2025 was a very good year for Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Brandan Bidois. He stayed healthy for the first time since his professional debut in 2021, tallying 61 innings. On top of that, he was outright dominant, working to a 0.74 ERA, 2.44 FIP, and 0.80 WHIP. Bidois struck out 30% of opponents, had an 11.7% walk rate, and didn’t allow a single long ball. After that dominating performance, he earned a 40-man roster spot and was protected from the Rule 5 draft. Bidois isn’t the only relief pitching prospect in the Pirates’ system. The Bucs have more hurlers with similar traits that could break out in 2026.

David Matoma

David Matoma is one of the Pirates’ most interesting minor league hurlers. Signed out of Uganda in January 2023, Matoma got his first full season of playing time in 2025. He pitched 42.1 innings out of A-Ball Bradenton’s bullpen. His bottom line consisted of a 4.25 ERA, 4.49 FIP, and 1.56 WHIP. Matoma only had a 20.6% strikeout rate with a 13.3% walk rate. On the plus side, Matoma had a strong 0.64 HR/9 ratio and 51.7% ground ball ratio.

Matoma throws both a four-seam and two-seam fastball. Both pitches sit mid-to-upper 90s, and top out around 99-100 MPH. He also throws two breaking pitches. One is an upper-80s cutter, and the other is a mid-80s slider. Matoma rounds out his pitch mix with a mid-80s change-up; however, it is his least-used offering by far.

Matoma just turned 20 at the beginning of February. However, he has already spent an entire season at A-Ball. He is one of the hardest-throwing minor league pitchers in the Pirates’ system. While he may need to improve his pitch locating, he certainly has the potential to figure that part of his game out. He has some of the best breakout potential among Pirates pitching prospects.

 

David Matoma 1st look of 2026. Featured a fastball, cutter, and change/split. pic.twitter.com/myOMt3SBt3

— Charlie Meyer (@wrldbaseballdev) February 15, 2026

Gavin Adams
2021 Baseball Small Schools Player of the Year: Gavin Adams, St. John Paul II © THOMAS CORDY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gavin Adams was the Pirates’ eighth-round pick in 2024. Taken out of Florida State University, the Pirates knew Adams wouldn’t take the field for a while. The right-hander had undergone Tommy John surgery in March. Adams returned to the mound last year, pitching only 15.1 innings. In that small sample size, he only allowed four earned runs and struck out 24 opponents. However, he also handed out 24 free passes. Most of Adams’ playing time was in the Florida Complex League, and he also appeared in one game at A-Ball Bradenton.

Adams is a two-pitch pitcher and was a reliever in JUCO ball before transferring to FSU. He throws hard, sitting mid-to-upper-90s, and topping out at 101 MPH when healthy. He’ll also throw a mid-80s slider that flashes above-average upside. During his single game at Bradenton, Adams also tossed a sinker and a change-up. Like many young flamethrowers, Adams has questions about his control.

Adams will be 23 for all of 2026. It should also be his first fully healthy campaign since 2023. Given a chance to thrive, Adams could be what Bidois was in 2025: an oft-injured relief prospect in the Pirates’ system that has shown command issues in the past, finally gets a shot at a full season worth of playing time, and is outright dominant, showing off his impressive stuff in the process.

Reinold Navarro

Reinold Navarro was an international signee by the Pirates in the 2023-2024 offseason. He pitched 32 innings last year, with a 5.34 ERA, 4.06 FIP, and 1.56 WHIP between the FCL and Bradenton. Making contact against Navarro proved to be a massive challenge for opposing batters. He held them to a .097 batting average and struck them out 40.9% of the time. The biggest problem was that the right-hander also walked opponents 26.8% of the time.

 

Prospect Watch

Reinold Navarro
A Bradenton PIT
6’ LHP 19 yo

8.17vPalm Beach
2 IP 1H 0R 1BB 6K
6whiffs/46pitches

Small sample K standout, but abysmal strike% needs major work.

Power delivery 3/4 arm slot
FF 96 20”IVB
SL vertical

25: 41K% 27BB% 32 IP 5.34ERA 44strike% 12SwK% pic.twitter.com/FPNyQB8IHb

— YGM Fantasy Baseball (@YGMfantasy) October 2, 2025

There is no question about the sort of stuff Navarro brings to the table. He throws both a four-seamer and sinker that sit mid-to-upper-90s, and top out at 99 MPH. They are both double-plus, 70-grade offerings. Navarro also throws a mid-80s slider that is another plus offering. His change-up, however, is rarely used, and is probably best off that way.

Navarro was primarily used as a starting pitcher in 2025, but has some serious work ahead of him if he wants to stick in the rotation. He needs to sharpen up his change-up and improve his control to at least a palpable level. For what it’s worth, he is only 19, so there’s still a chance he does that. However, he could take the easier route of breaking out as a reliever in 2026.

(Top Image Credit: andrew west / USA TODAY NETWORK

via Imagn Images)