cy Young Award discussions when he gets a full season and makes the Opening Day roster.
The Pirates have a special talent at the top of the rotation and Skenes will thunderously remind the league that in 2025.
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2. Another ace on the way?
The Pirates already have legitimate starters in Skenes and Jared Jones. There’s a real chance another young phenom joins that group in 2025.
Bubba Chandler earned a non-roster invite to spring training and should make his MLB debut this season. A top-20 prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline, Chandler finished last year with Triple-A Indianapolis and posted a sub-2.00 ERA in seven starts there.
3. How does Nick Yorke factor into the roster?
Yorke came over in a prospect swap from the Boston Red Sox last season in exchange for pitcher Quinn Priester. The 2020 first-round pick made his MLB debut late in the season and played in 11 games for the Pirates.
Nick Gonzales already emerged up the middle for Pittsburgh. Will Yorke find his own role in the infield for the Pirates in 2025?
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