PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – As Pirates pitchers and catchers start workouts Wednesday in Bradenton, Florida, there are several new faces, a few returning from injury and one trying to improve on an All-Star season as a part of the 2024 rotation.
The additions of Martin Perez and Marco Gonzales, plus Mitch Keller coming off a career season are the locks. Who are the names battling to be in the mix in Spring Training? Who are the next ones in line we could see this year?
Martin Perez (6’0”, 200 pounds, left-hander, 1-year, $8 million)
· 2023 stats 10-4, 4.45 ERA, 35 games (20 starts), 141.2 innings pitched, 93 strikeouts, 49 walks, 1.40 WHIP
· Best season in 2022 with Texas, 12-8, 32 starts, 196.1 innings, 169 strikeouts, 69 walks, 1.25 WHIP
· In 12 seasons, 288 games (243 starts), 85-81, 4.44 ERA, 1440.2 innings, 1.44 WHIP
Mitch Keller (6’3”, 220 pounds, right-hander, free agent in 2026)
· 2023 stats, career-high 13 wins with 9 losses, 4.21 ERA, 32 starts, 194.1 innings, 210 strikeouts, 55 walks, career-low 1.24 WHIP
· When Keller struggles, he struggles big, giving up at least six runs in six starts
· Coming off a first All-Star appearance with 19 starts giving up two runs or fewer
Marco Gonzales (6’1”, 205 pounds, left-hander, final year of contract)
· Had surgery on nerve issues in his forearm in 2023, stats 4-1, 5.22 ERA, 10 games, 50 innings, 34 strikeouts, 18 walks, 1.46 WHIP
· In 2022, lost MLB high 15 games in 32 starts with a 4.13 ERA he won 17 games over the previous two seasons with a near 3.50 ERA in 36 starts. In 2019, started MLB leading 34 games finishing 16-13 with a 3.99 ERA in 203 innings.
· Has started 155 games in nine MLB seasons with a 4.14 ERA and 65 wins with a career WHIP of 1.28
Those are the three solidly in the rotation, then come other options.
JT Brubaker (6’3”, 180 pounds, right-hander, free agent in 2026)
· Missed the entire 2023 season after Tommy John surgery
· 2022 stats 3-12, 4.69 ERA, 144 innings, 147 strikeouts, 54 walks, 1.46 WHIP
· He’s not a top-of-the-rotation starter, but did have 19 games in 2022 where he pitched at least five innings
Bailey Falter (6’4”, 175 pounds, left-hander, free agent in 2029)
· The 26-year-old was picked up in a trade with the Phillies in August started 7 of 10 games with a 5.58 ERA in 40.1 innings with a 1.38 WHIP with 32 strikeouts to 12 walks
· Started 16 games for the Phillies in 2022 with a 3.86 ERA, 74 strikeouts in 84 innings with a 1.21 WHIP.
Roansy Contreras (6’1”, 206 pounds, right-hander, free agent in 2029)
· 2023 was supposed to be the breakout year for the 24-year-old, but he struggled to a 6.59 ERA in 19 games (11 starts) with 32 walks to 55 strikeouts in 68.1 innings
· In 2022, he made 18 starts with a 3.79 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP
· Question is which Contreras shows up in Spring Training
Quinn Priester (6’3”, 210 pounds, right-hander, free agent in 2030)
· The 2019 first-round pick made his MLB debut last year and struggled in 10 games going 3-3 with a 7.74 ERA with 27 walks to 36 strikeouts in 50 innings to a 1.70 WHIP
· Trying to regain velocity and control in 2024, would need great numbers in the Grapefruit League
Luis Ortiz (6’2”, 235 pounds, right-hander, free agent in 2030)
· Hard-thrower started 15 of 18 games in 2023 going 5-5 with a 4.78 ERA with a staggering 48 walks in 86.2 innings with 59 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.69
· The ‘if’ here is finding control, the stuff is MLB ready, but the number of walks could keep him in the minors
Jared Jones (6’1”, 190 pounds, right-hander, 2nd round pick in 2020)
· Had some of the best stuff in the Pirates minor league system in 2023, stats 5-9, 3.85 ERA in AA and AAA, 126.1 innings, 146 strikeouts, 50 walks, 1.23 WHIP
· Really settled in for Indianapolis in September going 1-2 with a 2.78 ERA with 21 strikeouts to six walks in 22.2 innings and a 1.01 WHIP. He had a dozen fewer walks than August and in his last five starts struck out 41 batters in 28.2 innings.
Mike Burrows (6’1”, 190 pounds, right-hander)
· Was the Pirates 11th round pick in the 2018 Draft and the team’s minor league pitcher of the year in 2022 before Tommy John surgery wiped out all but two games in 2023
· In 54 career minor league games, including all levels, 207.2 innings, 3.34 ERA, 1.14 WHIP with 232 strikeouts to 77 walks and 15 home runs allowed.
Paul Skenes (6’6”, 235 pounds, right-hander, 1st round pick 2023)
· The talk when he was drafted first overall 2023 is that it would be a quick trip to the majors. Skenes made it to AA, making five professional starts, 6.2 innings, 5 hits, 4 earned runs, 2 walks and 10 strikeouts
· Maybe a chance if he blows away the competition in Florida he would have a shot to make the opening rotation, but likely will start in the minors
Jackson Wolf (6’7”, 205 pounds, left-hander, free agent in 2030)
· Acquired in a trade with the Padres last year and in eight starts in AA Altoona, went 0-4, 4.25 ERA, 36 innings, 10 walks, 30 strikeouts, 1.16 WHIP
Related
There are a few others pitchers coming off solid 2023 minor league seasons that are future options including Anthony Solometo (lefty, 2nd round pick, just 21-years-old, had a 3.26 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 2023), Thomas Harrington (righty, 22-years-old, competitive balance pick had 3.53 ERA with 146 strikeouts in 26 starts with a 1.24 WHIP), Braxton Ashcraft (righty, 24-years-old, 2nd round pick, 2.39 ERA, 1.08 WHIP in 19 minor league starts in 2023), Kyle Nicolas (struggled at times, but has good stuff) and Bubba Chandler (the 21-year-old would-be Clemson QB, over the last 3 months of 2023 pitched 59 innings with a 2.26 ERA striking out 65 and walking 16 between High A and AA).