2023 Pittsburgh Pirates Rum Bunter Staff Predictions: Marty Leap

Next up in our Rum Bunter staff predictions for the 2023 Pittsburgh Pirates is site co-editor Marty Leap

Opening Day for the 2023 edition of the Pittsburgh Pirates is now less than two weeks away. With that, our staff predictions for the 2023 season are continuing to roll out for everyone to nitpick here at Rum Bunter.

Can this team take a step forward this season? Who will be the MPV of the 2023 Pittsburgh Pirates? Their best pitcher? Breakout player? Rookie of the year? Well, let's dive into all of that and more in attempt to predict the season that is ahead.

Team MVP - Bryan Reynolds

There is certainly an argument to be made here for Oneil Cruz. to be honest, Cruz might even be the safe pick. That said until Cruz surpasses him, which could happen this season, Bryan Reynolds is still the team's best player. So, give me Reynolds.

Last season, Reynolds hit for a .262/.345/.461 slash line to go with a 126 OPS+. He hit a career high 27 home runs and posted a 2.9 WAR. This was undoubtedly a very strong season. For many hitters it would have been a career year. For Reynolds, it was considered a down season. This just speaks volumes to the player Reynolds is.

Reynolds has developed into one of the best switch-hitters in the National League. He has also become one of the best offensive outfielders in the NL. Hell, he's become one of the best offensive outfielders in all of baseball.

It also would not be a surprised to see Reynolds playing with something to prove this season. After all the contract and trade talk drama this past offseason, Reynolds will likely be looking to prove himself. He could also be playing for more leverage in long-term extension talks.

Look for Reynolds to have another big season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. A big season that, in some ways, is also a but of a bounce back season from 2022. Reynolds returns to the All-Star Game while being the team's MVP.

Best pitcher - Roansy Contreras

This is another one that could have had a few different options. Mitch Keller certainly jumps to mind after his strong finish to the 2022 season. However, due to having the best stuff on the pitching staff the prediction will go in favor of Roansy Contreras.

Contreras pitched 95.0 MLB innings in 21 appearances (18 starts) last season. He posted a 3.79 ERA, 4.38 FIP, 9.6% walk rate, and a 21.1% strikeout rate. He limited opponents to a 1.23 HR/9, while being worth a 1.3 WAR.

He found the success he did last season at just 22-years-old. Now preparing to embark on his age-23 season, Contreras seems primed for a big step forward. A step that could result in him developing into one of the best young starting pitchers in the NL.

Contreras throws a power fastball with good movement. Both his slider and curveball have the potential to be plus, potentially even elite pitches. 2023 will be a big season for Contreras as he takes a step toward becoming one of the best young starters in baseball.

Rookie of the Year - Mike Burrows

Anyone who reads Rum Bunter with regularity, especially those who have for a long time, knows that there are few pitchers in the Pirate farm system we are higher on than Mike Burrows. The righty should join the Pirate starting rotation sometime this summer. When he does, he might be able to compete for NL Rookie of the Year.

Last season, Burrows reached the Triple-A level for the first time in his professional career. He is now positioned to start the season in Indy's starting rotation. This will put him on the doorstep of the majors.

Burrows is the king of spin rates. His fastball has plus movement, and his curveball, thanks in large part to its spin rate, has the potential to be a great pitch. Last season he developed his changeup into a potential plus pitch as well.

This spring, Burrows has been working to add to his repertoire. His slider could give Burrows yet another plus pitch that he can have at his disposal to put away batters.

Burrows could do even bigger things than being the Pirate Rookie of the Year this season. He could legitimately contend for NL Rookie of the Year. Either way, watching Burrows reach the majors and begin to cement his place in Pittsburgh will be fun.

Breakout player - Rodolfo Castro

Rookie of the year and breakout player can be viewed as the same thing. Well, today, they are going to be two different things. Often times a breakout player is one who is no longer a rookie but still a young player. For the Pittsburgh Pirates that player will be Rodolfo Castro this season.

Down the stretch last season it could be argued that Castro's breakout began. Overall, he hit for a .233/.299/.427 slash line to go with a 103 wRC+ and 102 OPS+ in 278 plate appearances. This led to him being worth a 1.4 WAR. However, in his final 200 PAs after being recalled in early August, the switch-hitter hit for a .247/.310/.478 slash line with a very healthy .231 isolated slugging and a wRC+ of 119.

While the Pirates are still calling the second base job a battle that is up in the air, all signs point toward Castro winning the job. This is due to a combination of him having nothing left to prove in the minors and the success he had in the majors last season, especially down the stretch.

Castro is still just 23-years-old. He is a player with a very high ceiling. Castro can be a well above average offensive producer for the second base position, he can also be a slightly above average defender at second base.

Entering the 2023 season there may be some questions around the second base position long-term, but Castro will answer those questions with a breakout season where he grabs the position by the horns.

Bold prediction - someone signs a long-term extension

While some people may see this as really bold. Bob Nutting is cheap, he does not want to pay players, the Pittsburgh Pirates will never extend anyone, etc., etc. We get it. We've heard it all before. That said, the Nutting led Pirates have a good track record of extending their players.

Ke'Bryan Hayes is the latest example of this. This season, someone else joins that club. If I were putting money on it my money would still be on something getting done with Bryan Reynolds. If not Reynolds, maybe it's Oneil Cruz or Mitch Keller.

It would make sense for the Pirates to attempt to extend Cruz ASAP. He is only going to keep getting more and more expensive as he flashes his elite potential. Again, not sure who it will be, but look for someone to get an extension with the team this season.