What Can the Pirates Expect from Esmerlyn Valdez?
The Pirates system previously faced a significant issue with a lack of impactful hitting prospects before 2025.
Esmerlyn Valdez has emerged as a promising talent, unexpectedly becoming a slugging stud worth watching.
A positive aspect of Ben Cherington's tenure as the Pittsburgh Pirates' general manager is the development of talented arms throughout the system.
Prior to the 2025 season, the Pirates' system was predominantly composed of top-end pitching talent, with a notable lack of impactful hitting prospects.
However, during the 2025 season, the team's offensive prospects made substantial progress, addressing the previous imbalance.
Esmerlyn Valdez has come out of nowhere as a slugging stud worth watching.
Author's Resumen: Pirates' system has improved with Valdez emerging.