Pirates Select Six Players To 40-Man Roster

The Pittsburgh Pirates today selected the following six players to the team’s 40-man roster:

Brandan Bidois (Right-Handed Pitcher) - The 24-year-old from Brisbane, Australia, went 8-0 with seven saves, a 0.74 ERA (61.0ip/5er), 69 strikeouts, a .110 batting average against and a 0.80 WHIP in 40 appearances split between Low-A Bradenton, High-A Greensboro, Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis in 2025...Was named the organization’s Kent Tekulve Reliever of the Year...Faced 64 consecutive batters from July 29 at Portland (with Altoona) to September 9 vs. Iowa (with Indianapolis) without allowing a hit...Posted the lowest ERA in all of Minor League Baseball among relief pitchers with at least 60.0 innings pitched (was also the lowest ERA by a minor league reliever with at least 60.0 innings pitched since 2019)...Has a 2.02 ERA (120.1ip/27er), 161 strikeouts and a .154 batting average against in 92 appearances (three starts) during his four seasons (2021, 2023-25) in the organization...Was signed as a non-drafted free agent on September 21, 2019...Last name is pronounced “bid-WAH.”

Jack Brannigan (Infielder) - The 24-year-old from Chicago, IL, hit .225 (46-for-204) with eight doubles, five home runs, 30 RBI, 25 walks and 29 runs in 59 games with Double-A Altoona in 2025 (last played on June 13 and underwent right shoulder labral repair surgery)...Has hit .245 (221-for-903) with 40 doubles, 45 home runs, 151 RBI, 134 walks, 51 stolen bases and 168 runs in 251 games during his four seasons (2022-25) in the organization...Is rated by MLB Pipeline as the Pirates’ No. 21 prospect...Was selected out of the University of Notre Dame (IN) in the third round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft.

Wilber Dotel (Right-Handed Pitcher) - The 23-year-old from Santo Domingo Centro, D.R., went 7-9 with a 4.15 ERA (125.2ip/58er) and 131 strikeouts in 27 starts with Double-A Altoona in 2025...Led all Pirates minor leaguers in strikeouts, starts and innings pitched...Also led the Eastern League in starts (tied for the most among all Double-A pitchers) and ranked third in strikeouts and fifth in innings pitched...Recorded the fourth-most strikeouts by a Curve pitcher in a single season in franchise history (since 1999), trailing Ian Snell (142) in 2004, Justin Wilson (134) in 2010 and Rudy Owens (132) in 2010...Has a 4.13 ERA (379.0ip/174er) and 367 strikeouts over 95 games (81 starts) during his five seasons (2021-25) in the organization...Is rated by both Baseball America (No. 9) and MLB Pipeline (No. 28) as one of the Pirates’ top prospects...Was signed as a non-drafted free agent on October 13, 2020.

Antwone Kelly (Right-Handed Pitcher) - The 22-year-old from Oranjestad, Aruba, went 3-3 with a 3.02 ERA (107.1ip/36er) and 116 strikeouts in 25 starts split between High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona in 2025...Led all full-season minor leaguers in the organization in ERA, while also leading all farmhands in batting average against (.208) and ranking second in WHIP (1.06), tied for fourth in strikeouts, fifth in starts and sixth in innings...Has a 3.44 ERA (280.1ip/107er) and 302 strikeouts over 77 appearances (57 starts) during his five seasons (2021-25) in the organization...Is rated by Baseball America as the Pirates’ No. 7 prospect...Was signed as a non-drafted free agent on January 15, 2021.

Tyler Samaniego (Left-Handed Pitcher) - The 26-year-old from Huntsville, AL, had three saves, a 3.99 ERA (38.1ip/17er) and 44 strikeouts in 30 games (one start) split between the FCL Pirates, Low-A Bradenton, High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona in 2025...Had a 1.65 ERA (16.1ip/3er) and 21 strikeouts in his final 13 appearances of the season (all with Altoona)...Was named the organization’s Kent Tekulve Reliever of the Year in 2022 after having a system-best 14 saves, a 2.45 ERA (47.2ip/13er) and a .114 batting average against in 38 outings split between Greensboro and Altoona...Has 24 saves, a 3.82 ERA (158.0ip/67er) and 182 strikeouts over 127 appearances (two starts) across his five seasons (2021-25) in the organization...Was selected out of the University of South Alabama in the 15th round of the 2021 First Year Player Draft...Last name is pronounced “sah-mah-NAY-go.”

Esmerlyn Valdez (Outfielder) - The 21-year-old from Baní, D.R., hit .286 (131-for-458) with 25 doubles, two triples, 26 home runs, 86 RBI, 56 walks, 75 runs scored and an .896 OPS in 123 games split between High A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona in 2025...Was named the organization’s Willie Stargell Slugger of the Year...Was honored as the South Atlantic League’s Most Valuable Player and an SAL All-Star (post season), despite playing in his final game with the Grasshoppers on June 29, after leading the league in slugging (.592) and ranking second in both home runs (20) and extra-base hits (39), fourth in total bases (164) and 10th in RBI (57)...Played the final 3.0 innings at first base while joining Konnor Griffin as Pittsburgh’s representatives in the All-Star Futures Game...Led all Pirates minor leaguers in both home runs and extra-base hits (53), while also ranking second in both slugging (.520) and total bases (238), tied for second in RBI, third in hits, doubles and runs, fourth in OPS, fifth in walks, seventh in batting and 10th in OBP (.376)...Finished a triple shy of the cycle after going 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, five RBI and three runs scored in the first game of Altoona’s postseason series against Erie (his five RBI were a Curve single-game record in the postseason)...Batted .368 (21-for-57) with three doubles, eight home runs, 27 RBI, 19 walks, 19 runs scored and a 1.355 OPS in 19 games with the Arizona Fall League’s Salt River Rafters...Represented the organization at the Fall Stars Game and joined champion Tony Blanco Jr. as Pittsburgh’s representatives at the AFL Home Run Derby...Led the league in home runs, RBI and slugging (.842), while also ranking second in both total bases (48) and OPS, third in extra-base hits (11), tied for fifth in walks, sixth in both batting and OBP (.513) and tied for eighth in runs scored...Was also recognized as the AFL’s Offensive Player of the Year at the conclusion of the season...Has hit .262 (316-for-1205) with 67 doubles, five triples, 62 home runs, 224 RBI, 166 walks, 202 runs scored and an .846 OPS over 356 games during his five seasons (2021-25) in the organization...Is rated by Baseball America (No. 10) and MLB Pipeline (No. 15) as one of the Pirates’ top prospects...Was signed as a non-drafted free agent on January 15, 2021.

To make room on the 40-man roster, which is at capacity, Pittsburgh has made the following moves:

Outfielder Alexander Canario, right-handed pitcher Colin Holderman, right-handed pitcher Dauri Moreta and outfielder Ronny Simon have been designated for assignment.

Infielder Cam Devanney has been released to pursue opportunities overseas.