This season was a whirlwind for the Pittsburgh Pirates and their minor league system. The club opened the year with extensive concerns surrounding their minor league offensive core, as their struggles to develop legitimate big-league bats continued to be a pressing issue.
However, as the season began, the offensive core in the system completely changed. From the rise of Konnor Griffin and Esmerlyn Valdez to surprising seasons from players like Duce
Gourson, the team suddenly found itself in possession of plenty of interesting prospects.
The pitching staff followed suit, also producing multiple breakout arms across all levels. Brandon Bidois, Connor Wietgrefe, and others were in this group of pitchers who took a huge step forward. This inevitably gave the Pirates even more pitching depth to lean on moving forward.
Now that the season is over, it’s time for us to look back and give each of these players their flowers. We’ve created two All-MiLB teams to highlight these top performers. From the system’s stars to underrated sluggers, these teams truly cover all the bases.
Let’s dive in and meet the Bucco Bantr All-MiLB First Team.
Editor's Note: This team excludes any player who made their MLB Debut during the 2025
season.
Catcher: Omar Alfonzo
2025 Stats: 477 PA, 14 HR, 56 RBI, 2 SB, .243/.354/.396, 119 wRC+
After signing with the Pirates out of Venezuela back in 2019, Omar Alfonzo has quietly become one of the more underrated hitters in the system. This year, Alfonzo took things to another level, putting up arguably his most impressive season to date.
This season was a tale of two stories for Alfonzo. He began the year posting an incredibly
impressive 141 wRC+ in High-A Greensboro before struggling to adjust to Double-A pitching following a promotion. Alfonzo still managed to garner a lot of attention this year with his loud barrels ringing through every level.
Thanks to his performance in Greensboro, Alfonzo finished the regular season with a wRC+ of 119. This was the best mark for a catcher who spent the entire season in the Pirates’ affiliated levels, an accomplishment that earned him the catcher position on our All-MiLB First Team.
First Base: Nick Cimillo
2025 Stats: 455 PA, 20 HR, 71 RBI, 5 SB, .239/.319/.474, 126 wRC+
uring the 2024 season, the breakout of Nick Cimillo was a very fun story to keep a close eye
on in the lower levels of the minor leagues. Despite his excellence in Greensboro, Cimillo
struggled to make the transition to Double-A Altoona, leading him back there to begin the 2025
season. This time, though, he became the team’s Most Valuable Player.
For the second straight season, Cimillo slugged 20 or more home runs. His final total ended up
being the fourth-best mark in the club’s minor league system, only sitting one home run shy of
the second-place crown. Also, out of all non-debuted first basemen in the system with at least
200 plate appearances, Nick Cimillo’s 126 wRC+ was the best mark.
To put it simply, Cimillo raked throughout his age-25 season. If the Altoona Curve hadn’t found
themselves in a playoff run, there’s a very good chance he would’ve ended up finishing the year
at Triple-A. Cimillo’s performance left no room for debate for this position on our All-MiLB team.
Second Base: Termarr Johnson
2025 Stats: 503 PA, 9 HR, 35 RBI, 20 SB, .272/.363/.382, 119 wRC+
As a result of being picked fourth overall by the Pirates back in 2022, high expectations have
been placed on second baseman Termarr Johnson. Now at Double-A, Johnson has inched
closer and closer to meeting these expectations, and this season was yet another reason why.
After finishing the 2024 season with a shorter stint in Double-A Altoona, Termarr Johnson
headed back to the level with vengeance. He became one of the Curve’s best on-base threats,
as his on-base percentage shot up nearly 50 points from his stint there last season. He also
looked more and more comfortable as the season went on, even recording a 12-game on-base
streak in September.
Johnson’s offensive profile still has a little way to go before he fully reaches his full potential, but
this season was another big step in the right direction. It truly seems like the Bucs can count on
Johnson to become the player they initially imagined, which is huge news for the future of the
club.
Third Base: Duce Gourson
2025 Stats: 392 PA, 10 HR, 38 RBI, 10 SB, .275/.370/.439, 135 wRC+
This season included many surprising breakout performances from hitters in the Pirates’
system, but arguably the biggest came in the form of third baseman Duce Gourson, who took a
massive step forward offensively. The former ninth-rounder became one of the most
well-rounded hitters in the entire system during his 2025 campaign.
Between two levels, Gourson recorded the fifth-best wRC+ among non-debuted Pirate minor
leaguers with at least 200 plate appearances, a huge sign of his success. His .370 on-base
percentage also ranked near the top of the minor league leaderboards, another sign of his
offensive versatility. He regularly barrels balls into the gap as well, a quality that’ll be very
valuable moving up the system.
After watching Gourson play during his time in Altoona this season, he quickly became one of
my favorite hitters to watch in the system. His ability to regularly put up good swings and hard
contact against very good arms is super valuable. We may even see Gourson begin the season
at Triple-A next year, adding another level to his rise to the top.
