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After a stellar 2013 season in which they went 94-68 and won the National League Wild Card Game, the Pittsburgh Pirates appear to be on track for another great season in 2014. 

Backed by the big bats of Andrew McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez and Russell Martin, the Pirates have a dangerous lineup that can power their way to the top of the standings throughout the season. 

Pittsburgh came back from a 4-0 deficit to defeat the Chicago Cubs Thursday, improving their overall record to 6-3 on the young season. 

The most amazing thing about their hot start is that the Pirates own a team batting average of just .234 through the first nine games.  However, it has been timely hitting that has saved Pittsburgh early on in the season, as we saw on Thursday.   

On Opening Day, the Pirates and Cubs were scoreless until the bottom of the 10th inning, when second baseman Neil Walker blasted a walk-off solo home run to give Pittsburgh its first victory of the season. 

With that, the pitching has been stellar so far with a team earned run average of only 3.17. 

Despite the injury to starting pitcher Jeff Locke and the questionable effectiveness of players coming off injury-plagued 2013 seasons in Wandy Rodriguez and Edinson Volquez, the Pirates’ pitching staff is keeping their team in games. 

Among the stars in the rotation is Gerrit Cole, who opened eyes with his impressive 2013 rookie season in which he went 10-7 with a 3.22 ERA.  Cole improved to 2-0 on the season after he struck out 10 batters and allowed three earned runs in 6.0 innings Thursday. 

Pirates’ ace Francisco Liriano looks like he is out to prove that his 16-win 2013 season was no fluke.  In 12.0 innings pitched in 2014, Liriano has pitched to a 3.00 ERA while striking out 14 batters. 

In Volquez‘s first start, he held the St. Louis Cardinals to only one run over 5.1 innings, and manager Clint Hurdle was extremely pleased with his performance. 

According to Tom Singer of MLB.com, Hurdle was asked about Volquez‘s performance after the game, saying: “He had an outstanding start. Will he have that start every time? Probably not. But just to get to that point, where he knows he can do it again … just more positive reinforcement on what he has already bought into.”

For now, the back end of Pittsburgh’s rotation is holding up, and that is extremely important for the success of the Pirates going forward. 

Pittsburgh’s quick 6-3 start is the franchise’s best through its first nine games since the 2003 season in which they also went 6-3 but finished the season with an overall record of 75-87.  However, that does not mean much with the amount of talent they have this season, as it is hard to see them slowing down. 

*Statistics Courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates were dealt a blow Monday when Tom Singer of MLB.com reported that pitching prospect Jameson Taillon opted to have Tommy John surgery on his injured throwing arm.

A 22-year-old righty, Taillon was ranked as the second-best prospect in the Pirates’ organization overall according to Baseball America. 

The Pirates have three reliable starters right now in Francisco Liriano, Gerrit Cole and Charlie Morton, but it was likely that Taillon would earn the chance to start a few games toward the middle or end of the season in that No. 4 or 5 spot. 

Tom Singer caught up with general manager Neal Huntington, and his reaction was as follows: “We’re looking at this as a long-term recovery process, for Jameson to be successful and to have the great Major League career we expect him to have.”

For now, however, the organization will have to weigh its options going forward in 2014. 

Once starting pitcher Jeff Locke returns from injury, the Pirates will have an established fourth starting pitcher their rotation. 

Currently, the No. 4 starter is Wandy Rodriguez, who looks to be healthy right now following an injury-plagued 2013 season in which he pitched in only 12 games for Pittsburgh. Still, it is uncertain whether Rodriguez will remain healthy or be nearly as effective as he was earlier in his career.

Their fifth pitcher is Edinson Volquez, who was also injured for a majority of the 2013 season, pitching in only six games for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  So, the Pirates are expected to call on a few prospects to make spot starts this season.   

Now that the option of eventually calling up Taillon this season is off the table, expect the Pirates to almost certainly give reliever Stolmy Pimentel a shot at some point this season as a starter. 

The 24-year-old from the Dominican Republic was lights-out in his one appearance so far this season, striking out four batters in 4.0 scoreless innings.  Pimentel is built to be a starting pitcher in the major leagues, and it is only a matter of time before he is given the opportunity to start for the Pirates in 2014. 

