Hunter Stratton

Stratton first reached Triple-A in 2021, but his first significant sample in the majors didn't come until 2024. He spent the entire campaign in the majors and was effective at suppressing runs thanks to a 4.4 percent walk rate paired with allowing only 0.7 HR/9. His minor-league track record suggests the former may not be sustainable, and a modest groundball rate casts doubt on the latter. Positively, however, Stratton has two plus pitches in his fastball and slider, with the latter giving him upside to improve upon the 21 percent strikeout rate he's posted across 49.2 career innings. After being non-tendered to begin the offseason, Stratton is back with the Pirates on a minor-league deal but could contribute out of the bullpen if he proves healthy after his 2024 campaign was ended prematurely by a ruptured patella tendon. Read Past Outlooks