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Jun 23, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; against the Pittsburgh Pirates hat and glove in the dugout before a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Two Pirates Pitchers Named Sleeper Prospects

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Sep 16, 2025 1:00 PM ET

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have two pitching prospects that quietly put together great seasons in the minor leagues.

Geoff Pontes of Baseball America named both Double-A Altoona right-handed pitcher Wilber Dotel and Antwone Kelly as two of his "9 Sleeper MLB Pitching Prospects With Impressive Stuff+ Scores."

Dotel has pitched all season with Altoona, posting a 7-9 record over 27 starts, a 4.15 ERA over 125.2 innings pitched, 131 strikeouts to 43 walks, a .234 opposing batting average and a 1.23 WHIP, with a 9.38 K/9, 3.08 BB/9 and a 3.05 K/BB.

He ranked amongst the best pitchers in the Eastern League, with the most games started, the third most strikeouts, the third lowest opposing batting average, the fourth lowest WHIP and the fifth most innings pitched, plus the third best K/9, fifth best K/BB and the sixth best BB/9.

Dotel had a strong end to the regular season, posting a 2.81 ERA over 41.2 innings in eight starts from Aug. 1 to Sept. 11, with 36 strikeouts to 14 walks and a .199 opposing batting average.

He also earned Eastern League Pitcher of the Week honors, after his two starts vs. the Harrisburg Senators, the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, in the series opener on Aug. 26 and the series finale on Aug. 31.

Dotel threw five scoreless innings on Aug. 26, allowing just one hit and two walks, while posting four strikeouts over 76 pitches in the 8-0 win. He then threw 5.2 scoreless innings on Aug. 31, again allowing just one hit and two walks, while posting five strikeouts over 91 pitches in another 8-0 victory.

Dotel generally throws three pitches, a fastball, his best pitch, along with a slider and a changeup.

The Pirates signed Dotel out of Barahona in the Dominican Republic on Oct. 13, 2020 and he is in his fifth season in the minor leagues for the Pirates, moving up each season.

MLB Pipeline ranks him as the 28th best player in the Pirates farm system and the only pitcher from Altoona in there.

Kelly earned promotion from High-A Greensboro to Altoona on June 24 and immediately joined the starting rotation.

He finished with a 2-2 record over 11 starts, a 3.00 ERA over 48.0 innings pitched, 46 strikeouts to 16 walks, a .226 opposing batting average and a 1.17 WHIP.

Kelly also did well with Greensboro, before earning his promotion, with a 1-1 record in 14 starts, a 3.03 ERA over 59.1 innings pitched, 70 strikeouts to 17 walks, a .192 opposing batting average and a 0.90 WHIP.

His play earned him South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week honors, after he threw five no-hit innings, with just one walk allowed, while posting eight strikeouts against the Rome Emperors, the High-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, on May 16.

Kelly throws four pitches, mostly relying on his four-seam fastball and slider, but also brings in a sinker and a changeup too.

He hails from Oranjestad, Aruba and signed with the Pirates as a free agent to a minor league contract on Jan. 13, 2021.

Kelly, who just turned 22 years old, has moved up from the Dominican Summer League up to Altoona over these last five seasons in the Pirates minor league system and will push for time at Triple-A Indianapolis in 2026.

He also pitched for the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and could represent them again in the 2026 edition.

The two pitchers will have their biggest starts of the season this week, as they pitch for Altoona in the Eastern League Playoffs vs. the Erie Seawolves, the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.

Dotel starts Game 1 at home on Sept. 16 and then Kelly starts Game 2 on the road on Sept. 18. It is a best-of-three series, and if both pitchers excel, they could send Altoona to the Final.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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