Another viable option for the Pirates this season is reliever Jeanmar Gomez, who came up as a starter with the Cleveland Indians, earning the victory in his major league debut in 2010 when he threw 7.0 scoreless innings against the Detroit Tigers. 

Gomez started eight games for the Pirates in 2013, allowing 12 runs in 34.1 innings pitched.  He went 1-0 in those eight starts, but the Pirates went 8-0 in them.  He demonstrated the ability to keep his team in games, which is what the Pirates need at the bottom of their rotation if Rodriguez or Volquez are either ineffective or injured again. 

If they need another spot starter to choose from, the Pirates have Brandon Cumpton in their farm system.  Cumpton pitched in six games and started five of them for the Pirates last season, going 2-1 overall with a 2.05 ERA. 

According to Baseball America, Cumpton was the No. 11 prospect in the Pirates’ organization after the 2013 season.  He has proven that he can be a major league starter, and he gives the Pirates added depth if they need to dig deeper into the organization to find a spot starter in 2014. 

While the Taillon injury negatively affects the Pirates, the damage will be minimal if the Pirates get great efforts from their young and talented pitchers. 

Taillon has his whole career ahead of him, so he would be wise in being careful not to rush a comeback to prevent a greater injury. 

If things do not go as planned with the spot starters by the time the All-Star break comes, the Pirates may want to consider looking outside of the organization and finding a pitcher they can trade for. 

If that is the case, there may be members of the organization that regret letting reliable starter (health-wise) A.J. Burnett walk in free agency after the 2013 season. 

Nevertheless, it is still early in the season, and right now the Pirates are playing smart, sound baseball that they hope to carry on with throughout the season. 

*Statistics courtesy of Baseball Reference

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A year after winning 94 games and reaching the postseason for the first time since 1992, the Pittsburgh Pirates rewarded the architect of the team, general manager Neal Huntington, and manager Clint Hurdle with three-year contract extensions.

From the Pirates’ official website:

The Pittsburgh Pirates today extended the contracts of General Manager Neal Huntington and Manager Clint Hurdle for three years, with club options for the 2018 season. The announcement was made by Pirates President Frank Coonelly.

“Neal and Clint have led a team of baseball professionals, in the front office and on the field, that has transformed the Pittsburgh Pirates into a club that again must be reckoned with in the National League,” said Coonelly. “We are extremely pleased that they will continue to lead this team in Pittsburgh.”

“I have a tremendous amount of personal respect and appreciation for the impact that Neal, Clint and their staffs have had on our organization,” said Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting. “My expectation has been and remains that they, led by Frank, will continue to play a lead role in our success for years to come.”

Since taking over in 2010, Hurdle has accumulated a 248-242 record and has improved the team each season. Keep in mind that the year before his arrival, the Pirates were an abysmal 57-105. 

Huntington, meanwhile, was responsible for mixing veterans like Marlon Byrd, Justin Morneau, Russell Martin, A.J. Burnett and Francisco Liriano with home-grown talents like Andrew McCutchen, Gerrit Cole, Sterling Marte, Pedro Alvarez and Neil Walker.

The Pirates couldn’t get past their divisional rival, the St. Louis Cardinals, in the 2013 National League Division Series, losing 3-2, but they did knock the Cincinnati Reds out of the playoffs by beating them 6-2 in the Wild Card Game. 

You’d imagine Pittsburgh was thrilled enough just to reach the postseason, but to win a playoff game—then to take the Cardinals to the brink in the NLDS—well, it was almost too good to be true.

With one of the top farm systems in baseball, the Pirates will expect to keep the good times rolling. They’ve started the season 3-1, have a solid pitching staff and a perennial MVP candidate in McCutchen. Things are looking up in Pittsburgh. Plus, it would appear the magic they found last year has carried over.

From ESPN Stats and Information:

The good times just keep on rolling, and both Huntington and Hurdle are a huge reason why. Their extensions were certainly well-earned.

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When the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired pitching prospect Stolmy Pimentel via a trade with the Boston Red Sox in 2012, they felt they were getting a special talent. 

At 6’3″ and 230 pounds, the 24-year-old from the Dominican Republic stands tall on the mound, and he is not afraid to go right after batters in any opposing lineup. 

Pimentel made his major league debut in 2013 with the Pirates, making five appearances out of the bullpen and striking out an impressive nine batters in 9.1 innings pitched. 

