Four Pirates Pitching Prospects That Could Start in 2026

His ERA is a tad inflated, with 10 of his 15 earned runs came in his last two outings before he went on the 15-day injured list with a right lat muscle strain, which if wiped out, would give him a 1.69 ERA on the season.

Dotel has had great outings this season, with four perfect innings in his first bulk role against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on April 27 and three straight appearances of three scoreless innings.

His fastball has been sensational, averaging 98.1 mph, and is getting a sub-.200 BAA, and his slider is getting better, with advanced statistics favoring it.

Dotel does have to work on improving his hard-hit rate, 48.7%, and improve his cutter and changeup, but he's shown he can handle this role before and is the Pirates best bet for this season and the future.

Khristian Curtis Deserves Another Shot

One pitcher that should get another chance is right-hander Khristian Curtis, who impressed in his first time up with the Pirates.

Curtis made his MLB debut in the second game of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on July 18.

He threw five scoreless innings of relief, with just two hits and two walks allowed, while posting four strikeouts over 68 pitches, keeping the Pirates up 3-0.

The Pirates sent him back down the next day, as he was essentially the 27th man, but then he went on the 7-day injured list on July 26 with side discomfort.

Curtis just came off the injured list and pitched for Triple-A Indianapolis on Aug. 12 and threw two innings in the 4-3 win over Nashville (Milwaukee Brewers).

He's got a cutter and four-seam fastball for his higher velocity pitches, plus a changeup, slider and curveball for his offspeed stuff.

The Pirates have high expectations for Curtis and he showed in that outing vs. the Guardians he is ready for more challenges against major league hitting.

Hunter Barco Provides Left-Handed Option

The Pirates don't have any other left-handed pitching prospects, really, other than Hunter Barco, who could fill a role at the major league level the rest of the season.

Barco made the Pirates' Opening Day roster, but hasn't impressed during his time with the team, posting a 7.36 ERA over six outings and 14.2 innings pitched in three stints.

One of those outings came against the Cardinals at PNC Park on April 28, after he dealt with a travel delay and didn't make it to the ballpark until the game started, allowing five runs, but he still needs to show more at the major league level.

Barco most recently pitched for the Pirates against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 30, giving up two runs over three innings of work.

He's looked great back down with Indianapolis, giving up just one run over his last 10.1 innings pitched and threw six scoreless innings vs. Iowa (Chicago Cubs) back on Aug. 9.

The Pirates have a left-handed option in Barco and he'll definitely want another shot to show he belongs on the roster going forward.

Antwone Kelly Could Finally Realize Potential

A fourth option could come in right-handed pitcher Antwone Kelly, who has pitched in three different games for the Pirates this season.

Kelly struggled in his first two outings, giving up five earned runs over 4.1 innings, but eventually found success against the Reds on July 31.

He threw three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and two walks, while posting three strikeouts and gave the Pirates a chance to win after a poor outing from Skenes.

Kelly has also been fantastic for Indianapolis recently, allowing just two runs over his last 24 innings pitched in his last five games for a 0.75 ERA.

He's likely behind both Dotel and Curtis for opportunities, but Kelly could easily get his chance as well over the next few weeks.