A few days ago, I listed out my five contenders for the most random Pittsburgh Pirate of the 2024 season. There’s a pretty good list this year on tap for this award, which you can read all about here.

But now that the season is officially over, I want to give out some much more common awards to this year’s Pirates team. These very official and very prestigious awards will include the classics like MVPs and the best of each position group, but I also added some more intricate titles to include solid performances from across the roster.

Team MVP: Paul Skenes

Yeah, I don’t know how it could possibly be anyone else. The man who was named Baseball America’s Rookie of the Year was a bright spot for the Pirates even after their season had spiraled out of control.

Whether in contention or not, Skenes was appointment viewing at the ballpark or at home on television, and his stats alone during his 133.0 innings pitched this year detail exactly why:

• 11-3 record
• 1.96 ERA
• 0.947 WHIP
• 170 Strikeouts
• 5.31 K/BB ratio

Per BA, Skenes’ 1.96 ERA was the lowest among any major league pitcher who threw more than 120 innings this season, and is one of the lowest for that many innings in the Wild Card Era.

In the last 30 seasons, only 10 pitchers have recorded a sub-2.00 ERA in a season of 120 innings or more. Quite the impressive feat for the first overall pick from last year.

Best Bat: Bryan Reynolds

This shouldn’t be all that much of a surprise. Reynolds was the team leader in batting average (.275) and on-base percentage (.344), while coming in second in OPS (.791) and fourth in slugging percentage (.447).

In addition to that, he was Pittsburgh’s leader in the power department, slamming 24 home runs and knocking in 88 runners.

Reynolds has also been impactful just by being on the field. He led the team in games played this season with 156, his fourth consecutive year leading the Pirates in total games played. He provides the Pirates with a steady bat that can be in the lineup every day, a rarity in this organization.

Best Glove: Michael A. Taylor

Michael A. Taylor did not provide anything in the offensive department for the Pirates, but he did give them some superb defense from center field, living up to his Gold Glove reputation.

Taylor provided the more putouts than any full-time outfielder, and limited his struggles to just 3 errors in 235 chances. His +11 Outs Above Average and +10 Defensive Runs Saved both ranked 12th in Major League Baseball.

I also do believe that having a guy like Taylor around to help Oneil Cruz transition to center field will prove to be incredibly valuable down the line.

Rookie Of The Year: Paul Skenes

While he should be, in my mind anyways, the unanimous National League Rookie of the Year, there is literally no question that he was the best rookie for the Pirates this season.

Skenes took to the mound often times pitching like a ten-year vet. He did not show the struggles, growing pains, or low-experience mistakes that a rookie would usually make. From his major league debut on May 11th until his final start of the season, he simply shoved.

Somebody like Jared Jones gave a valiant effort, and in any other year he probably would have won this award. But it’s Skenes by a country mile.

Best In-Season Addition: Joey Bart

It feels sort of like cheating, because Joey Bart was acquired by the team just days into the season. But he did not start the year with the Pirates, so he still counts.

After coming over in a trade from San Francisco, Bart blossomed in a new ballpark, slashing .265/.337/.462, notching new career highs in homers (13) and RBI (45). In 80 games, he led the team in slugging and when healthy, really solidified a catching role that was in flux all season.

Bart is the clear front runner for the starting catching job next season, and if Henry Davis can ever actually figure things out, the Pirates will have a surplus of talent at that position, something they have lacked for a painful amount of years.

An honorable mention to Dennis Santana, who was a close runner up to Bart for this award.

Starting Pitcher Of The Year: Paul Skenes

Ok ok, the last one with Skenes I promise. But similarly to his Rookie of the Year award and Team MVP award for the Pirates, Skenes was simply too dominant to face any real competition for this award.

Among Pittsburgh’s starters, Skenes led the charge in ERA, winning percentage, WHIP, ERA+, strikeouts per nine innings, strikeout to walk ratio, and various other categories.

He almost immediately took over the role as staff ace, a spot he will continue to occupy very likely until his time as a Pirate comes to an end.

Reliever Of The Year: Aroldis Chapman

Pittsburgh’s bullpen was one of the biggest reasons for their downfall this season. Once projected to be this team’s greatest strength, injuries and woeful performances tanked the Pirates’ chances late in games far too often, including playing a particularly damning role during the team’s 10-game losing streak that plummeted them out of contention.

However, one largely bright spot in this struggling group was Aroldis Chapman. The 36-year-old signed with the Pirates on a one-year deal worth $10.5 million, and unlike a lot of the free agents Pittsburgh signed in the winter, Chapman fit up to the billing.

He finished his 2024 season with a 5-5 record, 3.79 ERA, and 1.346 WHIP in 61.2 total innings. He was one of very few Pirate relievers to keep his arm healthy all year, a remarkable accomplishment despite him topping 104+ miles per hour on numerous pitches.

Chapman proved he can still compete with the best of them, leading the team with 14.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

More importantly, he was able to hold the fort as the team’s closer when David Bednar was struggling or injured. Chapman, who has years of experience as the ninth inning man, fit into that role seamlessly. If he’s open to it, the Pirates should definitely look to bring him back.

Most Improved: Luis Ortiz

In a season that seemed to be a huge indictment of the organization’s ability to develop players, one exception to the rule was Luis Ortiz.

The international signing from years ago propelled himself into a major role with the Pirates this year, going from a bullpen arm to taking a spot in the rotation, becoming a full time starter in early July. In total this season, Ortiz turned in a 7-6, 3.32 ERA, and 1.113 WHIP, striking out 107 batters in 135.2 innings.

His performance was a massive boost from last season, when he posted a 5-5 record, 4.78 ERA, 1.696 WHIP, and 13 home runs against in 86.2 innings for the Pirates last season. Control was a big issue for Ortiz last year, where he walked 5 batters per nine innings, and having a strikeout to walk ratio of just 1.21.

This season, however, he walked just 2.8 per nine innings. Though he still occasionally struggled with the long ball, his home runs against rate fell and his strikeout to walk ratio jumped to 2.55.

His prominence on the mound this season now leaves the Pirates with an interesting choice: keep him on the back end in one of the best rotations in baseball, or trade him while his stock is high to help get some bats in the organization.

(Featured photo by Frank Franklin II/AP)