3 players on Pirates' 40-man roster who could make an underrated impact in 2025

The Pittsburgh Pirates currently have 37 players on their 40-man roster. Some players are centerpieces who will play big roles on a team that wants to return to the playoffs. Bryan Reynolds, Oneil Cruz, Paul Skenes, and Mitch Keller are just a few of the Pirates’ biggest contributors.

But the Pirates have a handful of other players who don’t get nearly as much attention, yet have still stuck around and have the potential to make a real impact in 2025. Some have decent underlying numbers, but haven’t gotten a shot, or have dominated in the minor leagues and have yet to see the bigs. Either way, they could help the Pirates reach the Postseason once again.

3 Pittsburgh Pirates players on 40-man roster who could have surprising impact on 2025 season

Joshua Palacios

Joshua Palacios is an entertaining player to watch. His clutch hits, and the energy he brings to the diamond, help to make him an exciting member of the Pirates’ roster. But while his results since he made his Pirates debut in 2023 haven’t matched the sort of energy he gives on the field, Palacios has shown he has the potential to do more.

Palacios has only hit .236/.291/.398 with the Pirates. He has provided about league-average power, with a dozen home runs in 342 plate appearances and a .162 isolated slugging percentage since arriving in Pittsburgh. Palacios also carries a sub-20% strikeout rate of 19.9%, but he also hasn’t drawn many walks with a 6.4% free pass rate. Overall, that has resulted in a .689 OPS, .299 wOBA, and 84 wRC+.

But Palacios has hit very well for Triple-A Indy since the Pirates acquired the outfielder in the 2022-2023 Rule 5 Draft. He owns a .315/.389/.552 triple-slash, along with a .411 wOBA and 143 wRC+ across 366 plate appearances. Palacios has a respectable 9.8% walk rate with a sub-20% K% of 18.6%. He hasn’t had any trouble hitting for power either, with 15 home runs in 366 plate appearances, a .237 isolated slugging percentage, a 10% barrel rate, and 89.9 MPH exit velo.

Another, more important reason why Palacios could make an impact is because his expected numbers at the MLB level are good. He has a .261 xBA, .316 xOBP, and .429 xSLG% with a .324 xwOBA. That would come out to an OPS of .745. According to xwOBA, he has been the 38th -unluckiest batter in baseball over the last two seasons (with at least 250 trips to the plate). Expected numbers aren’t the only decent stats under the hood. Palacios hits the ball hard with a 91 MPH exit velocity, and has made quality contact with a solid 8.6% barrel rate. His 26.7% whiff rate is only slightly worse than the league average of 25.6% over the last two seasons.

This isn’t to say that Palacios will light the world on fire and be the answer in the outfield, but he has shown he has the potential to be a solid fourth outfield type. Palacios producing an OPS between .730-.750 isn’t out of the question. The league-average OPS in 2024 was .711. Palacios may just need some playing time. He has less than 350 plate appearances over the last two seasons, but giving him more trips to the plate may be just what he needs.