The Pirates announced they’ve traded relief pitcher Kyle Nicolas to the Reds for left fielder/second baseman Tyler Callihan. Both players were on the 40-man roster, so there’s no corresponding move.
It’s a swap of talented but largely unproven players between the NL Central rivals. Nicolas, 27, has the more significant MLB experience of the two. A second-round pick by the Marlins in 2020, he was traded to Pittsburgh as one of two prospects the following year for Gold Glove catcher Jacob Stallings. Nicolas was a starting pitcher at the time but always projected to a bullpen future because of spotty command.
Nicolas debuted as a September call-up in 2023. The Ball State product has opened each of the following two seasons on optional assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis. Nicolas has posted below-average numbers at the MLB level but remains an intriguing depth piece with big stuff.
In 98 MLB innings, Nicolas carries a 4.68 earned run average. He has struck out a league average 22% of opponents while issuing walks at a lofty 12.2% rate. He split his time evenly between the majors and Triple-A last year. While he allowed nearly five earned runs per nine at the MLB level, he posted a 3.79 ERA with an excellent 31% strikeout rate against minor league opposition. Nicolas walked more than 12% of Triple-A opponents and has posted double digit walk rates at almost every stop of his professional career.
The command will probably keep Nicolas in middle relief. He’d have the raw stuff to pitch at the back of a bullpen if he can find a way to throw more strikes. Nicolas sits in the 97-98 mph range with his heater and has a pair of power breaking balls: a 90-91 mph slider and mid-80s curveball.
He also uses his 6’3″ frame to get down the mound and generate a lot of extension, though the long levers have also seemingly held him back from finding consistency in his delivery. Nicolas commanded the ball better down the stretch last season. He walked only 8.4% of opponents while posting a 3.46 ERA in 26 innings after the All-Star Break. It’s a small sample but perhaps something to build off as he tries to earn a permanent bullpen spot.
Nicolas has a little over one year of service time. He’s at least two years away from arbitration and five years from reaching free agency. He has one minor league option remaining, so the Reds can send him to Triple-A Louisville without exposing him to waivers. Nicolas tossed two scoreless innings this spring before joining Team Italy for the World Baseball Classic. (He’s from Ohio but has a family link to Italy that made him eligible to participate.)
Cincinnati doesn’t have a ton of roster flexibility in the bullpen, where six of their relievers cannot be optioned. Graham Ashcraft has options but is a lock to begin the season in the late innings. Unless the Reds move on from Sam Moll, they’d only have one bullpen spot available between Nicolas, Luis Mey, Connor Phillips and Zach Maxwell. The latter four pitchers all have big arms but come with strike-throwing questions.
The Pirates subtract from their bullpen depth to take a flier on an intriguing hitter who hasn’t found a position. The 25-year-old Callihan was an overslot third-round signee out of high school in 2019. Scouts have praised the lefty hitter’s offensive aptitude while panning his defense. The Jacksonville native has a career .262/.332/.417 batting line over six minor league seasons.
Callihan’s performance in the low minors was a little inconsistent. He has posted better numbers as he’s climbed the minor league ladder. Callihan hit .271/.345/.413 in Double-A two seasons ago and was out to a .303/.410/.528 start over 24 Triple-A contests last year. The Reds called him up at the end of April.
Unfortunately, Callihan didn’t get a chance to establish himself as a rookie. He suffered a gruesome injury just six days into his big league career.
Callihan was playing left field against the Braves on May 5. Matt Olson hit a line drive that sliced away from him down the left field line. Callihan slid to try to catch the ball and was unable to brace himself before hitting the wall with his outstretched glove hand. The collision broke his arm and forced him to undergo season-ending surgery. (Adding insult to injury, Olson trotted around for an inside-the-park home run because Callihan had touched the ball in fair territory.)
That ended his debut campaign after six at-bats, in which he collected his first career hit and run batted in. Callihan entered Spring Training without any restrictions and has gotten into seven exhibition contests, going 2-9 with a home run.
Baseball America ranked Callihan the #20 prospect in the Cincinnati system over the offseason, while Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs slotted him 29th in the organization. Callihan has improved his plate discipline and has above-average raw power, but his strikeout rate has climbed in the upper minors.
He’s a below-average defender at second base who probably fits better in left field or at first base. There are some similarities to last winter’s Spencer Horwitz pickup in that regard, though Horwitz had a much longer track record of hitting in Triple-A than Callihan does.
Callihan has less than one year of service and has two minor league options remaining. He’ll battle for a bench job in camp but seems likelier to begin the season in Indy. He can factor in as a bat-first utility type throughout the season if he’s hitting well in the minors.
Respective images via Jordan Godfree and Sam Greene, Imagn Images.
