Pittsburgh Pirates: Three Prospects to Watch Early in 2023

RHP Cody Bolton

Cody Bolton didn’t pitch in 2020 because of COVID shutting down the minor leagues and missed all of 2021 because of a meniscus injury. 2022 was a make-or-break year for Bolton, and while there were still some concerns, he put together a fairly solid campaign. Bullpen depth is currently the Pirates’ biggest weakness, so Bolton could secure a long-relief role next season.

Bolton spent the entire year at Triple-A Indy, where he racked up a total of 75.2 frames. He worked as a swingman, starting 14 of his 30 appearances. He had a solid 3.09 ERA, 3.81 FIP, and 1.28 WHIP during his time at Indy. Bolton struck out over a quarter of his opponents with a 25.4% K-rate, allowing just four home runs.

But there were some concerns about his season. Bolton walked 12.4% of the opponents he squared off against. Despite his low home run rate, he only had a 40.6% ground ball rate. His HR/FB ratio was just 5.1%, representing good flyball luck. Bolton had a 4.85 xFIP, which adjusts for his ground ball rate and HR/FB ratio.

But Bolton was still fairly solid overall. Bolton looked decent after missing two seasons. He was in the 92-95 MPH range with a decent slider. His command also got better as the season went on. He had a much more manageable 9.6% walk rate in the second half of the year. He might not be a starting pitcher, but he could make the occasional spot start here and there.