The Pittsburgh Pirates appear poised for a big leap this season, but they might still be one year away from becoming legit championship contenders depending on how much they get from guys like Konnor Griffin, Bubba Chandler, Jhostynxon Garcia and Jared Jones this season. 

Young talent is exciting, but it typically doesn’t break out at the same time. Once they’re all in their primes a few years from now, the Pirates could be a legitimate juggernaut.

That said, it wouldn’t be surprising if some of them break out earlier than expected, helping Pittsburgh reach the playoffs ahead of schedule.

Look no further than the 2015 Chicago Cubs, Tim Britton wrote for The Athletic on Tuesday (subscription required).

Like the Pirates, that team was loaded with young talent but still seemed to be a year away coming off a last-place finish in the NL Central. Instead, they skipped a step and emerged as one of the best teams in baseball, winning 97 games in 2015 and the World Series the following year.

It’s not hard to envision Pittsburgh following a similar path. But whereas those Cubs were loaded with young position players, the Pirates are flush on the mound.

Regardless, Pittsburgh is clearly trending in the right direction and could be on the brink of a dynasty if its young stars stay healthy and pan out. The Pirates will need to be aggressive in supplementing their core, as Chicago was, but the foundation is in place for an exciting run in the second half of the 2020s, and perhaps beyond.

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