According to Baseball America, Pimentel was ranked 16th among the Pirates top prospects after last season. 

Pimentel made the Opening Day roster with Pittsburgh this spring, and he is already making an impact out of the bullpen. 

On Wednesday evening during the top of the 13th inning in a game against the Chicago Cubs, manager Clint Hurdle made a call to the bullpen, and in to pitch came the righty with electric stuff. 

Pimentel was sensational, pitching 4.0 innings of two-hit baseball to keep the game tied.  He earned his first major league win when Tony Sanchez hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 16th inning. 

With a blazing four-seam fastball, a 2-seam fastball with good movement, a slider and a devastating splitter, Pimentel should provide a huge boost to Pittsburgh’s bullpen in 2014.  However, the Pirates organization has much greater expectations for this kid in the future. 

Tom Singer of MLB.com reports that Hurdle is very high on Pimentel, saying “We see a guy with a three-, four-pitch mix who can get through the lineup three times.  He’ll be a potential starter moving forward.”

While it will be fun to see just how great of a factor he will be out of the bullpen this season, it is not too early to look forward to Pimentel‘s future as a starter in Pittsburgh’s rotation. 

Barring any major injury, Pimentel can eventually be a top starter behind ace and potential Cy Young Award candidate Gerrit Cole. 

The ceiling is very high for this young man, and while he will likely be in the starting rotation at the start of the 2015-16 season, he may not have to wait that long for his first major league start. 

If the Pirates ever need a spot starter, it would be no surprise to see Pimentel make his first start on any given day this season. 

Pimentel has the potential to be a top starter in the major leagues as early as next season.  For now, however, the Pirates are more than happy with the efforts he can contribute out of the bullpen in 2014 as they look to make it back to the playoffs for the second straight season. 

*Statistics Courtesy of Baseball Reference and Baseball America

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It took two extra-inning games, but the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Chicago Cubs twice in their first three games of the 2014 regular season. 

Backed by tremendous pitching and two very timely hits, the Pirates were able to get off to a nice 2-1 start to the season, as they now play host to the St. Louis Cardinals this weekend. 

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle must be pleased with the way his team has played so far.  However, there is no time to take their foot off the gas, as Pittsburgh can put itself in very good position in the National League Central division if it performs well this month. 

Without factoring in the three games the Pirates already played against their division rival Cubs to start the season, the Pirates will play an NL Central opponent 23 more times this month. 

Pittsburgh’s pitching has been lights-out through three games this season, and if it can continue that trend and compile wins routinely, the Pirates can put themselves ahead of everyone by the end of the first month.

The only time the Pirates will play a team in a different division in April is at the very end of the month when they visit Baltimore to play the Orioles on April 29 and April 30. 

Last season, the Pirates finished just three games behind St. Louis in the division.  They would go on to lose to the Cardinals in the division series that fall. 

The Pirates performed decently last April, finishing the first month of baseball with a 15-12 record.  A few more victories in close ballgames could have earned them the division title over the Cardinals. 

While an average April certainly didn’t make or break the Pirates’ season in 2013, performing well can have different implications this season due to the fact that they play 26 out of 28 games against opponents in their division. 

Compare that to last season when the Pirates played a Central division opponent just 13 times out of 27 games total in April. 

Pirates ace Francisco Liriano showed that his stellar 2013 season was no fluke when he pitched six shutout innings on Opening Day against the Cubs.  As a whole, the pitching staff has allowed just six earned runs in 35.0 innings pitched. 

Despite struggling to score runs throughout the opening series, the pitching held down the fort for the Pirates, and that is why they are 2-1 on the season. 

The Cardinals have a team of returning veterans and young, dominant pitchers such as Michael Wacha, Joe Kelly and Shelby Miller. 

The Cincinnati Reds will likely be in the playoff race for a majority of the season, although their team likely will not match up with Pittsburgh and St. Louis. 

Even the Milwaukee Brewers have come out of the gates hot, showing their ability to swing the bat and hit the long ball, as catcher Jonathan Lucroy and center fielder Carlos Gomez have had good starts to their seasons. 

With all that being said, the Pirates have to start getting the job done on offense and hope for consistency in their pitching staff to pull ahead in April. 