Man, I am rapidly aging out of the sport. It is fairly common for me to have never heard of one player in a trade, but it is rare when I have never heard of either side. Getting old sucks.
Don’t feel bad hiflew, I don’t know either of the names either. But wait, I’m old. Never mind, feel bad.
Only reason I know who Tyler Callihan is because that was the worst injury I have seen live.
The only thing worse than the injury was that Olson? Got to jog around the bases for a little league home run
That was a catch. Should have been an out
User name checks out
I’m young and I don’t know any of the players much. To be fair I do know about Nicolas like his name but nothing about him. I have not heard of Tyler Callihan until this day. Don’t feel bad.
That is why google or clicking on their names to see their career stats. It shows MiLB or MLB stats. Either way, this trade seems fair
Throwing in a box of Mrs. T’s Pierogi’s for a bowl of Cincinnati Chili would also be a fair trade.
Yeah, but there was a time when I didn’t have to do that. That is my point.
I mean, they are kind of no names so.
Nicolas is a nice bullpen arm. Pirates used him in high and low leverage situations. I can’t complain about what he has accomplished so far. At one point, he was a setup with Adolis Chapman. When Chapman was inserted into closer, Nicolas took over more at the setup role. Reds gained a much needed bullpen arm for middle or late innings. Pirates got a guy who can cover multiple positions and more importantly, 3B and SS. I think this was more of under the radar move of need by both clubs. May not be headlines, but marginal move at least
This could end up being a great trade for both teams, Nicolas would have a hard time with the pitching talent we have to Crack roster and we needs some infield depth, he seems to have a good bat just injury prone
Nicholas is a decent arm in a good bullpen where he wouldn’t have a spot. I’m intrigued by Callihan but seems like an injury risk. Worth a shot, though. Good trade here.
I don’t get this from a Pirates perspective. You mean to tell me this infielder is more useful than a hard throwing reliever? Hell, could have traded him to a team like the Rockies, Marlins, or A’s who have a thin pen. Probably could have gotten more.
Cherington thinks he’s the world’s most clever GM.
The Rockies don’t have a thin pen, just a not well known one. Their bullpen is arguably the best part of the team. I’m not saying they have one of the best pens in the league by any means, but pound for pound their pen is quite capable.
What about their catching tandem or outfield mix? Wait, Braxton Fulford sucks.
I mean, it’s not Kyle Nicolas-esque pitchers are rare. There are a ton of pitchers who have plus-plus stuff but sub-par command.
Spring training has shown how many pitchers we have that are good. Nicholas would not made the roster and while it’d be good to have him down in AAA, we also have a lot of other options that are better than Nicholas. We traded from depth to get something we need–bats.
Not sure we could have gotten much more from a guy projected to have a o fWAR.
Pirates had the worst offense in baseball last year. They should be loading up on all kinds of players who can swing a bat.
I don’t understand this from the pirates perspective at all but what do I know
They need bats
I don’t really get this from either perspective.
Reds have a lot of hard throwing relievers on camp but not so many middle infield reserves, more corner guys. This kid literally gave life or at least limbs for you, rehabbed and now you sent him off for just another body.
And you wonder why no one wants to sign there.
Kyle Nicolas is one of those pitchers who you watch and see elite stuff, but almost never able to have conisistent command. For every guy who figures it out, there are dozens of others who don’t.
Looking at minor league stats for Callihan, looks like a decent contact hitter who can play 2nd and corners. Roughly akin to Adam Frazier, maybe. With Griffin possibly being in the bigs and Jack Brannigan hurt again, guess they needed some depth. And Nicholas was expendable, probably would have started in AAA. He is a high leverage reliever when he can find the plate, but that doesn’t happen consistently.
mlb.com/milb/prospects/reds/tyler-callihan-682997
@This one belongs to the Reds
“And you wonder why no one wants to sign there.”
Oh, I thought it was the large markets’ fault like you always b_tch about
Please stop hating on him. You should be grateful I’m not flagging your comment because I kinda agree on part of the comment.
Hate to see Callahan go. He was prime for a breakout when his arm snapped. He could be pretty good.
But I think the Reds log jam of AAAA outfielders sort of made him expendable
Guess they needed a Suwinski replacement? They have plenty of guys at 2B, and he hasn’t played 3B in years, so I guess they want another OF. Add in that he’s recovering from a nasty injury and this feels like another BC pickup that won’t progress past AAAA.
Nicolas has a better chance of reeling in his control issues than this guy has of having a spot on the team where he can contribute.
Callihan was mostly blocked in Cincy. Maybe a path forward with the Rats. Wish him the best. Nicholas has an option and some experience. More likely he sees innings for the Reds this season than Callihan would have had PA .