Pirates Rookie Predicted to Make Impact
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have a number of young players ready for the 2025, but one in particulary has the opportunity for the most success.
Keith Law of The Athletic ranked his top 25 MLB rookies who are most likely to have an impact in the 2025 season, placing Pirates second baseman/left fielder Nick Yorke at No. 17.
Despite the Pirates signing free agents in second baseman Adam Frazier and outfielder Tommy Pham, he sees Yorke as someone that will play better than those two and also that he has a better glove than second baseman Nick Gonzales.
"I don’t really know what the Pirates are doing right now, signing Adam Frazier and Tommy Pham, who were below replacement level last year and appear to block the only two positions Yorke could play," Law wrote.
"In a fair fight, Yorke would probably outproduce either of those guys, and he’d do it for cheaper, which I’m pretty sure is Bob Nutting’s favorite word. Yes, Nick Gonzales is still around, but he might be a platoon player and isn’t any better defensively than Yorke is."
The Pirates landed Yorke in a trade with the Boston Red Sox on July 29, as they sent 2020 First Round Draft Pick in right-handed pitcher Quinn Priester in exchange.
He spent most of 2024 in the minor leagues, slashing .251/.325/.366 in 45 games with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. He had 44 hits, eight doubles, four home runs, 27 RBIs, 18 walks and eight stolen bases.
The Red Sox then brought him up to Triple-A, where he hit .310 with 45 hits in 145 at-bats, eight doubles, six home runs and 19 RBI and 24 walks to 36 strikeouts in 38 games for the Worcester Woo Dogs before the trade.
Yorke played in 40 games for the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians after the trade and played even better. He slashed .355/.431/.507, finished with an OPS of .938 and had 54 hits, 17 doubles, two home runs, 26 RBIs, 18 walks and seven stolen bases.
The Pirates selected Yorke's contract on Sept. 16, and he would play in 11 games. He had eight hits in 37 at-bats, batting .216, added four walks for a .286 on-base percentage, slugged .378 and hit two home runs and two RBIs.
Yorke will look for opportunities throughout 2025 that will show he has what it takes for not just a great rookie season, but a long and successful MLB career.
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.