2 days agoPittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones 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.--Andy Smith - RotoBaller