3 Pirates who could become first-time All-Stars in 2025

On every roster, there are a few stars you can essentially pencil in as All-Star contenders. Bryan Reynolds and Paul Skenes, for example, have excellent chances of going to the Midsummer Classic for the second straight year after being named among the Top 10 at their respective positions by MLB Network. Others who reside just below the “superstar” status could blossom and earn their first All-Star nod.

Since the Pirates are largely a mix of youth and overlooked veterans, there are several players who could vie for recognition. However, injuries to a host of pitchers, as well as first baseman Spencer Horwitz, will narrow the field significantly. In reality, there are only three players who should make a serious push for All-Star recognition.

While stars like Paul Skenes are no-doubt All-Stars, a few Pirates might surprise fans.

Oneil Cruz, CF

With all the buzz surrounding the former shortstop, it would be understandable to assume that Oneil Cruz has already represented Pittsburgh at the All-Star Game, but injuries and inconsistent play have held him back from true superstardom. Expect a return to jaw-dropping form in 2025, though.

Most projection models suggest that Cruz will be as good, if not better, than he was last year. He’s a shoo-in for his second consecutive 20-20 season, and he seems like he is ready to take the mantle of the Pirates’ best player from Reynolds. Even doubts about his move to the outfield, which he has now embraced, seem to have faded away.

If Cruz is going to punch his ticket to Atlanta, he’ll have to get there with his bat. He made significant strides in 2024, particularly in the later half of the season. If he can replicate his second-half success, when he cut his strikeout rate from 35.3% to 23.5% and increased his OPS by 83 points, he should at least be in the All-Star conversation. Otherwise, Pirates fans will have to settle for a dream of him competing in the Home Run Derby.

Jared Jones, RHP

Just like 2024, Jared Jones may be overshadowed by a flamethrowing rookie in 2025. Bubba Chandler should be knocking on the door to the majors soon, and his mere presence may threaten Jones’s spot in the rotation (or the team as a whole). To avoid this, Jones needs to put up a fight and prove his worth.

Successfully defending his role may be enough to send Jones to the All-Star Game, and he’s already making strides toward improvement by adding a two-seamer to his arsenal. A new pitch may help him shake the adjustments that the league made in the latter half of 2024, when he put up an ERA of 5.87. Jones was also dealing with injuries during the stretch run.

A healthy Jared Jones could put up numbers that are similar to Mitch Keller’s 2023 All-Star performance. Since pitchers are selected by managers and the Pirates will likely be represented by Skenes once again, his campaign may suffer from comparison.

Nick Gonzales, 2B

With Horwitz starting the season on the IL, the assumed competition between Nick Gonzales and Nick Yorke should be moot. Yorke can easily slide over to first while Gonzales mans second. This should give enough time for the latter to establish himself as the everyday option at second base.

Playing every day won’t be quite enough to thrust Gonzales into the All-Star conversation, but with some offensive improvement, he could make a legit run at a reserve middle infield spot. Arizona’s Ketel Marte is a virtual lock as the starter, but the rest of the NL offers few options for the position. Nico Hoerner is still recovering from injury, and Tyler Fitzgerald of the Giants is projected to regress significantly. That should give Gonzales enough of a window to squeeze through.

The biggest knock to Gonzales’s chances, though, isn’t his competition. It’s his approach to the game. He is a glove-first player, which rarely earns accolades during the season. Even with a substantial jump in his power (which could happen, since some projections see his isolated slugging increasing by 30 points, Gonzales doesn’t exactly fit the mold of an All-Star athlete. At the end of the season, though, he could get some Gold Glove buzz.