Breakout performance from surprising rookie helping to drive Pirates offense

The Pittsburgh Pirates are still hovering around the .500 mark and on the fringes of playoff contention despite an underperforming pitching staff and some concerns around the production from Paul Skenes. The biggest reason they are still competitive is an offense that has been one of the best in baseball and exceeded all preseason expectations.

Right now there is a surprising rookie helping to drive that offensive surge, and it is not 20-year-old sensation Konnor Griffin. 

It is a rookie who was not even really on the radar when the season began. It is outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez.

He has been so good through his first 19 games that it has put him into some rare company in recent years. 

Esmerlyn Valdez having incredible start to career for Pirates

When the 2026 season began, the expectation was that Griffin, the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball, might have been the biggest breakout star in Pittsburgh. And while he has been excellent and a difference-maker when he is in the lineup, it has lately been Valdez that has been making one of the biggest impacts on the roster.

So big, in fact, that only a handful of players 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 average, six home runs, 11 extra-base hits, 15 RBI and a 1.112 OPS.

At one point this past week he hit a home run in four consecutive games to help bring his numbers up to that level. 

Over the past 10 years only a very small handful of players his age (22) have been that good to open their careers.