The 2020 international signing period was delayed because of the pandemic, but once it opened in January of 2021, the Pirates got to work. They handed out 16 bonuses of six figures or higher, headlined by Shalin Polanco’s $2.35 million bonus.
Close to the bottom of that bonus list was Esmerlyn Valdez. But while he received just $130,000 to join the organization, it’s looking like his right-handed power bat is making him the best of his class.
The early returns were rather non-descript, both in the Dominican Summer League and his first taste of the United States in 2022. But something started to click back in the Florida Complex League in 2023, when he hit .312/.377/.518 to earn a bump up to full-season ball. A full year in Bradenton in 2024 showed some holes (30.6 percent strikeout rate), but he also led the Florida State League in home runs with 22 at age 20.
But he was just getting started.
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In 72 games with High-A Greensboro, the Pirates No. 15 prospect hit .303 with 20 homers, and that was not because of a hitting-friendly home ballpark. Not only did that earn him a promotion to Double-A Altoona, it got him an invitation to the All-Star Futures Game with organization-mate Konnor Griffin. For the year, he finished with 26 homers while ticking down that K rate to 24.6 percent. He’s getting more swings with the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League now, with hopefully more pop on display.
“The home runs [and then] running the bases, it’s fantastic,” Valdez said. “My friends ask me [about the homers] and I say, ‘I don’t know, it’s the just the game, it’s me [putting in the work].’”
That work helped him handle the big jump to Double-A, which can often swallow up a prospect upon entry. While his numbers were more modest – .260/.363/.409 in 51 games there – he showed an ability to make adjustments. After hitting just .196 with Altoona in July, Valdez figured this out to the tune of a .311/.407/.522 line in August.
“The biggest difference was obviously the pitching,” Valdez said about the promotion. “As you go up, you’re going to face harder pitchers. But as the season ended, I was able to adapt.”
Being around other hitters like Griffin certainly didn’t hurt and it sounded like they fed off each other as much as possible.
“It feels great to be around such good teammates,” Valdez said. “They’re all really good and bring a lot of energy.”
“He’s always just super positive,” Griffin said about Valdez. “He always competes, but you can never tell if he has had a good day or bad day. He’s just an overall great dude.”
Pirates hitters in the Fall League
Tony Blanco Jr., 1B (No. 30): Blanco’s dad, Tony Sr., played pro ball for 17 years and touched the big leagues briefly in 2005. Junior is 6-foot-7 and has a ton of raw power that he can get to, like when he hit a walk-off homer with an exit velocity approaching 120 mph in August. He missed a good amount of the 2025 season with a leg injury and this is a stiff test for him, given that he’s not played above Single-A yet.
Will Taylor, OF: Taylor missed much of his final season at Clemson after breaking his left wrist, so the Pirates wanted to focus on him getting reps after taking him in the fifth round of the 2024 Draft. He had a solid debut season across two levels of A ball, finishing with 14 homers and 23 steals. He could stick in center field and become more of a viable prospect with another offensive jump in 2026, with the AFL perhaps serving as a springboard.
Pirates pitchers in the Fall League
Derek Diamond, RHP: There was some optimism around Diamond following a solid showing pitching in relief in the AFL a year ago and when he came into camp sporting a velocity jump (a fastball up to 97-plus mph) to go along with his solid feel to pitch. The thinking was that perhaps the transition to the bullpen and the uptick in stuff could lead to a shorter relief role. But he landed on the 60-day injured list with a shoulder issue and made just 13 appearances, so he’s back in Arizona making up for lost innings to be on schedule to show what he can do in 2026.
Joshua Loeschorn, RHP: Back issues have really limited the 2022 draftee over the last couple of years, forcing him out for all of 2024 and limiting him to 26 outings this year. It’s a below-average fastball velocity-wise, but plays up because it’s invisible and he has a big, effective sweeper to go with it. When he’s been on the mound, he’s been pretty good, but the Pirates are still trying to figure out what he’s about with the time missed while working to find a little more fastball velocity.
Dominic Perachi, LHP: A lefty with a feel to pitch, Perachi can spin two breaking balls to go align with a four-seamer and a changeup. There were flashes this year, but the swing-and-miss stuff did not show up as much as hoped, coming off missing the first half of the 2025 season following some elbow soreness.
Carlson Reed, RHP: A 2023 draftee, Reed took a very solid step forward during his first full season of pro ball while getting the chance to start. He would have jumped to Double-A this year, but a back injury slowed him down and he spent most of his mound time back with High-A Greensboro. Command could push him to the 'pen eventually, but he does have a solid three-pitch mix.
Jaden Woods, LHP: At his best, Woods can look like a future leverage left-handed reliever. He can crank his fastball up into the upper 90s with a wipeout slider. But he’s not been able to find consistency, especially command-wise over the past two seasons in Double-A, but the Pirates don’t want to quit on the arm strength and pure stuff.