RADIO
Murf Gray's Second Home Run at Double-A was a Grand One
Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman prospect Murf Gray was recently promoted to Double-A, his second promotion of the season already, and he's collected a hit in three of the first four games for Altoona, including his second home run at that level on Tuesday, which was a grand slam. Not only that, the Pirates' third-ranked prospect is showing patience, drawing three walks compared to just two strikeouts so far with the Curve. The Fresno State product was a 2025 draft pick, 73rd overall, but is seeing time in professional baseball for the first time this season and has not disappointed. Across all three levels this year, the 6-foot-3 slugger owns a .323/.405/.610 slash line with 25 home runs, and though he tended to chase pitches in college, he is striking out at just a 19.2 percent rate while drawing walks at a 10.5 percent rate, so it looks like he's developed in that area. At this rate, the 22-year-old could be in the mix for an MLB debut next year, and his dynasty arrow is pointing up at the moment.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Nick Gonzales Should Not Be Available in 12-Team Leagues
Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Nick Gonzales picked up two more hits and scored twice in Sunday's 7-1 win over Cleveland. He also homered in Saturday's opener and now sits at .311 with five home runs, 55 runs, 44 RBI, and four steals over 351 at-bats. Only 40% of Yahoo leagues have him rostered, a low number for a hitter who ranks third in the National League in hits. The average is doing most of the work here. Gonzales has only five homers and four steals, so this is not broad category juice. He keeps putting the ball in play, owns a .370 on-base percentage, and qualifies at second base, third base, and shortstop. Some pullback is possible, with a .282 expected average behind the .311 mark. Even then, this kind of useful, flexible bat belongs in 12-team leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mason Montgomery Is Pittsburgh's Best Saves Stash
Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed reliever Mason Montgomery struck out two in a clean eighth inning against Cleveland on Sunday. Make that seven straight scoreless appearances, 6 1/3 innings in all, with one hit allowed and 12 strikeouts. He picked up his first save of the season during that run. Montgomery's 3.92 ERA and 1.26 WHIP are not exactly closer numbers. Fifty-eight strikeouts in 39 innings tell a different story. The ninth is not his, at least not yet. Pittsburgh started him Saturday, then used him with a four-run lead Sunday. Gregory Soto could not protect the lead in Saturday's nightcap, and Dennis Santana gave up the walk-off homer. It is still a committee, and a messy one. Montgomery is missing the most bats and has the momentum. RotoBaller has him in the 12-team range, which makes him the Pittsburgh reliever to stash for future saves.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Pirates Call Up Pitching Prospect Khristian Curtis for Doubleheader
The Pittsburgh Pirates are selecting the contract of right-handed pitching prospect Khristian Curtis from Triple-A Indianapolis for Game 1 of their doubleheader on Saturday against the Cleveland Guardians, according to MLB.com's Alex Stumpf. Curtis is the team's No. 21 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, but he might only be with the Bucs for one day as extra pitching depth for their two games versus Cleveland. The 24-year-old former 12th-rounder in 2023 out of Arizona State University will be making his MLB debut if he gets into a game on Saturday. He started the year at Double-A Altoona before being promoted to Indy despite going 0-7 with a 4.73 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 67:25 K:BB in 53 1/3 innings over his 12 starts. In six appearances (four starts) at Triple-A, Curtis has gone 2-1 with a 5.57 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, and 30:15 K:BB in 21 frames. If Curtis debuts on Saturday, it will be in a relief role, and he could be sent back to Indy on Sunday, so fantasy managers in AL-only leagues can avoid him for now.
Source: MLB.com - Alex Stumpf
Source: MLB.com - Alex Stumpf
Oneil Cruz Moved to 60-Day Injured List
The Pittsburgh Pirates moved outfielder Oniel Cruz (hand) to the 60-day injured list on Saturday, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com. There hasn't been a setback in Cruz's rehab from a fractured hand he suffered in June, and he will be eligible to return to the major-league roster on Aug. 8. As long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks with his hand as he begins to ramp up his baseball activities in the coming weeks, Cruz stands a good chance of returning right on Aug. 8. The 27-year-old Dominican must remain stashed in all fantasy formats as a five-category producer when healthy. Before getting hurt, Cruz was slashing .264/.350/.472 with an .822 OPS, 14 home runs, 44 RBI, 45 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases in his 250 at-bats. Cruz led the league in stolen bases with 38 in 2025, and he's had at least 21 steals in each of the last three seasons while also contributing at least 20 homers in the last two campaigns. When Cruz is activated from the 60-day IL in early April, he'll return to being Pittsburgh's everyday center fielder.
