BRADENTON, Fla. — When Edward Florentino looks back on his 2026 season, there’s certainly some sense of satisfaction.
The Pirates’ outfield prospect, at just age 19, reached the MLB All-Star Futures Game and No. 32 on MLB Pipeline’s top 100 list. Florentino also hit 27 homers and produced an .875 OPS in 103 games, 94 at High-A Greensboro.
At the same time, Florentino isn’t satisfied. He got a taste of success and realized how people viewed him. He also learned more about his process, things he wants to improve this offseason and in 2027.
“I think it could’ve been better,” Florentino said at the Forge High Performance Camp at Pirate City. “It’s about being consistent.
“I want to get to my best spot, then try to get the most time that I can in that spot.”
Florentino was talking specifically about offensive production. But for someone who’s already developed so much — growing into his body, proving he can play outfield, blending power and speed and mastering English — the goals are bigger.
“For me, it’s kind of different because I always try to be perfect,” Florentino said. “I know I’m not gonna be perfect. But when you try to train for perfection, you always have something to work on.”
That mindset has guided Florentino’s time at the Forge camp, which focuses on skills such as mental performance, strength and conditioning, recovery and breathing as much as it does swinging, running or throwing.
Florentino has been all ears when it comes to how he can improve his game, taking part in afternoon yoga sessions while learning techniques to positively affect his mindset and process the failures inherent to a baseball season.
In other words, focusing on the process more so than results, which is another area where Florentino believed he was challenged — and grew — in 2026.
There were times when Florentino focused too much on results, allowing them to dominate his thought-process, and he learned over the course of the season to trust the work and preparation that he was doing each day.
“I want to improve my consistency,” Florentino said. “Sometimes I was thinking a lot about the results and forgetting about having fun and just playing.”
When Florentino does that, he’s proven he can be among the best in Minor League Baseball, blending five tools with uncommon maturity and motivation for someone his age.
That’s how Florentino has blossomed from signing for just $395,000 shortly after the 2024 international period opened into the Florida Complex League’s “Top MLB Prospect” in 2025.
Swinging from the left side, Florentino improved with drawing walks, limiting strikeouts and reducing chase. That allowed him to showcase his strength and natural power, leading to high exit velocities and some impressive homers.
After a left ankle injury delayed his season, Florentino hit .321 and produced a 1.250 OPS in nine April games. He leveled off some from there with an OPS that didn’t exceed .747 over the next two months before truly hitting his stride in July.
That’s when Florentino had a .947 OPS in 19 games that featured eight homers before he accumulated 16 extra-base hits for a .955 OPS in August.
The season included plenty of adjustments for Florentino, as facing pitchers who refused to give him much to hit.
“You see him trying different things because he wants to be great and will do whatever it takes,” said Pirates director of coaching and player development Michael Chernow. “But for him, it’s about being anchored to his process, having clarity on what he’s trying to achieve and having fun.
“He’s extremely talented, and there are a ton of people who believe in him. So, it’s about being able to take that step back, breathe and have fun knowing the work’s at an elite level and the process continues to evolve.”
The next step for Florentino should be Double-A in 2027, where he’ll have even more eyeballs on him, the Pirates’ position-player equivalent to Seth Hernandez on the pitching side.
Florentino has worked to fill out his frame and improve his defense to the point where there’s no longer concern about him playing the outfield. He stole 35 bases in 2025 and saw an impressive uptick in home runs this past season.
Development for Florentino has followed an impressive trajectory, but he still wants to find a way to navigate the peaks and valleys better, always searching for ways to improve.
“I’m still working on my body,” Florentino said. “I want to keep working until I get the best body I can get.
“Overall, I think my year was pretty solid. But I could be better, too. That’s why we’re here: to work and be better for next year.”
Jason Mackey: Jason.Mackey@pirates.com and @JMackey_PGH on X.