In the first inning of Friday’s Bradenton contest, Esmerlyn Valdez hit an inside the park grand slam.
The Pirates signed Valdez in early 2021 as an international free agent, and he arrived in the US after one year in the DSL. Last year, in his second season in the FCL, Valdez hit .312/.377/.518 with six homers.
He’s a bat-first prospect, spending his time in the field between the corner outfield spots and first base. Valdez is batting .273/.389/.477 with four homers this season. His 33 strikeouts in 108 plate appearances (30.6%) is a concern, but Valdez is a 20-year-old getting on base at a high rate and hitting for power in the low levels.