Former top Pirates prospect could become next NPB success story

A former top Pittsburgh Pirates prospect is embarking on a new chapter of his career, as right-handed pitcher Roansy Contreras is headed overseas to suit up for the Rakuten Eagles in Japan. The team announced the deal in November.

Contreras initially looked like Ben Cherington's first real steal as Pirates general manager. He was part of the trade that sent Jameson Taillon to the Yankees in 2021, and while Contreras wasn't considered the main prize of that prospect return, he quickly began to separate himself.

The Pirates sent Contreras to Double-A Altoona to begin the 2021 campaign despite him being nearly four years younger than the average player at that level. He pitched extremely well—a 2.65 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and a huge uptick in strikeouts (34.9%)—which enabled him to make a one-game cameo in Pittsburgh at the end of the season.

Contreras spent much of 2022 with the Pirates, posting a 3.79 ERA in 95 innings at just 22 years old. He boasted a fastball that topped out at 98 MPH and a slider that induced swings and misses at a 42% clip. Pirates fans were plenty optimistic about a starting rotation led by Contreras, Mitch Keller, and 2019 first-rounder Quinn Priester for years to come.

Then, seemingly all of a sudden, Contreras lost it. He started the 2023 season in the rotation for a Pirates team that won 20 of its first 28 games, and had a fine 4.33 ERA as the calendar turned to June. But he didn't look the same—his fastball was down nearly two ticks, he wasn't missing nearly as many bats, and eventually, the wheels fell off entirely.

The writing was on the wall after Contreras' June 7 start against the Athletics. He recorded just one out and was tagged for seven runs against a team that entered the contest with a 13-50 record. That was his final start as a Pirate. He would pitch 12 relief innings over the next month, allowing 13 earned runs before being sent down for the remainder of the season.

Former Pirate Roansy Contreras looking to revive his career in NPB

The Pirates ultimately DFA'd Contreras early in the 2024 season and has since bounced around a ton of teams, getting into game action with the Angels, Orioles, and Rockies. He now heads to Japan looking for a fresh start.

While many players go overseas just for a chance to extend their careers, some wind up finding another gear or rediscovering their old form. One recent example of this is another former Pirate, Cody Ponce, who parlayed a 17-1 record and 1.89 ERA with the KBO's Hanwha Eagles into a three-year, $30 million deal with the reigning American League champion Toronto Blue Jays.

For a while, watching Roansy Contreras pitch was one of the more exciting things the Pirates had to offer. While that high didn't last very long, hopefully he'll be able to turn things around and earn a contract that will allow him to dominate on a major league mound again.