The Pittsburgh Pirates have two teams in the Dominican Summer League, and they had two completely different seasons.
The DSL Pirates Black finished with a 19-36 record, which put them last in the eight-team Northwest Division, with the sixth-worst record in the league.
The DSL Pirates Gold finished with a 32-22 record, just missing the playoffs while ranking second in the nine-team North division.
The Black team featured more of the first-year performers from the most recent signing class. The Gold team featured veteran and older DSL players who had previous experience at the level. The average age for the Gold team was about a year older on each side of the ball.
Below are the hitter and pitcher of the year, the top ten prospects, notable performers, and an early 2025 outlook.
DSL Pirates 2024 Top Performers
Below are the hitter and pitcher of the year, with preference given to performance over age or prospect status.
Hitter of the Year: Isaias Dipre, OF – .301/.441/.579, 8 HR, 6 SB
Dipre was signed by the Pirates in August 2019. Due to the late signing, and the following pandemic, he didn’t make his pro debut until 2021. He had a .675 OPS that season, which improved to .796 in 2022. Dipre missed all of 2023 with an injury, and returned in 2024 at the age of 21. From the start, he was the best power hitter on the team, and the most consistent hitter. His eight home runs were more than four entire teams in the pitcher friendly league. Dipre will likely turn this season into a shot in the FCL next year.
Pitcher of the Year: Cesar Aquino, RHP – 0.98 ERA, 37:7 K/BB, 46 IP
Aquino was a late signing in this year’s international class, joining the Pirates on March 24th. He ended up pitching the most innings out of any DSL Pirates pitcher, while putting up an ERA below 1.00. His K/BB ratio was impressive, and by the end of the season, Aquino was making starts out of the Gold rotation. It was an impressive debut by the 19-year-old right-hander, who overcame a late signing with lights out numbers.
DSL Pirates Top 10 Prospects
The top ten prospects at this level are a crapshoot,
- Edward Florentino, OF/1B – Signed for nearly $400,000 in January, Florentino was the top performer from this year’s international class. He hit .260/.432/.459 with five homers, ten doubles, and eight stolen bases. He also controlled the strike zone well, with more walks (38) than strikeouts (36). The 17-year-old split time between first base and center field, finishing the year with more time in the outfield. He’s got the power potential to be a corner player in the long-term. Florentino should move to the FCL after one season in the DSL.
- Kendrick Herrera, INF – Herrera was the other standout signing from the 2024 class. The infielder profiles as a potential plus defender at shortstop, with his glove considered ahead of his bat. The bat performed well in his pro debut, with a .259/.390/.360 line. Herrera didn’t have a lot of power, limited to five doubles, three triples, and a homer. He did have a 29:25 BB/K rate, and stole nine bases in 11 attempts. If the bat continues developing, Herrera could be a two-way prospect at shortstop.
- Bralyn Brazoban, OF – The top signing from the recent international class, Brazoban had a disappointing debut. He hit .155/.276/.209 with only four doubles and two triples. The Pirates paid him over $2 million due to the five-tool potential. One of the few places where that showed up was his stolen base rate, with ten steals in 11 attempts. Brazoban had a 35% strikeout rate and almost no power. The now-18-year-old should return to the DSL in 2025 for a second season.
- Irwin Ramirez, RHP – Ramirez was the top pitcher signed by the Pirates in 2024, and started to show his potential by the end of the year. He had a 3.97 ERA in 34 innings, which was fueled by one run in ten innings over his final two starts. He will turn 18 before the start of the 2025 season. The 6′ 3″, 175 pound pitcher touched mid-90s at the time of signing, and started coming into his own as a starter in the final two games. He’s a candidate to move to the FCL. The one thing that could keep him in the DSL a second season is control. Ramirez walked 29 while striking out 32.
- Adbiel Feliz, SS – Receiving a seven-figure bonus, Feliz was the second highest bonus paid by the Pirates this past signing period. He also didn’t have a great debut, with a .206/.306/.230 line. The strikeout rate was better than Brazoban’s struggles, with Feliz putting up a 23.2% rate to go with his 12.6% walk rate. He spent most of his time at shortstop on defense, and is regarded as a guy who can stick at the position long-term. Feliz should get another season in the DSL.
