The stock of Pirates prospect Esmerlyn Valdez is at an all time high after his incredible stretch in the Arizona Fall League.
Valdez was one of the most dominant hitters in the AFL this season, showing early success as he earned a top performer nod in the opening week of the league. The success would continue as the weeks went on, and when it was all said and done Valdez was named the Offensive Player of the Year in the AFL. He finished his time in Arizona with eight homers, 27 RBIs, with a slash
line of .368/.513/.842 and 48 total bases.
The 21-year-old prospect led the league in home runs, having three more than the next two players. Valdez also led the AFL in slugging percentage and RBIs. He was also the only Pirates prospect to be named to the All-Arizona Fall League Team. Valdez would also be selected to play in the AFL All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby.
With his strong performance in the AFL, and impressive regular season with Greensboro and Altoona, Valdez was added to the Pirates 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 Draft. He ended the year with 26 homers, 86 RBIs, and a .286 batting average. Valdez was named the organization’s Willie Stargell Minor League Slugger of the Year.
Valdez certainly turned heads in 2025, and with the Pirates looking to be more explosive in 2026, he may have a real shot at seeing some playing time in Pittsburgh next season. The team is in dire need of some offensive firepower, and Valdez has one of the best bats of any one coming up through the farm system. It is not outside of the realm of possibility that Valdez gets a shot to compete for a big league roster spot in Spring Training. Adding him to the 40-man roster is a vote of confidence.
Esmerlyn Valdez is currently the Pirates number 15 highest rated prospect.
