Pirates prospect Blanco Jr. crushes a 464-foot homer in Fall League

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – If Tony Blanco Jr. hits came with a tagline, it would likely be that while he may not collect them often, when he does, they’re hit extremely hard. And go incredibly far.

One of the more interesting prospects in the 2025 Arizona Fall League, the 6-foot-7, 243-pound Pirates outfielder has gargantuan power. There’s a hum of anticipation on the field when he’s ahead in the count and everyone knows he’s going to cut his swing loose.

Such was the case Thursday night when the 20-year-old demolished a 464-foot three-run homer off the bat at 112.2 mph for Salt River in the fourth inning far up onto the berm in left-center field during a 12-11 slugfest loss to Surprise at Salt River Fields.

It’s one thing to clobber a center-cut fastball such a distance. But it’s another entirely to be able to get the bat head out on a slider that finished outside the strike zone.

After spitting on three breaking balls from Saguaros right-hander Rorik Maltrud (Guardians) and taking a 3-0 called strike, Blanco honed in. During the regular season, Blanco feasted with the count in his favor with a .435 average and 1.754 OPS.

Blanco’s wallop -- his first of the fall -- gave him the furthest-hit ball to date in the fledgling campaign. Sitting atop such a leaderboard is old hat for Pittsburgh's No. 30 prospect, who delivered both the hardest-hit and farthest ball in the Single-A Florida State League this season when he clobbered a 119.8 mph, 450-foot walk-off homer for Bradenton on Aug. 2.

Despite playing in just 28 games for the Marauders, Blanco owned the league’s top two highest exit velocities and three of the top 12. He struck out a hefty dose -- 33.6 percent -- at Single-A, but he blistered the ball when he did make contact. Blanco posted a 33.9 percent line-drive rate, the highest of any player at the level with at least 120 plate appearances.

A leg injury cost Blanco the first three-plus months of the regular season, making the Fall League the perfect place for him to get additional at-bats while also facing advanced pitching.

Showing what he can do in the thin desert air doesn’t hurt either.