24 mins agoPittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones (elbow) flashed high upside at times during his rookie campaign. Across his first 121 2/3 major league frames, the former second-round pick held a 4.14 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. He generated an impressive 26.2% K rate and a 30.2% whiff rate, which placed him in the 73rd and 84th percentile among qualified pitchers, respectively. Much of his strikeout production was credited to his slider, his second-most used pitch, which generated a strong 37.3% whiff rate. His fastball, which he used 49.3% of the time, generated a modest 25.7% whiff rate. Jones relied heavily on those two pitches as his third-most used was his curveball, which was only deployed 9.3% of the time. This pitch was not very effective as it generated a hefty .660 xSLG. Jones got out to a strong start, holding a 3.56 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP during the first half of the summer, but saw his ratios climb significantly during the second half to a 5.87 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. Jones has yet to surpass 140 innings in a single professional season but was on track to do so in 2024 if he did not miss time in August with a lat strain. While Jones flashed elite potential during the first half, his inability to hold up during the second half greatly affected his ratios. Fantasy managers willing to take a risk should consider drafting him at his 137.98 ADP on the NFBC but should consider building a strong rotation around him in case his end-of-season struggles arise in 2025. Update 3/19/25: Jones won't pitch again this spring after undergoing imaging on his sore right elbow. He is seeking a second opinion, and Jones will likely start the season on the injured list. The Pirates are still gathering information, and we should know more about Jones' status after receiving the additional test results.--Andy Smith - RotoBaller