- Ronaldys Jimenez, LHP – At the trade deadline, the Pirates paid half of Martin Perez’s salary to get Jimenez from the Padres in return for the salary dump. Their scouts liked Jimenez, who was signed by San Diego last June, and who put up a 2.93 ERA in 15.1 innings as a 17-year-old in his first pro season. He had control issues in the three starts after joining the Pirates. Jimenez allowed one run in eight innings with three walks while with the Padres. He walked 12 in 7.1 innings with the Pirates. With only 15.1 innings in his career, Jimenez will be a pitcher to watch in the DSL rotation next year.
- Cristian Jauregui, OF – The Pirates signed Jauregui out of Cuba in 2023, and sent him to the Gold team in his second professional season. He improved from a .745 OPS last year to an .800 OPS this year, while stealing 17 bases and hitting three homers. Jauregui will be in his age 19 season next year, and should spend it in the FCL outfield after taking a step forward on the more advanced team this season.
- Reinold Navarro, LHP – A six-figure signing this year, Navarro touched 95 MPH ahead of the DSL season. The Pirates used him in the rotation all season, watching him put up a 3.38 ERA in 24 innings, with a 37:21 K/BB. His slider led to the swing and miss, and he also throws a changeup. Navarro pitched all year for the Gold team at the age of 17, and could move up to the FCL rotation next year at a young age.
- Iverson Allen, OF – One of the youngest players from the 2024 international class, and the youngest position player in the system, Allen hit .233/.313/.317 with two triples and two steals in 60 at-bats. The Pirates signed him to a six-figure deal, despite a smaller 6′ 0″, 160 pound profile. Allen has an advanced approach at the plate, can play all three outfield spots, and should get a full season in the DSL next year.
- Frankeli Mesta, INF – Signed for a six-figure deal, Mesta can play all over the infield, splitting his time in 2024 between third base (17 games), shortstop (12 games), and second (11 games). He hit for a .732 OPS with two homers and three triples. Mesta also stole three bases. The 6′ 2″, 175 pound infielder just completed his age 17 season. Mesta’s versatility in the field and advanced approach from both sides of the plate could make him candidate to move up to the FCL in 2025.
Notable Performances
The biggest performance to stand out this season was on June 27th, when Samuel Escudero hit for the cycle. The 20-year-old catcher was in his fourth season in the DSL, and had a breakout with an .889 OPS at the plate and three homers. He should move up to the FCL in 2025, showing whether the new power production is real. Escudero has always had a good approach at the plate (career 64:58 BB/K ratio), with the ability to steal a few bases.
RHP Jonawel Valdez was promoted to the FCL in-season this year, after a 3.00 ERA in 12 innings over his first three appearances in the DSL. This followed a 5.56 ERA in 34 innings during his pro debut last year. He struck out 20 and walked three this year. Valdez continued pitching well in the FCL, with a 3.07 ERA in 14.2 innings. His strikeout rate dropped and the walk rate increased, with an 8:9 K/BB. He should return to the FCL in 2025.
RHP Adolfo Oviedo just completed his third DSL season. He had a 1.96 ERA in 41.1 innings, which was an improvement on last year’s 2.60 ERA. Last year saw an improvement from year one with the ERA. This year saw better control, with Oviedo striking out 43 and walking 11. He walked 27 in 34.2 innings last year. The performance in 2024 could have Oviedo pitching in the FCL rotation in 2025.
RHP Wifrailyn Jaquez spent the entire season in the Black rotation, with a 3.79 ERA in 38 innings, along with a 34:18 K/BB. This was the pro debut for the recently-turned 18-year-old, who signed on April 1st this year.
Michell Ojeda was a January signing, and one of the best performing hitters in the recent class. The infielder hit .256/.438/.341 with limited power, but eight stolen bases. He also had an advanced eye, leading to a 24:17 BB/K.
Anthony Sosa is the nephew of Sammy Sosa, and was signed to a seven-figure deal by the Pirates this year. He hit for a .348 OPS in his pro debut as one of the youngest players on the team. Sosa should return to the DSL in 2025 for his age 18 season.
Early 2025 Outlook
The 2025 FCL Pirates should see the return of their two biggest signings from this year’s class, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. A lot of players will struggle in the DSL during their first season, only to turn things around going forward. Year two will be something to watch for Brazoban and Feliz.
Most of the top performers and top prospects at this level should get pushed up to the FCL in 2025. The 2025 DSL teams will be heavily influenced by the signings of the next class, which begins on January 15, 2025.
The Pirates just hired Max Kwan as their new international scouting director, which should have some impact on the next class. Kwan will be tasked with improving the results on the international side.
At the least, the 2025 season will hopefully see improvements from Brazoban and Feliz, along with some exciting players to follow from the new class.