Source: MLB.com - Alex Stumpf
Source: MLB.com - Alex Stumpf
Edward Florentino Nearing Promotion Amid Torrid Stretch at High-A
Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Edward Florentino has continued to swing a scorching hot bat at the High-A level and is making a strong case to receive a taste of Double-A late in the 2026 season. Over his last 14 contests at High-A Greensboro, the 19-year-old outfielder has posted a sharp .283/.338/.683 line with a 1.022 OPS. During this stretch, Florentino has launched six long balls and added four doubles with an 18:5 K:BB. His recent surge is worth noting, as Florentino carried a much lower .212/.366/.412 line with a modest .778 OPS over his first 48 games of the season (shared between both Low-A and High-A). While the No. 30-ranked prospect in the sport remains far from his MLB debut, he is continuing to rise up dynasty rankings and is establishing himself as one of the sport's top outfield prospects.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Esmerlyn Valdez a Breakout Rookie to Target on the Waiver Wire
Pittsburgh Pirates rookie outfielder/first baseman Esmerlyn Valdez has taken the league by storm through his first 28 games and 105 plate appearances, hitting .309/.371/.713 with a 1.084 OPS, 10 home runs, 27 RBI, and 21 runs for the Bucs. It all came to a head for the 22-year-old Dominican last weekend in a doubleheader sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers, when he finished the day 4-for-8 with three home runs and eight RBI. Valdez is looking to keep up his hot month of July when the second half starts on Friday. In 11 games so far in July, he has gone 14-for-46 (.304) with four home runs, two doubles, a triple, 15 RBI, and 11 runs scored. Per MLB Pipeline, Valdez is Pittsburgh's No. 9 prospect. The 6-foot-2, 234-pounder made a concerted effort to improve his conditioning and approach at the plate in the last year, and it's really showing up during his MLB debut in 2026. Valdez's glove is nothing special, but if he keeps hitting like this, the Pirates will continue to run him out there every day. He won't be able to keep up his current pace through the rest of the season, but Valdez is one of the hottest young power bats to target going into the second half in fantasy leagues. The 22-year-old is currently rostered in 60% of Yahoo leagues, so he's still widely available.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Brandon Lowe Remains a Strong Source of Power
Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe didn't get an All-Star nod, despite being well deserving of one. The 32-year-old is coming off a strong first half with the Pirates. Through 90 games, Lowe is slashing .246/.316/.487 with 21 home runs and 64 RBI. He smacked 31 long balls last season and has a good chance of surpassing that this season. Outside of the power, Lowe isn't offering a ton of upside to fantasy managers. The veteran slugger doesn't hit for average, walk much or steal bases at a high rate. Fantasy managers looking for help in the power department should hang onto Lowe, but he could be an interesting sell-high candidate.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Is it Time to Stash Jhostynxon Garcia Following Triple-A Surge?
Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia has had his audition this season with the Pirates at the big-league level, and it didn't go resoundingly well. That being said, he still might be a name to keep in mind for the second half of the season for fantasy purposes. In the minors this season, between High-A Bradenton and Triple-A Indianapolis, Garcia is hitting .279 with nine homers and 30 RBI to go with 38 runs scored and five stolen bases. He hit just .200 in his brief spell with Pittsburgh, but that doesn't mean he will be precluded from another shot at the big leagues. He is the No. 4 overall prospect in the Pirates' system, and at 23 years old, he should get another opportunity in Pittsburgh. Additionally, Garcia enters the midway point swinging a hot bat, posting a .333/.419/.463 line over his last 15 games. He is an impact outfielder, and while the Pirates' outfield is deep at the big league level, it would be wise to stash Garcia as a potential impact bat in the second half, especially for those in deeper 15-team leagues with several N/A spots.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Nick Gonzales Can Help With Infield Depth Off the Waiver Wire
Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman/third baseman Nick Gonzales can be a great fill-in addition off the waiver wire if you need help at multiple infield spots. He has spent most of the year at the hot corner, but has other eligibility as well in most formats. The 27-year-old has been a utility man most of his career, but has taken a nice step forward in a regular role over the past several weeks. Since June 1, Gonzales has been hitting .314 with three homers, 24 runs scored, and 17 RBI in 37 games. He has moved all over the batting order during that span, starting as the leadoff hitter and the cleanup hitter as the Pirates shuffle different combinations. He has a .364 wOBA since June 1 and just a 17.8% K%. His contact numbers and solid counting stats production are good enough to earn him a roster spot in most standard-sized leagues. He doesn't have elite power or stolen base potential, but if you need a batting average booster who can score runs and chip in countable stats, Gonzales is worth a look as long as he remains in an everyday role.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Seth Hernandez Dominates in Brief Appearance in Futures Game
Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Seth Hernandez continued his impressive debut season by tossing a perfect frame in the Futures Game on Sunday afternoon. Entering the game in the second inning, the former No. 6 overall pick tossed a shutout inning with no hits, no walks, and two punchouts. The 20-year-old made his pro debut at Low-A this season but has already been bumped up to High-A and is putting himself in a strong position to reach Double-A later in the second half of the season. At Low-A, Hernandez logged 28 innings with a 0.96 ERA and 0.71 WHIP, prompting the early promotion. While the right-hander has hit some roadblocks at High-A, he has continued to flash elite strikeout potential, totaling 61 strikeouts in just 41 innings. If Hernandez can continue this trajectory, he should reach Double-A later this season and establish himself as the clear No. 1 pitching prospect in the game, alongside Seattle's Kade Anderson.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Mason Montgomery Emerging as a Top Waiver-Wire Target?
Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed reliever Mason Montgomery worked around a walk to finish Saturday's 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of a doubleheader, striking out two in a hitless ninth for his first save of the season. Gregory Soto had closed Game 1, so Pittsburgh is still splitting late work. Montgomery has put himself squarely in the picture, though. He has allowed no runs with five strikeouts and one walk over his last three appearances, and his season total is up to 55 strikeouts in 37 innings. The 4.14 ERA is not pretty, but a 34.8% strikeout rate and 3.21 xERA make the profile more interesting than the surface number. RotoBaller now lists Montgomery alongside Soto atop a volatile committee and recommends him in 12-team leagues. With only a 2% Yahoo roster rate, he is one of the better speculative saves adds available, even if calling him Pittsburgh's closer would be premature.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Pirates Take Outfielder Derek Curiel With Fifth Overall Pick
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Louisiana State outfielder Derek Curiel with the fifth overall pick on Saturday in the 2026 MLB draft. Curiel was considered the No. 12 prospect in this year's draft. The 21-year-old stands at 6-foot-2 and 192 pounds and bats from the left side of the plate. In his second and final season with the Tigers in 2026, he hit .353/.431/.526 with a .957 OPS, six home runs, 46 RBI, 13 stolen bases, and 64 runs scored in 58 games and 274 plate appearances. He's a bit of a surprise to sneak into the top five picks of this year's draft because of the fact that he's considered more of a glove-first center fielder with more of an ability to hit for average than power. Curiel has great bat-to-ball skills, though, and a fluid swing from the left side. As things currently stand, Curiel could struggle to even reach 15 homers per season as he works his way up the minor-league ladder in the coming years, but perhaps he'll develop more power as he adds some weight to his currently lean frame. He has been compared to Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich without as much power.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Konnor Griffin Moved to 60-Day Injured List
The Pittsburgh Pirates transferred shortstop Konnor Griffin (finger) to the 60-day injured list on Saturday to open up roster spots for newly-acquired infielder Jacob Gonzalez and left-hander Brandon Eisert, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com. The Pirates placed Griffin on the 10-day IL on Tuesday with a torn tendon in his left ring finger, and he was given an eight- to 10-week timeline for a return, so he'll be out well into the second half of the season. The earliest he'll be able to return will be on Sept. 4. It's a tough break for the Bucs and for the 20-year-old rookie phenom, who was holding his own in his first 225 major-league at-bats, hitting .276/.332/.404 with a .736 OPS, five home runs, 25 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 35 runs scored in his first MLB season in 2026. With Griffin out for the foreseeable future, Jared Triolo has been manning the 6 in Pittsburgh, but Gonzalez could see some time there as well after the Pirates acquired him from the Chicago White Sox on Friday night. Griffin is still rostered in 77% of Yahoo leagues despite his serious finger injury.
Source: MLB.com - Alex Stumpf
Source: MLB.com - Alex Stumpf
Edward Florentino Emerging as Top Outfield Prospect to Roster
Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Edward Florentino has enjoyed an impressive power surge at the High-A level and continues to solidify himself as one of the top outfield prospects to roster in dynasty formats. Over his last 16 contests, Florentino has carried a sharp .258/.319/.606 slash line with three doubles, one triple, and six home runs. However, overh is last seven games, Florentino has been even more impressive, hitting five of these home runs with an eye-catching 1.015 OPS. Overall this season, Florentino, the No. 30-ranked prospect in baseball, has posted a .213/.335/.426 line with 12 home runs and four stolen bases. While he needed some growing pains, the 19-year-old has gradually begun to turn the corner. While a late-season Double-A debut remains in play, fantasy managers should continue to view Florentino as an elite budding dynasty asset.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
