This story was excerpted from Alex Stumpf’s Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The Pirates turned their attention to the farm system this week, recognizing the top performing prospects for Minor League awards. Most of these players have been covered this year or will have more coverage in the near future, but first, let’s run down the award winners.

The temperature isn't the only thing that's been heating up in the desert with Week 2 of the Arizona Fall League in the books. After a shortened opening week -- due to rain from Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm Raymond, which forced the cancellation of several games -- players appeared

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- There is no professional hitter currently hotter than Esmerlyn Valdez. The Pirates’ 21-year-old outfield prospect hammered two more home runs Sunday during Salt River’s 11-3 win over Glendale at Goodyear Ballpark, giving him seven roundtrippers in eight games. He’s 10-for-20 during his time in the Arizona Fall

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – If Tony Blanco Jr. hits came with a tagline, it would likely be that while he may not collect them often, when he does, they’re hit extremely hard. And go incredibly far.

For some players, the Arizona Fall League can act like a last-chance saloon. The AFL is known widely as a showcase circuit, providing opportunity for some of the game’s best prospects to get in more work before the offseason begins. It’s also a shot for Minor Leaguers with upcoming Rule

This story was excerpted from Alex Stumpf's Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The 33rd season of the Arizona Fall League is a week old, and already, there are top prospects standing out amid the field of, well, top prospects. Here are the top performers from the first week of AFL action:

The Arizona Fall League is underway, offering a last look at Pirates prospects before 2025 wraps. We’ll be taking periodic looks at the Salt River Rafters throughout their season, but first, let’s break down three stories to watch. 1. Does Esmerlyn Valdez play himself onto the Pirates’ roster? Valdez was

The 2020 international signing period was delayed because of the pandemic, but once it opened in January of 2021, the Pirates got to work. They handed out 16 bonuses of six figures or higher, headlined by Shalin Polanco’s $2.35 million bonus. Close to the bottom of that bonus list was

ATLANTA -- As Termarr Johnson and Xzavion Curry walked out of Benjamin E. Mays High School’s main building earlier this week, students on the baseball team and cheerleading squad followed. Outside, a large truck sat at the curb. Johnson and Curry, two Mays High alums, stopped behind the truck and

As the 2025 Draft approached, there was general agreement that Mississippi high schooler Konnor Griffin likely had the best all-around set of raw tools in the entire class. But the emphasis was on raw. There were holes in his swing, some scouts said. That led to swing-and-miss concerns. Sure, he

The third annual MiLB Awards Show aired on MLB Network on Monday night with top prospects Konnor Griffin and Druw Jones on hand as hardware was handed out to the best of the best in the Minor Leagues during the 2025 season. If you missed the show, we’ve got you

ATLANTA -- Bubba Chandler was a Turner Field kid. Sure, he caught games at Truist Park when he was in high school, but when he reflects on those early years of watching his hometown Braves, he’s going to remember the team’s old stomping grounds and seeing his favorite players, like

This was a big year for top prospect promotions. Along with the dozens of Top 100 prospects to reach the Majors, four of the five that headlined MLB Pipeline's list at the beginning of the season were soon in the big leagues (Roki Sasaki, Roman Anthony, Dylan Crews, Jackson Jobe),

CINCINNATI -- Hunter Barco was recovering from Tommy John surgery when the Pirates selected him in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft. In ‘24, the southpaw had a “stress response” that likely would have been a fracture had it not been addressed. There’s a difference between missing time

PITTSBURGH -- Henry Davis went to Bubba Chandler pregame Saturday and told him how he wanted the rookie to attack the Athletics’ lineup. The recipe: Fastballs in the top of the zone. Chandler established that pitch early and often, striking out the side in the top of the first to

PITTSBURGH -- Isidro Cuevas was approached by a co-worker almost 20 years ago in need of a favor. The co-worker was on the board of the local Little League, and the league was short on kids. He knew Cuevas was married and asked if he had any kids who would

PITTSBURGH -- Rafael Flores was getting ready for his game against the Gwinnett Stripers when he got a text message from his manager at Triple-A Indianapolis, Shawn Bowman, telling him to go to the lobby. Bowman told him that he was getting scratched from the lineup. When Flores pushed back,

WASHINGTON -- Bubba Chandler tries not to linger on the negatives, but his first Major League start on Sunday demanded some reflection once he got home from the ballpark. He had three solid outings as a bulk reliever to start his career, but his first turn as a starter was

This story was excerpted from Alex Stumpf’s Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

BALTIMORE -- When the Pirates signed Edward Florentino as an international free agent in January of 2024, the projection was that 6-foot-4 teenager would eventually land at a corner outfield spot or first base. That tends to be the pathway for prospects who have the frame and a hit tool,

Baseball’s No. 1 prospect delivered a No. 1 moment.

As part of the Miracle League of Indiana County’s 10th anniversary celebration, Pirates Charities hosted a fantasy camp for approximately 50 Miracle League athletes on Saturday. The first thrill for the participants came upon arrival when they each saw a Pirates jersey with their name on the back adorning the