Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Analyzing Eddy Yeans Hot Start

Eddy Yean was acquired by the Pittsburgh Pirates shortly after the 2020 season. Yean was one of the players the Pirates received after trading Josh Bell to the Washington Nationals. As soon as he was acquired, he jumped into the 13th-ranked spot in the Pirates top 30 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline.

Despite being ranked that high, Yean did not pitch well in 2021, causing him to drop out of the Pirates' top 30 prospects. He also pitched poorly in 2022 and 2023. In those three seasons, Yean had a 10-9 record with an earned run average of 5.65 in 170.1 innings pitched and struck out 173 batters. He also posted a WHIP of 1.56.

Although these numbers were not good, the 22-year-old was given another opportunity with the Pirates double-a affiliate, Altoona.

So far, Yean has been very impressive with the Curve as he has been one of their go-to arms. In five appearances, Yean has a 1-0 record with an earned run average of 1.74 in 10.1 innings pitched and has struck out eight batters. He also has a WHIP of .97 and an opponent batting average of .171.

This is a small sample size, but this hot start could be a very big confidence booster for Eddy. He is still young and has multiple good pitches. Yean's pitching arsenal contains a fastball, a sinker, a slider, and a changeup. His fastball can reach upper 90s and his offspeeds generate chases. The problem that Yean has faced in his career has been his command. He hasn't shown great control over his pitches and that has been the route to his struggles. He has limited baserunners this season and has only walked four batters, which is a good sign for his control.

Despite his struggles during his professional career, it appears that Eddy Yean is turning a corner with a hot start to the 2024 season. Let's continue to see how he manages his pitches this year and if he can throw strikes with efficiency, then he could finally be that solid pitcher we originally thought we were getting in the Josh Bell trade.