The Pittsburgh sports scene never fails to churn out new household names, even in those rare years when we aren’t blessed with any new championship hardware being added to a trophy case somewhere in the city. The year 2012 won’t be fondly recalled in the great annuals of Pittsburgh sports lore, but the past twelve months did provide us all with some newly-christened stars to discuss at the water coolers and Sunday dinner tables. From A.J. Burnett to Todd Haley, Rushel Shell to James Neal, there was no shortage of star power to go around in 2012.
So who will be the new names we pine over in 2013? Let’s take a look at who could be making the headlines over the next twelve months.
Steven Adams, Pitt Basketball, Center – The seven-footer from New Zealand is already gaining steam as a possible “one and done” player for Pitt. Despite averaging only 6.8 PPG and 22.3 minutes per game, Adams is being scouted by at least one NBA suitor that is known (Denver), as reported by Michael Waterloo at nugglove.com this past week. If Adams does in fact end up as a first round pick in the NBA Draft, he would be the first Pitt player drafted as early since Vonteego Cummings was selected 26th overall by the Indiana Pacers in 1999. While losingAdams to the pros after one year would be a huge loss for the program, it could help increase recruiting for Pitt as they begin the road to their first ACC season in 2013-14. The Panthers are currently 13-3 (1-2, Big East) and poised to return to the NCAA Tournament after missing out on the festivities last year, so expect Adams’ profile to increase as we head towards March.
Starling Marte, Pittsburgh Pirates, Outfielder – One of the most gifted athletes to come out of the Pirates minor league system in years, Marte is the first player to emerge from the teams growing Latin American complex in theDominican Republic. The 24-year old made a fantastic first impression when he rocketed the first major league pitch he ever saw into the seats ofMinuteMaidPark inHouston, becoming the first Pirates player to homer in his first ML at-bat since the immortal Don Leppert in 1961. At 6’2” and 185 pounds, Marte has a combination of speed and power that will only increase as he settles into his role of the starting left fielder for the Bucs. After posting a .257/5/17 line in his rookie campaign, fans should see an immediate improvement from Marte in 2013. There is a reason why every team the Pirates entertained trade offers from last summer asked specifically for the young outfielder, and fans should take advantage of every opportunity to see the combination of Marte and Andrew McCutchen roaming the outfield ofPNCPark this summer.
Pedro Alvarez, Pittsburgh Pirates, Third Baseman – While this one might seem obvious to die-hard Pirates fans, Alvarez has lost some of the shine that made the power-hitting third baseman the future cornerstone of the franchise. At just 25 years old, the former first-round pick out ofVanderbiltUniversity has already racked up 1234 plate appearances over parts of three major league seasons. After a massive regression from his dynamic rookie season of 2010, “El Toro” quietly established himself as a premier power hitter in 2012. While his .244 BA was somewhat disappointing, his 30 homeruns and 85 RBI were significant enough to warrant extra attention heading into 2013. When he is rolling, Alvarez can carry the club on his back, a feat he accomplished numerous times last summer. Now firmly established as a leader on this young team, look for 2013 to be the season he puts everything together. You heard it here first, folks – Pedro Alvarez will hit .280/30/100 this coming season.
Gerrit Cole, Pittsburgh Pirates, Starting Pitcher – The first overall pick in the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft, Cole is regarded as one of the top prospects in all of baseball. After starting his first professional season at Class A Bradenton, the young right-hander worked his way to Class AAA Indianapolis by September. At 22 years old, Cole has the potential to crack the Pirates major league rotation this Spring. Regardless of whether he heads North with the club in April, fans can expect to see the dominating 6’4” hurler on the mound of PNC Park by midsummer. His combined numbers between stops at Class A, AA, and AAA in 2012 – a 9-7 record, 2.80 ERA and an impressive 136 Ks in 132 IP – tell the story of a pitcher
