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Pittsburgh • #85 • OF

Esmerlyn Valdez

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Schedule

Preseason
vs
BOS
Sun, Mar 8
W 9-7
@
NYY
Mon, Mar 9
W 5-3
@
BAL
Wed, Mar 11
L 7-2
vs
ATL
Thu, Mar 12
W 5-2
@
DET
Fri, Mar 13
W 7-5
vs
BAL
Sat, Mar 14
W 8-6
Full Schedule
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Player Outlook
Esmerlyn Valdez clubbed 26 homers in 123 games across High-A and Double-A before hammering eight long balls in 19 Arizona Fall League games to cap his breakout campaign. The righty-hitting slugger who turns 22 this offseason is limited to left field and first base, so he'll need to really rake to get everyday playing time. Valdez had 19 walks and 12 strikeouts in the hitter-friendly AFL, and his contact rate and swinging-strike rate improved after his bump from High-A to Double-A, so he may be getting better as a pure hitter. He could be a 30-homer hitter who bats fourth or fifth for the Pirates and is just a slight batting average and OBP liability in fantasy, but he may spend most or all of 2026 honing his hitting chops in the upper levels of the minors.

Fantasy Stats

Year fpts
Fantasy Points
fpts/g
Fantasy Points per Game
r
Runs
hr
Home Runs
rbi
Runs Batted In
bb
Base on Balls (Walk)
sb
Stolen Bases
avg
Batting Average
2026 — — — — — — — .000
2025 — — — — — — — .000
2024 — — — — — — — .000
3y Avg. — — — — — — — .000
Full Career Stats

Fantasy News

  • Pirates' Esmerlyn Valdez: Dismissed from big-league camp

    Rotowire
    The Pirates optioned Valdez to Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday. Valdez was one of eight players dismissed from big-league camp in the Pirates' latest round of roster cuts. The Pirates added the 22-year-old corner outfielder to the 40-man roster over the winter after he slashed .286/.376/.520 with 26 home runs across 528 plate appearances between High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona in 2025.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Esmerlyn Valdez: Added to 40-man

    Rotowire
    The Pirates selected Valdez's contract from Double-A Altoona on Tuesday, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports. Valdez split his time between High-A and Double-A ball in 2025, slashing .284/.375/.521 with 27 homers, 87 RBI and 76 runs scored between the two levels. His impressive performance will grant him a place on Pittsburgh's 40-man roster heading into the 2026 campaign, but he's likely to begin the year at Double-A Altoona or Triple-A Indianapolis.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Pirates' Esmerlyn Valdez: Bumped to Double-A

    Rotowire
    Valdez is batting .182 with zero home runs and an 8:4 K:BB in 10 games since getting promoted from High-A Greensboro to Double-A Altoona on July 1. A righty-hitting corner bat who won't offer much defensive value, Valdez slashed .303/.385/.592 with 20 home runs, a 9.9 percent walk rate and a 24.5 percent strikeout rate in 72 games at High-A prior to his promotion. His 172 wRC+ ranks second among all qualified High-A hitters, behind Josue Briceno (180 wRC+). As a 21-year-old bat-first player, Valdez will be expected to do plenty of damage at Double-A over the rest of the season.
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