TORONTO -- The Pirates are set to get a dose of power as their youth movement continues.
Pittsburgh officially called up outfield prospect Esmerlyn Valdez on Friday, bringing its No. 9 prospect to the Majors for his MLB debut against the Blue Jays.
In his first taste of big league action, Valdez worked a walk in an 0-for-3 showing while batting eighth and handling duties in right field.
“It feels great just to be here,” Valdez said pregame through team interpreter Stephen Morales. “Thank you to the Pirates for the opportunity. I’m just grateful for the whole thing.”
Valdez’s debut came with an added boost, as the rookie got to play in front of his childhood idol, José Bautista, who threw out the first pitch in Toronto alongside Edwin Encarnación for their bobblehead night.
“When I was walking towards the right field line to get ready for the game, and I saw him walking to the mound to throw the first pitch, I said, ‘Wait a minute, this feels like a dream,’” Valdez said after Pittsburgh dropped a 6-2 decision to the Blue Jays. “Then I pinched myself and realized it was for real.”
While Valdez wasn’t able to record his first career hit, both he and manager Don Kelly were pleased with the quality of his plate appearances.
“He faced some good [pitchers] tonight, and I thought he had the good walk and swung the bat pretty well,” Kelly said. “To get the first one out of the way, to get the jitters out, [he’ll] be ready to roll tomorrow.”
Triple-A Indianapolis manager Eric Patterson delivered the news to Valdez and his Minor League teammates on Thursday as they lined up for a game in Toledo.
Valdez was hitting .253/.381/.506 with 10 home runs in 46 games this year for Indianapolis, following a strong 2025 season in which he was named the organization’s Willie Stargell Slugger of the Year, leading Pittsburgh’s Minor League system with 26 home runs and representing the club at the All-Star Futures Game.
Valdez picked up where he left off at the Arizona Fall League, bashing eight home runs in 19 games. He will arrive at the Majors on a tear, too, having launched five homers across his past five games at Triple-A.
Entering the year with the goal of earning his shot in the Majors, Valdez wants to keep things simple now that he’s gotten the call.
“Just going to do my job to help the team win and continue to be the best version of myself,” he said.
He is just the latest exciting hitting prospect to join Pittsburgh this season. The Pirates have already promoted the likes of Konnor Griffin and Jhostynxon Garcia amid their strong start in a competitive NL Central.
“It’s pretty amazing [how] a lot of young guys have been working their way through the system,” Kelly said from the visitors’ dugout at Rogers Centre prior to the game. “We got to see Konnor go through the whole gamut in one year, and then Valdez, same thing. Last year was in A-ball and then [now] to be up here is really cool to see.”
The Pirates originally signed Valdez as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2021.
Defensively, Valdez has played 34 games in right field this season, though he’s also seen time in left (8 games) and as the designated hitter (4).
Last year, Valdez also played 16 games at first base. His flexibility should help the Pirates configure their lineup without Ryan O’Hearn, who landed on the 10-day IL on Sunday with a strained right quad.
Finding enough opportunities for all of their young talent to play is a process the Pirates are conscious of with each new prospect they bring to the Majors.
“We have to balance that. …” Kelly said. “Just trying to find the best spots for them to be in there and be successful.”
In a corresponding move, the Pirates optioned outfielder Billy Cook to Triple-A. Cook had a .380 OPS in 21 plate appearances across 32 games with the big league club this season.