Meet the Pirates rookie whose historic power numbers have pushed Pittsburgh into playoff contention

In no one's wildest dreams would the Pirates have been expected to rank second in all of baseball in runs per game more than halfway into the season.

Known for years as a team that simply couldn't provide run support for its pitchers, the Pirates went out this offseason in search of offensive upgrades and did a nice job finding them, between Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn. Coupled with a resurgent season by Bryan Reynolds and the arrival of top prospect Konnor Griffin, the results have been exactly what Pittsburgh wanted.

As the Pirates try to make a run for their first postseason berth in more than a decade, however, it's a much more obscure name leading the charge.

Esmerlyn Valdez, a 22-year-old rookie outfielder, has lit a fire under the Pirates, showcasing the kind of power very few rookies have ever shown in their first 30 games while attracting a fraction of the attention some of the game's other young players receive.

Here's more to know about Valdez and which names he's already joined in the history books.

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Who is Esmerlyn Valdez?

Valdez spent parts of six seasons working his way through the Pirates' system before getting the call earlier this season. Ranked as the team's No. 8 prospect by Fangraphs in early June, Valdez played in the Futures Game last year but didn't arrive in Pittsburgh with anything close to the kind of spotlight Konnor Griffin did a few weeks earlier.

The Dominican-born Valdez hit 26 home runs with an .896 OPS across two minor-league levels in 2025 and earned a bump up to triple-A to start this season; he hit 13 home runs over 56 minor-league games before the call up.

Power is Valdez's calling card, and even at such a young age, it's clicked. Valdez hit .111 over his first 10 games, but he's batting .370 with 11 home runs and a 1.370 OPS in 22 games since that point.

The Pirates, meanwhile, experienced a resurgence before the All-Star break and are one of three teams in a virtual tie for the final NL wild-card berth. They haven't made the postseason since 2015. Valdez isn't the sole reason the Pirates are hanging around, but a historic power binge certainly helps.

Here's a full look at Valdez's numbers.

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Esmerlyn Valdez stats since being called up

Here's a look at Valdez's otherworldly stats through his first 32 MLB games:

The 22-year-old's numbers are even more remarkable when you consider he hit just .111 over his first 10 games. Valdez is averaging a home run every other game since that point, batting .370 with a 1.370 OPS in that span. 

Valdez is tied for third among NL rookies in home runs despite playing 62 fewer games than JJ Wetherholt (14 home runs) and 67 fewer games than Sal Stewart (20 home runs). The Pirates rookie's 162-game pace is 66 home runs, though he can be excused if he doesn't sustain that long-term.

Other players that recorded 13 homers and 34 RBI through first 32 career games

By reaching 13 home runs and 34 RBI on Monday night, Valdez became only the second player to hit those marks over his first 32 MLB games, joining Rhys Hoskins. 

Valdez is tied with fellow rookie Munetaka Murakami as the third-fastest player to reach 13 career home runs; only Hoskins and Aristides Aquino hit 13 home runs in fewer games.

The NL Rookie of the Year race is led by Cardinals 2B JJ Wetherholt, but Valdez will force himself into the conversation if he can come anywhere close to sustaining his power-hitting production.

Pirates record since calling up Esmerlyn Valdez

The Pirates are 17-16 since re-calling Valdez on June 11, but that doesn't paint the full picture. Pittsburgh is 13-9 since Valdez's rough first 10 games, and the Pirates are 8-4 in games in which Valdez homers this season.

Esmerlyn Valdez age

Valdez is 22 years old; he won't turn 23 until January of 2027.