While there is still plenty of baseball left to play after April, having a losing record can put the Pirates quickly in a hole.  They do not want to be playing catch-up as the dog days of summer kick in, and they will not have to worry about that as long as they get the job done this month. 

So, gaining distance between the other teams in their division early on this season can take some weight off of the shoulders of the men on the Pirates’ pitching staff, which could also lead to the Pirates’ first NL Central division title ever. 

Statistics Courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Prior to the integration of a third division in each league, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies rivalry was widely considered one of the best in baseball. When Pittsburgh moved to the National League Central Division in 1994, that rivalry began to diminish, as the two teams did not play each other as often. 

Now, it is looking like that rivalry may be heating up again.

In an exhibition game Sunday afternoon between these two teams, five batters were hit by pitches. The bean-ball war began in the third inning, when Pirates’ second baseman Neil Walker was plunked. In the bottom half of the inning, Phillies slugger John Mayberry Jr. was hit by pitch. 

In the fifth inning, Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon was brought in from the bullpen, and that was when things got heated.  After a two-out single off the bat of Walker, Papelbon’s first pitch was a high and tight fastball to reigning most valuable player Andrew McCutchen.

McCutchen shook it off, got back in the box and hit his second single of the game. However, things were far from over, as Pirates reliever Bryan Morris nailed the first batter of the next inning on his first pitch. 

According to a report from Ben Walker of the Associated Press, veteran umpire Tom Hallion turned to both benches and said managers Clint Hurdle and Ryne Sandberg, “Are you done now?” 

While spring training games do not matter in the standings, athletes are still competitors, and there is nothing better than watching two rivals play each other. 

However, there is no reason to be throwing pitches at each other, as there is serious risk to injury there.  In three meetings this spring, Pittsburgh pitchers have plunked eight Philadelphia batters. 

Often when two teams feud, the best batter is typically the target to be thrown at. That was the case yesterday for both Neil Walker and Andrew McCutchen, both of whom are integral pieces to the lineup.   

This spring, McCutchen is batting .560 in 25 at-bats, as he is showing no signs of slowing down following his MVP season in 2013. That is why the Pirates must be very careful in how they pitch to other teams. 

Any sort of prolonged injury could be detrimental to the Pirates’ lineup, as McCutchen is the main driving force in front of power-hitting third baseman Pedro Alvarez. While it is great to see his teammates protecting him by retaliating against opposing hitters, it is also adding more fuel to the fire. 

Rivalries are good for sports, but there was no excuse for what occurred in this game, especially considering the fact that the game had no meaning in the standings. Players still play with passion regardless of the time of year, but they must handle their emotions differently from how they did Sunday. 

It will be interesting to see how commissioner Bud Selig will handle this situation going forward. Either suspensions or fines should be given, as throwing at a batter in spring training is just as dangerous as doing so in the regular season, especially when pitchers are buzzing fastballs by batters’ heads. 

The Pirates and Phillies will face each other three more times before the regular season begins. On March 22, the Pirates will be the host while Philadelphia will play host in the last two games of spring training. 

The rebirth of this Pennsylvania rivalry would be great for baseball, and we will see how things play out throughout the season. However, putting other players in danger should not be tolerated or condoned by anyone in the world of sports. 

*Statistics Courtesy of Associated Press

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Between 1992 and 2012, the Pittsburgh Pirates didn’t make the postseason once and racked up something like 10,000 losses—or so it seemed.

Last year was different. After making progress in the previous two seasons, the Pirates put it all together to win 94 games and qualify for October baseball in 2013. After 20 years of things going wrong, things finally went right.

But now comes the hard part: doing it all over again in 2014.

MLB Lead Writer Zachary D. Rymer is here to talk about what needs to happen for the Pirates to do just that. In a nutshell, what it comes down to is their young players making an impact—specifically one guy who’s already in the mix and two other guys who should join the mix eventually.

Leave your comments and questions below if you have any, and you’re also welcome to follow Zachary on Twitter.

Follow Zachary @zachrymer

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year, as spring training is in full swing and young prospects are getting their chances to wow managers in an effort to make the 2014 Opening Day roster for their teams. 

For Pittsburgh Pirates‘ manager Clint Hurdle, there will be many difficult decisions to make when it comes time for the final cuts.  Here is a look at the top performers for the Pirates so far this spring. 