Shortstop: Konnor Griffin
2025 Stats: 563 PA, 21 HR, 94 RBI, 65 SB, .333/.415/.527, 165 wRC+
When it comes to the best minor league seasons in recent memory, it’s tough to ignore the
season Konnor Griffin just had. The 19-year-old shot through three levels, quickly becoming a
consensus top two prospect in the sport. No level seemed like a challenge for Griffin, as he ran
away with the title of the best player in the Pirates’ minor league system.
Griffin was one of four qualified minor league hitters in affiliated levels to post a wRC+ above
160. He did this while flashing elite power and some of the best speed in the minor leagues, in
addition to being named the Pirates’ top minor league defender. Oh yeah, Griffin did this at
shortstop too, arguably his weakest position defensively.
There truly aren’t enough words to describe the season Griffin had, as I could preach about his
excellent season for hours on end. If he can come out of Spring Training hitting like this again,
there’s a very good chance that Griffin’s big league debut could come shortly after he turns 20
years old.
Left Field: Esmerlyn Valdez
2025 Stats: 529 PA, 26 HR, 86 RBI, 3 SB, .286/.376/.520, 156 wRC+
If it weren’t for the rise of Konnor Griffin, left fielder Esmerlyn Valdez would easily be the biggest
breakout performer in the Pirates’ minor league system during the 2025 season. The
21-year-old was one of the best hitters in all of the minor leagues, as he handled both High-A
and Double-A with ease, raking everywhere he went.
Valdez ranked inside the top 20 minor league hitters with at least 200 plate appearances in
wRC+, joining some very elite company along the way. His 20 homers in just 72 High-A games
were enough to earn him the South Atlantic League MVP Award as well, speaking to the level of
dominance he played at during the regular season. Following the end of the regular season,
Valdez became arguably the best hitter in the Arizona Fall League, including a stretch so good
he drew comparisons to Barry Bonds.
This season simply couldn’t have gone better for Valdez, as he cemented himself as a legitimate
part of the club’s future. He entered the season as an underrated slugger and left the season as
one of the top sluggers in all of the minor leagues, a wild rise for just one season.
Center Field: Will Taylor
2025 Stats: 398 PA, 14 HR, 62 RBI, 23 SB .262/.373/.458, 138 wRC+
After being selected by the Pirates in the fifth round of the 2024 MLB Draft, Will Taylor had fans
excited. He had just finished off a stellar career for the Clemson Tigers, and he came with
tremendous athletic upside. This year, in his first full professional minor league season, Taylor
put all of his tools on full display.
aylor began the season returning to Low-A Bradenton after a short stint during his draft
season, but he didn’t last long. He quickly posted a wRC+ above 170 in just under 30 games,
leading the Pirates to send him to High-A. With the Grasshoppers, Taylor’s dominance
continued, as he showed flashes of power, speed, and a solid eye down the stretch.
The Pirates honestly couldn’t have asked for a better first year for Will Taylor, as he’s part of an
outfield that’s shaping up to be one of the more intriguing parts of the club’s future. He’ll likely
head to Double-A Altoona to start the 2026 season, where he’ll continue to put his tools on full
display.
Right Field: Edward Florentino
2025 Stats: 351 PA, 16 HR, 59 RBI, 35 SB, .290/.400/.548, 159 wRC+
When the Pirates inked Edward Florentino to a deal just shy of $400k during last year’s
international signing period, he looked like a raw, physical talent. Little did they know, Florentino
would have one of the biggest rises in the entire system during the 2025 campaign, going from
a little-known slugger to a consensus top 100 prospect.
Although he started his season tearing through the Florida Complex League, the 18-year-old
began to really draw people’s attention during his stint in Low-A Bradenton. In just 54 games,
Florentino slugged 10 homers, stole 29 bases, and posted a wRC+ over 140. He finished the
season with the second-highest wRC+ in the Bucs’ minor league system to Konnor Griffin and
ahead of Esmerlyn Valdez, which really shows just how impressive his campaign really was.
Florentino flashed a unique blend of speed, power, and contact this season, a blend that the
Pirates have really begun to latch onto. If it weren’t for an injury near the end of the season, he
likely would’ve earned a shot in Greensboro for the final weeks of the season. Instead, we’ll
have to look forward to how far he’ll rise in 2026.
Designated Hitter: Tony Blanco Jr.
2025 Stats: 125 PA, 7 HR, 21 RBI, 0 SB, .264/.368/.491, 135 wRC+
One of the trickiest parts of evaluating minor league talent is trying to judge players who
possess an incredibly elite tool, but struggle outside of that. One of the biggest examples of this
is Tony Blanco Jr., a player with tremendous power who often struggles to keep his strikeouts in
check.
Although he only ended up playing in 28 games, Blanco’s first year outside of the Complex
Leagues couldn’t have gone better. He showcased his plus-plus power to new levels, hitting
seven home runs in this same span. He also touched exit velocities upwards of 122.9 MPH
(yes, you read that correctly), a number that sent shockwaves around the league when he
reached it.
For Blanco, the main key to his success will be avoiding strikeouts and improving his hit tool. If
he can lower his strikeout rate to even under 28%, watch out, because he has a chance to be
one of the league’s most prolific power threats.
