Pittsburgh Pirates turn Dominican prospect Esmerlyn Valdez into playoff power hitter

Scout Victor Santana first saw 13‑year‑old Esmerlyn Valdez in Baní, Dominican Republic, in 2017. Impressed by his bat speed, Santana filed the Pirates’ initial scouting report on March 9 2019 in Davie, Florida, when Valdez was 15. Two years later the club signed the youngster for a $30,000 bonus.

After joining a baseball academy run by former MLB player Wilkin Ramírez, Valdez left his family in San Juan de la Maguana to pursue a major‑league career. He now bats fourth for the Pittsburgh Pirates, having hit 14 home runs in 41 games with a 1.035 OPS, helping the team’s push for a postseason berth.