Shortly before the December 15th deadline last month to sign international amateur players, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed two 18-year-old players from the Dominican Republic to round out their 2022 international signing class. The 2023 signing period starts on Sunday, and we will have all of the news of the day here. I wanted to wrap up the 2022 class before that started.
You can find info on all 28 signings from the 2022 class in our tracker. Basic information on shortstop Edwarli Brioso and right-handed pitcher Jonawel Valdez has been on the chart since December 7th, but we didn’t get the scouting reports until today.
Valdez is a three-pitch guy with a loose arm and athleticism in his 6’1″, 185 pound frame. When he first signed with the Pirates, he had an 84-86 MPH, which is now up to 88 MPH, with the projection to add more velocity. He has a good feel for the strike zone with his fastball and his changeup, which is 81-82. The slider is a work in progress, and it sits 77-79 MPH. There’s potential high upside here, as he is still developing.
Brioso is 5’11, 161 pounds, with a chance to stay at shortstop. He has all of the tools, including a strong arm, athleticism and great instincts. He runs well, with a chance to be a plus runner. There’s no power yet, but he has a chance to add as he fills out. He’s a lefty hitter now after originally switch-hitting, which he will likely return to in the future.
