Pirates' Esmerlyn Valdez Has High Expectations for 2026
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have a strong farm system, with many top talents that could impact the team in 2026.
One of those names is outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez, who had a breakout season in 2025 that put scouts and those in the Pirates organization on notice for his great play, as he earned a spot on the 40-man roster.
Valdez represented the Pirates for the National League at the Futures Game, featuring the best prospects in all of baseball, while also excelling at two levels and in the Arizona Fall League.
The soon-to-be 22-year-old isn't satisfied with what he's done so far and is looking to get even better this season.
Esmerlyn Valdez Ready to Star in 2026
Valdez made his first visit to Pittsburgh in his young career this weekend, five years after the Pirates signed him for $130,000 out of the Dominican Republic during the International Signing Period.
PiratesFest was the reason for the visit, with numerous Pirates players of the past, present and of the future came to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh.
Valdez was one of the few players that hasn't featured for the Pirates yet, but is someone that fans are excited to see in the future, as they met him at PiratesFest, took photos with him and got some autographs as well.
Thank you fans see you soon 🌉🏴☠️ pic.twitter.com/DtrYvnGp0Z
— Esmerlyn Valdez (@Valdezesmerlyn7) January 25, 2026
The Pirates prospect was ecstatic to finally get to Pittsburgh, despite the brutal winter conditions, and be in the city he hopes he'll call home in the future.
Valdez posted a video to Twitter coming out of the tunnel and onto the Fort Pitt Bridge, where he saw Downtown Pittsburgh, but also PNC Park too.
“It’s amazing," Valdez said through interpreter Stephen Morales. "Took a video, posted it on Twitter and I just visualize myself playing here at some point this year."
Remembering Esmerlyn Valdez's 2025 Season
Valdez had shown promise in previous years, but his 2025 campaign displayed exactly what the Pirates wanted out of him when they signed him.
He started at High-A Greensboro, serving as one of the best prospects in the South Atlantic League. He slashed .303/.385/.592 for an OPS of .977 in 72 games, with 84 hits, 18 doubles, one triple, 20 home runs, 57 RBI and 31 walks to his 77 strikeouts.
Valdez led the South Atlantic League in seven statistical categories at the time of his promotion to Double-A Altoona on July 1, including hits, home runs, RBI, batting average, slugging percentage and OPS, plus ranking tied for first in doubles and 11th in on-base percentage.
He also joined teammate in shortstop Konnor Griffin, the top prospect in baseball, at the Futures Game, two players Pirates fans can't wait to see play next season.
Valdez played in 51 games for Altoona in 2025, slashing .260/.363/.409 for an OPS of .772, with 47 hits in 181 at-bats, seven doubles, one triple, six home runs, 29 RBI and 25 walks to 53 strikeouts.
His play bolstered the Curve late in the season, as they won the Eastern League West Division Second Half Title, earning a spot in the playoffs.
Valdez also just set a franchise record for the Curve, driving in five RBIs in an 11-5 comeback, playoff win over the Erie Seawolves, the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, at Peoples Natural Gas Field on Sept. 16.
He finished his 2025 season, slashing .286/.376/.520 for an OPS of .896 in 123 games, 131 hits, 25 doubles, two triples, 26 home runs, 86 RBIs and 56 walks to 130 strikeouts.
Valdez earned honors for his play, including South Atlantic League MVP for his time in Greensboro and the Willie Stargell Slugger of the Year, given to the best minor league power hitter in the Pirates' farm system.
Valdez Continues Great Play Into Arizona Fall League
His play didn't stop with the Pirates, as he also had a fantastic showing in the Arizona Fall League with the Salt River Rafters.
Valdez slashed .368/.513/.842 for an OPS of 1.355 in 19 AFL games, with 19 runs scored, 21 hits, three doubles, eight home runs, 27 RBIs and 19 walks to 12 strikeouts.
He led the AFL in home runs, three more than the next two players at five home runs each, while also having the most RBI and the best slugging percentage.
Valdez ranked second in OPS and total bases (48), tied for fifth in walks and on-base percentage, sixth in batting average, tied for eighth in runs scored and tied for 17th in hits.
“Yeah. It felt really good and I just went there with the mentality of earned trust, earned my spot and represented the Pirates real well,” Valdez said on his time down in Arizona.
This great play from Valdez placed him in both the Arizona Fall League Home Run Derby on Nov. 8 and the All-Star Game, dubbed the Fall StarsGame on Nov. 9, both at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz.
Valdez finished second in the Home Run Derby with 16 home runs and 23 points to fellow Pirates prospect and Salt River teammate, Tony Blanco Jr., who won the competition with 24 home runs and 32 points.
He also started for the National League in the Fall Stars Game in right field, serving as the sole Pirates representative.
Valdez earned Arizona Fall League Offensive Player of the Year honors at the end of the season, given to the best hitter.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.