The Pittsburgh Pirates’ offense in 2025 was abysmal, to say the least. They had the third-worst batting average, the second-worst wRC+, and the worst (clears throat) slugging percentage, OPS, wOBA, and home run total in the game. They were just the 27th team in baseball history, and the sixth since integration, to have a team ERA+ of at least 110 and a win percentage under 45% (not including 2020).
However, the Pirates’ fortunes may finally see a turnaround over the next two MLB seasons, as it appears they have some legit hitters on the horizon. Their top prospects' results in the Arizona Fall League have only further emboldened this viewpoint.
The most obvious name to mention is Konnor Griffin. The 2024 first-round pick has become the consensus number one prospect in all of baseball after he hit .333/.415/.527 with a .437 wOBA and 165 wRC+ over the course of 563 plate appearances. Griffin provided plenty of power, with 21 home runs and an isolated slugging percentage just under .200 at .194. He also had a respectable 8.9% walk rate, with a K% of just 21.7%.
In addition to his work with the bat, he was always a threat to steal in 2025, going 65-for-78 in stolen base attempts. Griffin may have started the year at A-Ball Bradenton, but ended the season at Double-A Altoona, where he had a 175 wRC+ in the 98 plate appearance sample size before the season came to its conclusion. He could very well make a massive impression in 2026.
Another prospect the Pirates recently added via the first round of the draft is Termarr Johnson. The second baseman ended 2025 with a .272/.363/.382 triple-slash at Altoona. The most promising part of Johnson’s season was his 18.5% K%. He had previously struggled with strikeouts earlier in his minor league career, so to cut his K% down below 20% was a massive step in the right direction. He did that while still walking 11.7% of the time.
The only real downside to Johnson’s season was his nine home runs in 503 plate appearances, and .111 isolated slugging mark. However, he still has above-average raw power that will ideally translate in games more often moving forward. Overall, Johnson was a well-above-average producer, with a .348 wOBA and 119 wRC+.
There's hope on the horizon for the Pirates' lineup.
A third teammate who played with Johnson and Griffin at Altoona was Esmerlyn Valdez. Valdez turned in a strong .286/.376/.520 line in 529 plate appearances between Greensboro and Altoona. Known for his power, Valdez went yard 26 times, with a .234 isolated slugging percentage. The slugger walked in 10.6% of his trips to the dish, and struck out 24.6% of the time. While his K% may not seem great on the surface, it was a significant improvement from the 30.6% rate he put up at Bradenton last year.
Now, he is wrecking havoc in the Arizona Fall League. It has only been eight games and 35 plate appearances, and Valdez has ten hits - seven of which have been home runs - alongside only three strikeouts and 13 walks. This has only made his 2025 campaign more promising than it already was.
While he may take until 2027 to make his MLB debut, Edward Florentino is on a similar fast track to the majors. The outfield prospect appeared in 83 games with 351 plate appearances between the Florida Complex League and A-Ball Bradenton, putting up an outstanding .290/.400/.538 line, .442 wOBA, and 159 wRC+. He slugged 16 home runs with an ISO of .259.
On top of that, Florentino was just as much of a threat to steal as Griffin, with 35 stolen bases in 41 attempts. His 14% walk rate was great, with the only minor blemish being his 22.2% K%. This was only his age-18 season, and 2025 was also Griffin’s age-19 season. The youth movement is in full effect. Florentino is now appearing on top 100 prospect lists, and may take a similar path to the majors as Griffin.
Then there’s Tony Blanco Jr. Blanco Jr. is even further away from the bigs than Florentino, but has looked great in 2025. He spent most of his year at A-Ball Bradenton, where he hit .264/.369/.491 with a 135 wRC+ through 125 plate appearances. Blanco Jr. has some of the best raw power in the minor leagues, regularly putting up exit velocities north of 100 MPH.
He has joined Valdez in the AFL this offseason, and already has seven hits with five walks in 22 plate appearances. One of his hits, a double, was a 120 MPH batted ball. There’s clear swing-and-miss in Blanco Jr.’s game, with a 33.6% K% and 43.1% whiff rate, but if he can make contact just slightly more frequently, Blanco Jr. could be another massive power threat for the Bucs.
Some of these players were among the best hitters in the minor leagues. Florentino had the seventh-best OPS among minor league hitters with 350+ plate appearances, while Griffin came in 12th. Florentino and Griffin ranked sixth and seventh in wOBA as well. Griffin had the second-best wRC+, behind just Detroit Tigers top prospect Kevin McGonigle. However, Florentino and Valdez were not far behind, at sixth and 11th, respectively. Meanwhile, Blanco Jr. had the third best exit velocity among A-Ball hitters with at least 100 plate appearances, clocking in at 93.5 MPH.
The Pirates even have some bats they should let carry on their MLB roster to start 2026, like Rafael Flores and Nick Yorke. While they may not be as highly touted as Griffin, Valdez, Johnson, or Florentino, they’re still noteworthy minor leaguers.
This isn’t an excuse for the Pirates not to go out and try to improve the current lineup via free agents and trades, but it's worth noting that the future of the Pirates’ order seems much brighter than it did even just a few years ago.