Andrew McCutchen

After winning the 2013 National League Most Valuable Player award, center fielder Andrew McCutchen has gotten right back at it in spring training. 

Arguably the best center fielder in the National League, the Pirates need McCutchen to perform if they want to contend for another playoff spot in 2014. 

This spring, McCutchen is batting .526 with two home runs in 19 at bats. While it is still early, he seems to be primed for another huge season for the Pirates in 2014. 

Daniel Schlereth

In 94 career games, Daniel Schlereth has pitched to a 4.35 ERA with a 1.57 WHIP. He hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2012, but Schlereth is making his case to earn a spot in the bullpen this spring. 

Schlereth has made five appearances this spring for the Pirates, striking out four batters in five innings pitched and having yet to allow a run. 

This is a drastic improvement from his 2013 spring training with the Baltimore Orioles, when he let up eight earned runs in seven innings pitched. 

Every team needs a solid bullpen to succeed, and Schlereth is making a strong impression on Hurdle as the beginning of the regular season nears. If he continues to do well, there is no reason to believe Schlereth won’t be given another shot in the major leagues this season.

Chris Dickerson

Formally a bench player for the Baltimore Orioles, Chris Dickerson batted just .238 in 58 games in 2013. 

This spring, he has been very effective with the bat, earning an average of .429 in 21 at-bats. In six major league seasons, Dickerson has played in 314 games. So, he has plenty of experience as a bench player at the major league level. 

The Pirates would love for Dickerson to continue to produce into the regular season, as it would give the team added depth in the outfield. He has shown the ability to play both corner outfield positions, which is a great benefit to the organization, as he could fill in for left fielder Starling Marte or right fielder Jose Tabata whenever they need rest. 

Look for Dickerson to stay sharp, as he has a real shot at being a viable option for the Pirates in the outfield in 2014. 

Adam Wilk

In 2011, lefty Adam Wilk made his major league debut with the Detroit Tigers.  Over the next two seasons, he would go on to make eight appearances for Detroit, owning an ERA of 6.66. 

This spring, Wilk has looked sharp on the mound, and while a spot in the rotation isn’t likely, the Pirates could use Wilk in the bullpen. 

Wilk has pitched seven innings this spring, with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of only 0.86. He also picked up a save in his only attempt at one this spring, as he has displayed an ability to get batters out. 

Perhaps Wilk was simply called up too early in 2011, but now he seems primed to push for a roster spot. 

Pittsburgh’s bullpen has looked impressive early on, and if Wilk continues to succeed, he deserves a spot on the roster. He can possibly serve as a lefty specialist out of the bullpen in 2014. 

The trend of up-and-coming prospects is carrying in the Pirates organization this spring, as we have seen the emergence of bright young players, as well as the continued development of superstars such as McCutchen. 

It is easy to see that the Pirates are a complete team, and they look like a legitimate contender again this season in the National League Central Division. 

*Statistics Courtesy of MLB.com

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With the second pick in the 2008 MLB amateur draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected third baseman Pedro Alvarez.  As the Pirates have done so often in the last decade, they picked a gem, and Alvarez has a huge pull on the success of Pittsburgh in 2014.  

In 2013, Alvarez contributed greatly to the Pirates team that made the playoffs for the first time since 1992.  In 152 games, he batted only .233 but blasted 36 home runs and drove in 100 runs for Pittsburgh.  

This season, it is vital to the Pirates’ chances that Alvarez continues to drive runners home with his great bat.  

We can expect reigning National League Most Valuable Player Andrew McCutchen to continue to get on base seemingly with ease in 2014.  McCutchen had a career-best .404 on-base percentage in 2013, which was key to the 94 wins Pittsburgh compiled.  

However, Alvarez’s ability to drive both McCutchen and others in was probably the most important force for the Pirates.  While he only batted .233 on the season, his average was 10 points higher at .243 with runners in scoring position.  It is important that he works to bring both averages up in 2014 for the Pirates to make the playoffs and possibly even win their division.  

Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Alvarez said his mentality going into the season is, “Just take on the game as it comes with the intention of trying to learn a little bit more every day, in everything that is the game of baseball, and continue to grow.”

Alvarez led his team in both home runs and runs batted in in 2013, so it is easy to see why he is so important to Pittsburgh’s offense in 2014.  

