The Pittsburgh Pirates are having their best start with an 11-5 record, their best since the 1992 season. This record comes with a total of 87 runs which puts them in seventh place for the most runs scored so far. The young stars of Pittsburgh are delivering for the team this year with guys like Bryan Reynolds, Ke’Bryan Hayes and Oneil Cruz getting it done in the field and  the batter’s box. Cruz is tied for first on the team for home runs, notching three so far this season. Reynolds may not be hitting the ball as far as Cruz, but he’s for sure hitting it well with eleven RBIs (Runs Batted In.) The young Hayes had a short rookie season last year due to injury, is picking back up where he left off with 18 hits in the hit column this season. 

They’re getting the job done on both sides of the ball however with a 3.65 ERA (Earned Run Average), an ERA is how many runs a pitcher allows in nine innings. This is ranked seventh in the league with pitcher Martín Pérez leading the team with a 2.55 ERA. The bullpen has 144 strikeouts so far this year as well, with pitcher Jared Jones leading the team with 25 of those strikeouts. Altogether, the Pirates bullpen is only allowing a .228 batting average against teams this season.

The Pirate’s hot start could be pushed to the side as nothing serious with over 100 games still to be played, but this could potentially be the turning point for Pirates baseball. In the past two out of three MLB drafts, the Pittsburgh Pirates have had the number one overall draft pick, allowing them access to any player in the draft they want. With those picks, the Pirates chose some star-studded prospects in pitcher Paul Skenes and catcher Henry Davis, who would quickly climb his way through the farm system like other young talents, Ke’Bryan Hayes and Oneil Cruz. The farm system consists of  teams like the Altoona Curve who help develop young players before they reach the Majors. Hayes and Cruzl are two players not too far apart from each other, Hayes was drafted 32nd overall in the 2015 draft, while Cruz was one of the many trades the Pirates have made for young prospects in 2017. These once-young prospects have quickly become a big role model in the Pirate’s success in 2024.