Every Pittsburgh Pirates fan is anticipating Konnor Griffin’s MLB debut. He is the consensus number one prospect in all of baseball, and is coming off a phenomenal first pro season. He is receiving praise that very few prospects have ever gotten. While he is the most anticipated debut of 2026, there are plenty of other young players in the Pirates’ system that have a chance to also make an impact in 2026. They all have the chance of serving an important role on the Bucs this season.
Esmerlyn Valdez
Esmerlyn Valdez had a breakout 2024 season, where he clubbed 22 home runs and put up a quality 131 wRC+ at Bradenton. That earned him a promotion to Greensboro to open 2025, and he utterly obliterated pitching at High-A. He slashed .303/.385/.592 with a .448 wOBA and 176 wRC+. It took Valdez just 314 plate appearances to hit 20 home runs. That power output led to a .289 isolated slugging percentage. Valdez cut his K% down from over 30% at Bradenton to only 24.5% at Greensboro. He also drew a free pass 9.9% of the time.
While Valdez’s numbers dipped after he was promoted to Double-A Altoona, he still turned in a solid line. Valdez slashed .260/.363/.409, leading to a 120 wRC+ over 215 plate appearances. He continued to strikeout less than a quarter of the time, with a 24.7% K%, and upped his walk rate to 11.6%. Plus, his contact rate went from 71.4% to 74.1% between the two levels. He didn’t hit for nearly as much power at Double-A as he did at High-A, however his .149 ISO was still 19 percentage points better than the Eastern League league average.
Valdez also eventually found his groove. He put up an outstanding .875 OPS, .399 wOBA, and 152 wRC+ throughout his final 136 plate appearances of the season. Keep in mind that Valdez did this while only in his age-21 season. Valdez was also hitting for more pop, with a .161 ISO. He was the 22nd youngest batter at all of the Double-A level with at least 200 plate appearances.
The Pirates added Valdez to the 40-man roster this offseason to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. That’s another step closer to making his MLB debut. Valdez certainly has the power the Pirates could use, and he is steadily making more contact to go with it. The right-handed slugger could be a corner outfield/first base option for the Bucs sometime during the summer if he continues to improve as he reaches Triple-A.
Duce Gourson
Duce Gourson was a ninth round pick by the Pirates in 2024. His strong ability to draw walks and get on base at UCLA carried over to the minor leagues in 2025. He saw time at both High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona last season. While it was his first full season as a pro ball player, you couldn’t have asked for a better start to his career. If he continues to hit anything like he did in 2025, you might see him in the Major Leagues at some point in 2026.
Over 392 plate appearances, Gourson batted .275/.370/.439 with a .377 wOBA, and 135 wRC+. Gourson’s power output was about league average, with ten home runs and a .165 ISO. He had a 22.7% K%, and saw an uptick in strikeouts going from High-A (16.9%) to Double-A (27%). On the plus side, he maintained a healthy 10.2% BB% at both levels. Gourson used his on-base ability to its fullest potential, going 31-for-33 in stolen base attempts.
Gourson played three of the four infield positions in 2025. Most of his playing time came at third base, but he also saw 163 innings at second base, and 153.2 innings at first base. Gourson also played some shortstop throughout college. He has the arm to play on the left side of the infield. He isn’t considered an elite defender, but an average glove at multiple positions.
Gourson is going into his age-23 season. He has a chance to open the year at Triple-A Indianapolis. After all, his numbers barely budged going from Greensboro to Altoona, and he spent more of his season at Double-A than High-A. Even if he opens the year at Double-A, a hot start could get him to Indianapolis early in the year, and continued hitting may lead to a promotion to MLB later in the season.
Antwone Kelly
Antwone Kelly is one of the many talented pitching prospects in the Pirates’ system. Last year, Kelly took a major step forward in his development. He added weight and velocity, and it resulted in some dominant numbers. The right-hander split his year between Greensboro and Altoona, and given how good the Pirates have become at developing hurlers, he could be an option for the Pirates’ pitching staff this year.
Over 107.1 innings in 2025, Kelly owned a 3.02 ERA, a 2.89 FIP, and a 1.06 WHIP. Kelly previously struggled with control, but only had a 7.7% walk rate. He paired that with an excellent 27.2% strikeout percentage. His 19.5% K-BB% was the 26th best among the 288 minor league pitchers who threw at least 100 innings. Plus, Kelly had an outstanding 0.50 HR/9 ratio.
Kelly went from sitting 94.2 MPH in 2024 up to 97 MPH in 2025, and reached 101 MPH. With above-average movement, it’s one of the best fastballs in the Pirates’ system. He’ll also throw an upper-80s slider, with a change-up with similar velocity. According to Baseball America, he used to throw a cutter, but sidelined that for his slider. They also like his ability to locate, projecting him with above-average control.
Kelly is now on the Pirates’ 40-man roster, as they protected him from the Rule 5 draft. He pitched well enough at Altoona to at least warrant consideration to start the year at Triple-A. While the Pirates already have a ton of pitching, Kelly has some impressive stuff that could help him break onto the Major League roster in 2026.