While Francisco Liriano and Gerrit Cole will lead the Pirates’ rotation in 2014, there are questions to be answered regarding the other three starters, so the Pirates will likely need all the offense they can get, even if those other three pitchers have above-average seasons.  

Alvarez will likely bat fourth in the lineup for Pittsburgh again in 2014, and it is key that he retains his power at the plate.  The Pirates really cannot afford a down year in home runs for Alvarez, unless of course he brings his average up drastically.  

Still, power is his greatest asset, and without it the Pirates will struggle to match their win total from last year or even to get back to the playoffs.  

Starling Marte and Neil Walker will likely join McCutchen in batting ahead of Alvarez in the lineup.  All three men are more than capable of having high on-base percentages, so Alvarez will have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs again in 2014.  

Another major area that Alvarez must improve on is fielding, as his 27 errors were the most among third basemen in baseball last season.  The Pirates cannot afford to be giving teams extra outs in 2014, since the bottom of the rotation will already have to be at its best to match the season this organization had last year.  

According to the same report from Bill Brink, manager Clint Hurdle said “The consistency has got to improve because the total number of errors is not something that anybody would want.”

Expect the young third baseman to improve defensively as he works hard in spring training to gain more range and quicker hands.  

If he builds on a career year last season, Alvarez will lead Pittsburgh to another postseason appearance in October.  The offense hinges on Alvarez’s ability to come through with runners on base.  If he can do that, he will lead his club in the pursuit of greatness in 2014.

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Last June, the Pittsburgh Pirates received a booster shot that they may reap the benefits from for years to come.  That insurance was the debut of the first pick in the 2011 amateur draft, starting pitcher Gerrit Cole.  

Cole made his presence known immediately last season, taking a shutout into the seventh inning against the Giants in his major league debut on June 11 of last year.  With his presence in the rotation, Pittsburgh clinched its first playoff birth in twenty years.    

In 19 games, Cole tallied a record of 10-7 with a 3.22 ERA. He also showed his effectiveness in getting batters to swing and miss, striking out 100 batters in 117.1 innings pitched.  

So, the question that all Pirates fans want to know the answer to presents itself: What should we expect from Gerrit Cole in his first full season with the Pirates?

At only 23 years of age, Gerrit Cole looked like one of the most mature pitchers in baseball last year, staying calm and collected on the mound.  He even earned a win in the National League Divisional Series against the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals.  

Now, there will always be the discussion of the infamous “sophomore slump” for players like Cole who break into the scene at such a young age.

However, with the high-caliber pitches he has in his arsenal and his ability to use them effectively, there should be no doubt that Cole will pick up right where he left off last season.

 This report from FanGraphs shows how well Cole mixes his pitches, which send batters back to the dugout shaking their heads.  

In his arsenal, he has a blazing fastball which reached 96.1 miles per hour in the divisional series last season.  According to the same report on FanGraphs, that was the highest registered speed on a pitch thrown by a pitcher with at least 110 innings pitched in 2013.  

Given the amount of aces and power pitchers in the MLB, it is pretty remarkable that he owned the fastest pitch that late into the season.  

After losing veteran starting pitcher A.J. Burnett to the Phillies in free agency, the Pirates have put Cole in the number two slot behind Francisco Liriano in the starting rotation.  According to the team depth chart on MLB.com, the Pirates will round out their rotation with Charlie Morton, Jeff Locke and either Edinson Volquez or Wandy Rodriguez.  Those four pitchers combined for only 32 wins in 2013, so the Pirates will be hoping for production from Cole.  

Due to the confidence he carries himself with on the mound and his ability to get batters out with any of his pitches, there is no reason to believe that Cole won’t have an even better season in 2014. 

In 2014, Cole will look to contribute to Pittsburgh’s second straight playoff birth, but this may also be the season he breaks out as an individual. Barring any sort of major injury, Cole has the potential to collect more than one Cy Young Award in his career.  

That may seem like a bold statement to make about a pitcher who hasn’t pitched a full season yet, but he is simply that overpowering.  In fact, don’t be surprised if he is in the running for the National League Cy Young Award as early as this season.  

The future is bright for the Pirates, and Gerrit Cole will be in the center of the mix for years to come.  He can do it all, and he will continue to prove that in 2014.  

*Statistics Courtesy of FanGraph, BaseballReference and MLB.com 

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