The Pittsburgh Pirates are nonetheless hovering across the .500 mark and on the fringes of playoff rivalry regardless of an underperforming pitching employees and a few issues across the manufacturing from Paul Skenes. The most important purpose they’re nonetheless aggressive is an offense that has been among the best in baseball and exceeded all preseason expectations.
Proper now there’s a shocking rookie serving to to drive that offensive surge, and it’s not 20-year-old sensation Konnor Griffin.
It’s a rookie who was not even actually on the radar when the season started. It’s outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez.
He has been so good via his first 19 video games that it has put him into some uncommon firm in recent times.
Esmerlyn Valdez having unimaginable begin to profession for Pirates
When the 2026 season started, the expectation was that Griffin, the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball, might need been the largest breakout star in Pittsburgh. And whereas he has been glorious and a difference-maker when he’s within the lineup, it has recently been Valdez that has been making one of many greatest impacts on the roster.
So massive, in truth, that solely a handful of gamers his age have been this good to open their careers.
He went 2-for-4 with three RBI in Thursday’s 6-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, bringing his season totals to a .316 common, six residence runs, 11 extra-base hits, 15 RBI and a 1.112 OPS.
At one level this previous week he hit a house run in 4 consecutive video games to assist carry his numbers as much as that degree.
Over the previous 10 years solely a really small handful of gamers his age (22) have been that good to open their careers.
