Pittsburgh Pirates DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter is projected to open the season in the starting rotation. Throughout camp, he was competing for a spot in the rotation alongside prospects Bubba Chandler, Hunter Barco, and Mike Burrows. In addition, right-hander Johan Oviedo (lat) was placed on the 60-day injured list, which opened a clear path for Falter to open the season as a starter. Falter logged 142 1/3 innings with the Pirates last season and held a 4.43 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP. He tallied just 97 strikeouts and served up 45 free passes. Under the hood, he generated a high 4.81 xERA with a .267 xBA which placed him in the 16th and 13th percentiles respectively. Given his low strikeout upside, he should only be targeted in deeper NL-only formats as a low-end streaming option in favorable matchups.

Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Nick Gonzales is viewed as the team's primary second baseman. Last season, Gonzales logged a career-high 94 games at the MLB level and is poised to surpass that total in 2025. Across this stint last season, Gonzales held a .270/.311/.398 line with 19 doubles and seven home runs. He swiped five bags while holding an underwhelming 18:74 BB:K. He generated a strong .270 xBA which placed him in the 84th percentile among qualified hitters. The former seventh round selection of the 2020 MLB Draft also flashed elite speed as he placed in the 93rd percentile in sprint speed. However, from a power perspective, he posted a modest 36.9 percent hard-hit rate. Gonzales is a solid late-round middle infield option as he will have an everyday spot in the Pittsburgh lineup.

Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitching prospect Mike Burrows was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. Burrows was in contention to earn a spot in the bullpen but will begin his 2025 campaign in the minor leagues instead. Last season, Burrows made his MLB debut and tossed three 1/3 innings with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. At Triple-A, the 25-year-old logged 37 2/3 innings to the tune of a 4.06 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. He held a 15:45 BB:K ratio. Throughout his time in the minor leagues, the Waterford HS product has been deployed primarily as a starter but may need to shift to a bullpen role in order to see more opportunities in the majors. Fantasy managers in deeper NL-only leagues should continue to monitor his status as he will likely return to the majors later in the 2025 season.

Free-agent catcher Yasmani Grandal declined an offer from the Atlanta Braves. The Braves will be without their No. 1 catcher, Sean Murphy (ribs), for at least the next four to six weeks and were looking to strengthen that position. However, with Grandal declining the offer, this will open the door for top prospect Drake Baldwin to serve as their clear top backstop during the start of the regular season. Last summer, Grandal spent his entire campaign in Pittsburgh. Across 72 contests, he posted a .228/.304/.400 slash line with nine home runs and one stolen base. He showed a strong eye at the plate, holding a 9.9 percent walk rate and an 18.9 percent strikeout rate. During the 2023 season, Grandal held a .234/.309/.339 slash line. If Grandal is unable to find other opportunities, he will likely consider retirement.

Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitching prospect Mike Burrows has a good chance to make the Opening Day roster. Burrows made his brief MLB debut last summer as he logged three 1/3 innings. He tallied two strikeouts while holding a 3:2 BB:K ratio and allowing one earned run. He missed the entire first half of the season due to Tommy John. At Triple-A, Burrows logged 37 2/3 innings to the tune of a 4.06 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. He tallied 45 punchouts and served up 15 free passes. During the 2022 season, Burrows spent most of his time at Double-A and posted a higher 5.31 ERA with a 1.35 WHIP across 42 1/3 innings. In spring training, he has allowed four earned runs across five innings of work. With the Pirates sending Bubba Chandler and Hunter Barco to minor-league camp earlier this month, Burrows appears to be in contention for a spot on the roster. If he were to earn a spot, he would likely operate as a low-leverage relief option.