Pittsburgh Pirates 2021 Rum Bunter Staff Preview: Marty Leap

2021 Record Prediction – 64-98

The Pittsburgh Pirates will not be a good team. That said, as we have discussed, there are some exciting elements to this team and that will emerge for the ball club as the 2021 season progresses.

While it will be a rough season for the Pirates in terms of their record, look for the team to trending upward by the end of the season. Young players such as Ke’Bryan Hayes, Mitch Keller, Dustin Fowler and David Bednar continue to grow as MLB players, and assuming Bryan Reynolds bounces back this season, would go a long way in the team trneding upward at the end of the season.

Adding to this upward trajectory will be the debuts of prospects such as Cody Bolton and Miguel Yajure, young relievers such as Blake Cederlind, Blake Weiman and Nick Mears locking down full-tim spots in the bullpen, and top hitting prospects such as Travis Swaggerty and Oneil Cruz reaching the Majors.

Additionally, it will be fun to watch the highly touted Pirate farm system continue to grow and develop this season. Not only will the team’s prospects continue to develop and get closer to the Majors, but the Pirates will be able to add another wave of talent to the farm system via the draft, especially with owning the top overall pick. Ben Cherington should also be able to continue to add to the farm system with more trades of veterans such as a Adam Frazier, Chad Kuhl, Chris Stratton, Todd Frazier and Richard Rodriguez, among others, being a real possiblity during the season.

There is still a little ways to go. The Pittsburgh Pirates are still going to take their lumps and have some bad, bad moments. That said, there is light at the end of this rebuilding tunnel. By the end of the 2021 season, that light should be even brighter than it is now.