Pirates News: All-Star Futures Game, Dominic Fletcher opt-out, Tommy Pham

The Pittsburgh Pirates will have two representatives in this year’s MLB All-Star Futures Game, with right-hander Seth Hernandez and outfielder Edward Florentino selected to participate July 12 at Citizens Bank Park.

Hernandez is the headliner after climbing to No. 7 on MLB Pipeline’s updated top-100 prospects list. The 20-year-old right-hander, drafted sixth overall in 2025, became this season's first Minor League pitcher to reach 100 strikeouts last week and has posted a 2.02 ERA across 14 starts between Low-A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro. He ranks second in Minor League Baseball in strikeouts while holding opponents to a MiLB-best .159 batting average.

Florentino, ranked No. 32 on MLB Pipeline’s list, gives Pittsburgh another high-upside representative. The 19-year-old outfielder has an .807 OPS with 10 home runs, 38 RBI and 42 walks across 53 games across Bradenton and Greensboro this season, continuing his rise after being named the Pirates’ Rookie Level Player of the Year in 2025.

Pirates' Dominic Fletcher exercises opt-out clause, hits minor league free agency

Pirates outfielder Dominic Fletcher exercised the opt-out clause in his minor league contract on July 1, the first day he was eligible to do so, according to FanSided's Robert Murray.

Fletcher signed with Pittsburgh during the offseason as a non-roster invitee to spring training and spent most of the year at Triple-A Indianapolis. The 28-year-old brought previous big league experience to the organization, having appeared in 112 games over parts of three MLB seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago White Sox.

Fletcher's departure isn't particularly surprising, given that he hadn't received a major league opportunity with the Pirates despite being signed as experienced outfield depth. Pittsburgh added several players on minor league deals over the winter with the idea that they could serve as reinforcements if injuries hit the big league roster.

Now, Fletcher will look for a better path elsewhere and a chance to return to the majors with another organization in 2026.

Former Pirates outfielder Tommy Pham signs minor league deal with Phillies

Journeyman outfielder Tommy Pham is getting another opportunity with a National League contender — and it happens to be the one the Pirates are visiting this week.

The Philadelphia Phillies have reached a minor league agreement with Pham, giving the 38-year-old a new landing spot after short stints with the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles organizations earlier this season. The deal includes a July 25 opt-out clause.

Pham posted a .700 OPS across 120 games for the Pirates last season. That production wasn't enough to land him a Major League deal over the winter, but Philadelphia’s injury situation could create a clearer path back to the big leagues. The Phillies are without Adolis García for multiple months and Johan Rojas for the season, leaving them searching for outfield depth ahead of the trade deadline.

Pham is no longer the impact bat he once was, but the Phillies are taking a low-risk swing on experience. Pirates fans know the profile well: a veteran right-handed bat who can still grind out at-bats, but whose best days are behind him.

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