How Nicolas' shift to new role helped him make the Majors

This story was excerpted from Justice delos Santos’ Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Michelle Nicolas had just flown out of Chicago on Sunday when she received the news. Her son, Kyle Nicolas, earned the first Major League callup of his career -- and was heading to Chicago.

“She was at the airport when I called her,” Nicolas laughed. “So, she got a flight right back and she got in this morning.”

Michelle, along with Todd (father), Jenna (sister) and Blake (brother), was among the group that flocked to Wrigley Field on a cold Tuesday night for Nicolas’ Major League debut. It was far from the debut Nicolas wanted -- one out recorded, six earned runs allowed, four via a grand slam -- but following a self-described “weird year,” the 24-year-old can call himself a Major Leaguer.

“It's been a lot to process,” Nicolas said. “But at the end of the day, I'm here now, and that's really all that matters. Lots of ups and downs, for sure, but that's what makes the journey so sweet. So glad to be here.”

Coming into the year, Nicolas didn’t appear on track to make the Majors. After posting a 3.97 ERA across 24 games (22 starts) with Double-A Altoona in 2022, the Pirates elected to have Nicolas start this season with Altoona instead of promoting him to Triple-A Indianapolis. The right-hander earned a promotion to Indianapolis in mid-June after posting a 4.36 ERA in 12 starts, but immediately struggled at the new level, allowing five earned runs in each of his first three appearances.

In the midst of those struggles, Nicolas made two one-inning relief appearances on July 9 (0 ER, 2 K’s) and July 16 (1 ER, 1 HR, 1 K), but started again on July 20 (3.2 IP, 3 ER) and July 26 (4.2 IP, 5 ER). In August, Nicolas, similar to Carmen Mlodzinski, transitioned to being a full-time reliever. And similar to Mlodzinski, Nicolas found a role. In his last 15 games with Indianapolis, Nicolas allowed five earned runs across 22 innings (2.05 ERA) with 31 strikeouts to 10 walks, a run that fast-tracked him to the Majors.

“I felt confident that I was ready for it,” Nicolas said. “It's gone good so far. I feel like I've done a good job of making myself ready. Obviously the routine's changed a lot, knowing when you're going to pitch and having that whole week to prepare [versus] getting the phone call down there saying you're going in. It's just been fun. Not trying to do too much with it. Sticking to my routine, just go out there and compete.”

Nicolas’ success in the Minors wasn’t just the product of a simplified role, but of a simplified pitch mix.

As a starter, Nicolas relied primarily on his four-seam fastball and slider and incorporated a curveball and changeup. As a reliever, Nicolas has just about eliminated the curveball and changeup from his repertoire and thrown almost exclusively four-seamers and sliders. Nicolas’ fastball velocity has slightly ticked up as a reliever as well, more consistently hitting 97, 98 mph on the radar gun.

"Honestly, I would have felt like this when I was starting,” Nicolas said. “Going after guys every pitch, every inning. But there's no difference. For me, it's got to be attack, attack, attack all the time."

“I think we wanted to get a look over the last two weeks of what we functionally think, how it’s gonna play, what it’s gonna do,” said manager Derek Shelton. “He’s a guy who has deserved it with what he’s done over the last month or so.”

Nicolas became the 14th player to make his Major League debut for the Pirates this season, joining Henry Davis, Endy Rodríguez, Quinn Priester, Mlodzinski, Nick Gonzales, Jared Triolo, Colin Selby, Jose Hernandez, Alika Williams, Hunter Stratton, Osvaldo Bido, Cody Bolton and Drew Maggi.