Starting Pitcher #1: Antwone Kelly
2025 Stats: 25 GS, 107.1 IP, 3.02 ERA, 2.89 FIP, 9.73 K/9, 2.77 BB/9
Seemingly every season now, the Pirates end up producing at least one arm who comes out of
nowhere and rises to the top of the prospect rankings by the end of the season. Although he
didn’t quite leap this far, righty Antwone Kelly made massive improvements this season, quickly
becoming one of the more intriguing arms in the system.
The first indication that this year would be special for the 21-year-old was his massive jump in
velocity and lack of walks. He gained multiple ticks on his fastball, now touching triple-digits as
opposed to the low-mid 90s. Due to this, Kelly managed to post an ERA just a touch over 3.00
in over 100 innings of work between High-A and Double-A.
For any pitcher, this type of rise is a huge sign of things to come, but it’s even more impressive
to see him improve this much in such a small sample size. His ERA this season was 1.41 lower
than last year, a steep improvement to say the least. If he can continue this dominance next
season, he’ll likely give the club yet another legitimate weapon on the bump.
Starting Pitcher #2: Connor Wietgref
During the Ben Cherington era in Pittsburgh, the Pirates have had a tendency to regularly draft
college arms who might be just a few tweaks away from becoming legitimate weapons in
affiliated ball. In 2024, this arm was Connor Wietgrefe, a left-hander who flew up the system this
summer.
Wietgrefe appeared in Low-A, High-A, and Double-A this season, with his skillset being most
dominant in High-A Greensboro. He pitched to a 3.17 ERA across 108 innings, a super
impressive jump considering he only made six appearances in Low-A prior to this. The most
impressive part of his stint was that he only allowed 11 homers in this span, a number that sticks
out due to the hitter-friendly nature of First National Bank Field.
Although he has yet to throw more than 130 total innings of professional baseball, Wietgrefe is
already looking like one of the Pirates’ better picks from the 2024 MLB Draft. If he can continue
this dominance in Double-A next season, he’ll be a name to keep a close eye on.
Starting Pitcher #3: Wilber Dotel
2025 Stats: 27 GS, 125.2 IP, 4.15 ERA, 3.89 FIP, 9.38 K/9, 3.08 BB/9
Following the trend of the other two starting pitchers to make our All-MiLB First Team,
right-hander Wilber Dotel entered this season as a relatively unknown fireballer. However,
thanks to the addition of a nasty splitter, Dotel left the season as one of the best starting pitchers
in the club’s minor leagues.
Across 27 starts this season for the Double-A Altoona Curve, Dotel recorded 131 strikeouts
while regularly touching triple-digits on the mound. Thanks to his elite velocity and sharp
breaking balls, his strikeout total finished just 11 shy of the Curve’s single-season record set by
Ian Snell in 2004. He also kept free passes in check, regularly allowing the Curve to stay
competitive in games.
Although he struggles to keep the ball in the yard at times, Dotel is worth keeping an eye on
simply for the stuff alone. He was one of the brightest stars in the Curve’s rotation this year, and
a huge reason that they snapped their seven-year playoff drought.
Reliever #1: Brandan Bidois
2025 Stats: 40 G, 61.0 IP, 0.74 ERA, 2.44 FIP, 10.18 K/9, 3.98 BB/9
Even though the Pittsburgh Pirates had numerous breakouts on the pitching side of things this
season, no pitcher shone brighter than right-hander Brandan Bidois did this season. Bidois, a
native of Brisbane, Australia, just had one of the best minor league relief seasons the Pirates
have seen in years, and he didn’t get enough credit for it.
Bidois spent the majority of his 2025 season between High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A, and he
never really seemed to be challenged by opposing hitters. He never allowed a single home run
during his 61 innings of play, one of the most impressive aspects of his game. At one point,
Bidois went over a month and a half without allowing a hit, a mind-blowing metric.
Although he doesn’t get nearly enough credit due to the fact that he was a reliever, Bidois has a
legitimate argument for the most impressive pitching season in the Pirates’ system. At this rate,
he’ll be dominating big league hitters in no time.
Reliever #2: Wilkin Ramos
2025 Stats: 47 G, 64.2 IP, 2.64 ERA, 2.94 FIP, 9.46 K/9, 3.34 BB/9
Brandon Bidois wasn’t the only right-handed reliever who had a big 2025 season, as Wilkin
Ramos was very good between two levels this season. For Ramos, this season was even more
important now that he’s now a minor league free agent, and he has a lot of leverage in
negotiations.
Ramos spent the majority of his 2025 season in Double-A, where he was most dominant. He
was a key part of the Curve’s bullpen, as his 1.45 ERA in just under 50 innings was a key part of
the team’s ability to stay in close games. He did struggle a little following a promotion to
Triple-A, but his numbers were inflated due to an outing on August 31st where he allowed five
runs in relief. Outside of that, Ramos continued to be a reliable arm down the stretch.
Although it’s unclear what the future holds for Ramos now that he’s a free agent, the 24-year-old
would definitely be worth bringing back if he has interest. He did a great job at providing stable
relief innings all year long, which is super valuable to any team
