PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher is said to be left off the team roster despite a solid performance in 2024. According to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates have notified relief pitcher Kyle Nicolas that he will not be included on the opening day lineup.
Sources: Pirates RHP Kyle Nicolas has been informed that he will not be on the team’s opening day roster. Nicolas pitched in 51 games last season, going 2-2 with a 3.95 ERA.
— Noah Hiles (@_NoahHiles) March 23, 2025
Kyle Nicolas began the 2024 season with the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, where he excelled in nine appearances, posting a 0.84 ERA over 10.2 innings pitched and holding opponents to a .061 batting average. The Pittsburgh Pirates called him up on April 26, and he remained with the team for most of the season.
In 51 games, he recorded a 2-2 record, a 3.95 ERA across 54.2 innings, with 55 strikeouts, 31 walks, and a .249 opposing batting average. His season was cut short on September 16 due to a left oblique strain, landing him on the 15-day Injured List, and he did not pitch again in 2024.
The Pirates originally acquired Nicolas from the Miami Marlins in a trade on November 29, 2021, sending catcher Jacob Stallings to Miami in exchange for pitcher Zach Thompson, outfielder Connor Scott, and Nicolas. In 2022, Nicolas spent the entire year with Double-A Altoona, starting 22 of his 24 appearances. He finished with a 2-4 record, a 3.97 ERA over 90.2 innings, 101 strikeouts, 47 walks, and a .216 opposing batting average.
In 2023, Nicolas started with Altoona, making 12 starts with a 3-5 record, a 4.36 ERA across 53.2 innings, 63 strikeouts, 23 walks, and a .267 opposing batting average.
He was promoted to Indianapolis on June 16, transitioning mostly to relief pitching. There, he started six of 23 appearances, posting a 1-2 record, a 6.20 ERA in 45.0 innings, with 64 strikeouts, 29 walks, and a .243 opposing batting average. On September 19, the Pirates added him to their 40-man roster, but he struggled in his brief MLB stint, recording an 11.81 ERA over four games and 5.1 innings.
A native of Massillon, Ohio, Nicolas starred at Jackson High School, winning state championships in baseball and basketball during his senior year in 2017.
That year, he was named Federal League Co-Player of the Year, boasting an 8-0 record and a 0.50 ERA on the mound, while hitting .349 with 24 RBIs. He went on to play three seasons of college baseball at Ball State before being selected by the Marlins 61st overall in the 2020 MLB Draft.
The Pirates are set to begin their 2025 season on March 27 with a four-game road series against the Marlins.
Leave a Reply