3 Pirates breakout candidates that will be key to their 2025 success

2. Kyle Nicolas

The Pirates’ 2024 bullpen was a letdown, but right-hander Kyle Nicolas was one of the few bright spots. Originally acquired from the Miami Marlins in the Jacob Stallings trade, Nicolas transitioned to the bullpen in 2023. He got off to a rocky start in 2024, but turned things around and showed plenty of potential throughout the season.

All told, Nicolas pitched to a 3.95 ERA, 4.03 FIP, and 1.50 WHIP. He put up an above-average 22.6% K% and 0.66 HR/9 but was prone to hard contact. Nicolas was hit for a 90 MPH exit velocity and 8.5% barrel percentage. Plus, he struggled with walks from time to time and handed out a free pass to 12.8% of the batters he faced.

There’s no question Nicolas has nasty stuff. He sat 97.4 MPH with great extension off the mound, making his already hard fastball look even faster out of the hand. Nicolas has also reworked his curveball in spring training. Last year, he threw it around 85-86 MPH, but now he is tossing it around 82-83 MPH, adding about seven inches of vertical drop and five inches of horizontal break to it. It was the worst pitch in his arsenal last season, per Location+, so reworking it may help him hit his spots better. His low-90s slider was highly effective last year, holding opponents to a .297 xwOBA.

The Pirates have a handful of young flamethrowers who showed a ton of potential in 2024, but Nicolas breaking out would be huge for the Pirates’ bullpen. It will come down to Nicolas consistently hitting his spots. If he continues on the trend he is on, he might be one of the Bucs’ go-to high-leverage relievers by the end of the season, setting up games for David Bednar and getting save opportunities when The Renegade is not available.