An underlying issue is preventing this Pirates reliever from becoming elite

The Pirates' bullpen in 2024 was projected to be the team's biggest strength, but a collapse from that group is ultimately why they fell out of the Wild Card race entirely. Kyle Nicolas, a young arm who was intended to be a part of that core group, still managed to emerge as a potential piece of the Pirates' future, though looming questions remain.

The right-hander was acquired in the Jacob Stallings trade with Miami as a starting pitcher, but the Pirates switched him to a relief role during the 2023 season as he struggled as a starter. Doing so has helped him grow into a young reliever with a lot of upside, but he still has one issue that is preventing him from taking the next step.

This underlying issue is preventing Kyle Nicolas from becoming a dominant reliever in the Pirates bullpen.

Through the minor and major leagues, Nicolas has always walked way too many batters. His career low in a season came in his first professional year, when he posted an 11.5% walk rate. That "career-best" mark was still an eyesore, a trend that continued into his first full season in Pittsburgh. In 2024 at the major league level, his walk rate reached 12.8%, which is the reason why his earned run average was not lower than 3.95 and his WHIP climbed perilously high to 1.50.

Those numbers could be much lower if he were somehow able to find a way to cut back on the free passes. He has all the tools to be a successful pitcher, as he brings three pitches to the table, two of them devastating. If he can work in a third pitch effectively while finding a way to harness some semblance of control, things will look much better for him.

His fastball has a run value of +6, which ranked in the 73rd percentile. It averages out at 97.4 miles per hour. Opponents had an average of .230 and a slugging percentage of .327 against it. The heater has long been a solid pitch for him, and pairs nicely with his curveball, which generates a whiff rate of 44.7%. It also brings 47 inches of vertical drop, inducing an opponents' average of .219 with a slugging percentage of .250 against it.

Opposing hitters struggle to put the ball in play effectively against Nicolas, which is great, but he has been far too wild for that strength to define him, setting himself up for negative outcomes. If he can limit the walks, Nicolas has the ceiling to become a future closer.