MLB analyst predicts Paul Skenes' teammate to emulate Tarik Skubal in 2025

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal enjoyed an outstanding campaign last year after winning the pitching Triple Crown in the American League. Skubal eventually went on to unanimously claim the Cy Young Award as well and also finished in seventh place for the AL MVP voting.

MLB analyst Trevor Plouffe expects Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Jared Jones to be the next young pitcher to produce a breakthrough season this year, just as Tarik Skubal did in 2024. Plouffe feels the 23-year-old has shown strong command with his fastball and slider, and he could also develop into a dominant pitcher like his teammate Paul Skenes if he adds another pitch to his arsenal.

Trevor Plouffe is a former first-round draft pick and third baseman for the Minnesota Twins. He is presently a co-host of the Baseball Today podcast from Jomboy Media. He predicted Jared Jones to have a breakout season like Tarik Skubal on the show this Tuesday. [From 16:37]

"He has the stuff to do it. I think he needs to add some stuff to take that next step," Plouffe said. "Basically, he's a two-pitch pitcher, fastball [and] slider. Whether he wants to add a wrinkle to his fastball or throw something different, or add a cutter, or figure out that curveball or changeup.

"Jones has basically been a two-pitch pitcher. He's had success, but to take that next step, I think he has to add something or at least command the third pitch a little bit better," he added. "It's been two pitches, and you have to add one more to enter that elite area."

Jared Jones made his major league debut a month before Paul Skenes, although he later went on to win the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year. Jones made 22 starts for the Pirates, pitching 124.2 innings with a 4.14 ERA and 132 strikeouts.

Tarik Skubal has tremendous great success since moving out of his two-pitch mix

Tarik Skubal led the AL in wins, ERA, and strikeouts to win the Triple Crown (Image Source: IMAGN)

Although Tarik Skubal is a southpaw, he also had the same two-pitch mix as Jared Jones in the early years of his major league career, consisting of a fastball and a slider. The Tigers ace developed a changeup upon returning from a lengthy injury layoff in 2023, turning him into arguably the most dominant starting pitcher in the MLB over the past 18 months.

Trevor Plouffe believes that a starting pitcher must be able to throw at least three different pitches for strikes to become an ace of the pitching staff.

"You have to be a three-pitch pitcher as a starter to really go to the next level," Plouffe said. "There are some outliers, but to my mind, three to four pitches that you can throw and keep guys off balance is how you become that elite pitcher. If you're a guy that can do that, it becomes very difficult for a big league hitter to have a game plan against you."

Since developing the changeup, Tarik Skubal has made 46 starts over the previous two seasons and holds a 25- record with a 2.51 ERA and 330 strikeouts.