Pirates Announce 2025 Hall of Fame Class
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates revealed their Hall of Fame Class of 2025, featuring some of the best players in franchise history.
The Pirates announced that three players made it in for this year's class, including outfielder Kiki Cuyler, right-handed pitcher Vernon Law and outfielder/first baseman Al Oliver.
Legends in Black & Gold.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 7, 2025
Introducing our 2025 Hall of Fame Class. pic.twitter.com/MTDXTlbMV8
Cuyler spent seven seasons with the Pirates from 1921-27, but only played four full seasons from 1924-27, as he appeared in just 13 games the first three seasons.
He excelled during his time with Pittsburgh, slashing .336/.399/.513 for an OPS of .912, with 680 hits, 115 doubles, 65 triples, 38 home runs, 312 RBIs, 130 stolen bases and 180 walks to 224 strikeouts.
Cuyler dominated in 1925, with a slash line of .357/.423/.598 for an OPS of 1.021, leading the National League with 701 plate appearances, 144 runs, 26 triples and 13 hit by pitches, while also posting 220 hits, 43 doubles, 18 home runs, 102 RBIs, 41 stolen bases and 58 walks to 56 strikeouts.
He finished second in NL MVP voting and would help the Pirates win the 1925 World Series, hitting the go-ahead two run double in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Washington Senators at Forbes Field. His 369 total bases are also a franchise record for the most in a season.
Cuyler would lead the NL in stolen bases in 1926 and would eventually join the Chicago Cubs in a trade, where he played eight seasons.
He played three other seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, 1935-37 and his final season with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1938. He would lead the NL in stolen bases for three consecutive seasons, 1928-30, and played in the 1934 All-Star Game, the second edition.
Cuyler is also in the Cubs Hall of Fame and earned induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1968 by Veterans' Committee.
He ranks amongst the best hitters in Pirates history, including third in batting average, fourth in OPS, sixth best slugging percentage and 10th best on-base percentage.
Law signed with the Pirates in 1948, spent two seasons in the minors, made his MLB debut in 1950, and then served in the United States military from 1951-54, before returning to the Pirates for 14 seasons from 1954-67.
Known also as, "The Deacon," Law spent almost all of that time in the Pirates starting rotation, with 364 starts in 483 appearances, finishing his career with a 162 wins and 147 losses, a 3.77 ERA, 2,672.0 innings pitched, 1,092 strikeouts to 597 walks, a .272 opposing batting average and a 1.28 WHIP.
Law had his best season with the Pirates in 1960, with a 20-9 record, NL-high 18 complete games, a 3.08 ERA over 271.2 innings pitched, 120 strikeouts to 40 walks, a 1.13 WHIP and an opposing batting average of .257.
He would pitch in the All-Star game for the NL and won the Cy Young Award. He also helped the Pirates win the 1960 World Series in seven games over the New York Yankees, but suffered an injury that took years to heal, which he pitched through during that season.
Law won NL Comeback Player of the Year in 1965, finishing with a 17-9 record, a 2.15 ERA, 101 strikeouts to 35 walks and an opposing batting average of .229.
He ranks amongst the best pitchers in Pirates history, including third in games started, fourth in games played and innings pitched, fifth with 28 shutouts and in strikeouts, sixth in wins and 10th with 26.1 WAR.
Oliver signed with the Pirates in 1963 and would spend 10 seasons with the team from 1968-77.
He played in 1,302 games with the Pirates, with 1,490 hits, 276 doubles, 56 triples, 135 home runs, 717 RBIs, 54 stolen bases and 263 walks to 443 strikeouts. He had a slash line of 296/.335/.454 for an OPS of .789.
Oliver was a three-time All-Star with the Pirates in 1972, 1975 and 1976. He also helped the Pirates win the 1971 World Series in seven games over the Baltimore Orioles, starting all seven games in center field.
He ranked amongst the best hitters in the NL during his time with Pittsburgh, including second in doubles, third in hits, fourth with 2,282 total bases, sixth in games played, seventh in triples and tied for ninth with 668 runs.
Oliver was also a part of the Pirates All-Black lineup on Sept, 1, 1971, believed as the first in MLB history, along with Roberto Clemente in right field and Willie Stargell in left field.
The Pirates will honor all Cuyler, Law and Oliver, with the latter two still alive, at the official induction on Aug. 21 and then they will do a special pre-game ceremony on the field before the Colorado Rockies at PNC Park on Aug. 22.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.