The Pittsburgh Pirates are reportedly one of the most aggressive teams in the bidding for left-handed starting pitcher Framber Valdez. Not only has Valdez been a quality starting pitcher in the 2020s, with a 3.23 ERA, 23.8% K rate, and 8% BB rate, but he has also been remarkably durable. He has the fifth most innings pitched with 973, and the 15th most games started with 153 since 2020. Valdez would bring the Pirates an ace-caliber pitcher. However, with a system filled with talented pitching already, they’d likely look to move at least one prospect before Spring Training.

Pirates Prospects Who Could Become Trade Chips with Framber Valdez Signing
Hunter Barco

Hunter Barco was the Pirates’ second-round pick in 2022 and has risen to become one of their best prospects. Last year, Barco pitched 99 1/3 innings between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis, working to a 2.81 ERA, 3.54 FIP, and a 1.198 WHIP. While his 11.8% BB% does not jump off the page, he struck out 27.8% of opponents. He also had an outstanding 0.45 HR/9 ratio. The left-hander also made his MLB debut late into the season. It was only a brief three-inning cameo, and he struck out three while not allowing a single free pass.

Barco has a four-pitch mix. His four-seam fastball sits 93-94 MPH while topping out around 96 MPH. It also displayed elite arm-side movement in the majors last year at 14 inches. His low-80s slider is his primary breaking offering. It sits in the low-80s and grades out as an average-to-above-average pitch. Arguably, his best pitch is his mid-80s splitter. He rounds his pitch mix off with a cutter, but he didn’t throw it once in the major leagues, and it is his only below-average pitch.

Hunter Barco’s dad’s reaction to Hunter’s first MLB out is exactly what you would expect lmao pic.twitter.com/rwKre7Ud3X

— Platinum Key (@PlatinumKey13) September 24, 2025

Barco currently ranks as MLB Pipeline’s No. 96 prospect. He is an MLB-ready pitcher who could slot into the rotation of a team in need of another starter. If Valdez dons black and gold in 2026, the need for an unproven left-handed starting pitcher would be minimal at most. While the Pirates need depth, they could still find it with other pitchers in the organization. Plus, trading Barco while his value is high could net them a much-needed corner infielder.

Thomas Harrington

Thomas Harrington was a fellow 2022 draft pick. He was taken in the competitive balance round A, 36th overall by the Bucs. He entered 2025 as a consensus top 100 prospect after he put up a 2.61 ERA, with a 25.1% K%, and microscopic 4.1% BB% in 2024. His 21% K-BB% was the 23rd best of any minor league pitcher with 100+ IP.

Unfortunately, 2025 was not nearly as promising for Harrington. He tallied 96 innings at Triple-A, working to a 5.34 ERA, a 21.7% K%, and an 8% BB%. His HR/9 rose by more than double, from 0.69 to 1.88. Harrington also made a brief appearance in MLB, but it was a lot less promising than Barco’s debut. In 8 2/3 innings, Harrington allowed 15 earned runs on three home runs and seven walks.

Harrington has a wide variety of pitches at his disposal. He isn’t a flamethrower, as his fastball sits in the low-90s. However, it plays up because of its movement. His low-80s sweeper is his best pitch, as it induced a whiff a third of the time with a .289 xwOBA in the majors last year. Harrington also throws a low-mid-80s splitter that also got whiffs at a high 40% rate last year. He rounds out his pitch arsenal with a cutter and a curveball. The right-hander’s best ability is his ability to locate.

And the save goes to Thomas Harrington!👏

This is Harrington’s first Major League save and first save at any level. It’s the first 4.0-inning save by a Pirates pitcher since 1998. pic.twitter.com/w2lD5O4AQa

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 8, 2025

The only downside is that the Pirates would be selling low. He was ranked as Baseball America’s 74th best prospect in baseball going into 2025, but now doesn’t even rank among the Pirates’ top 20 prospects. Still, adding another pitcher, especially on a multi-year contract, would only push Harrington down the roster even further.

Wilber Dotel

Wilber Dotel was an international signee by the Pirates in 2020. After a slow start to his pro career, Dotel experienced a massive velocity boost in 2024. He gained about three ticks of speed on his fastball, the third-largest jump in fastball MPH between 2023 and 2024. That carried over into a solid 2025 season at Altoona.

Dotel tossed 125 innings while working to a 4.15 ERA, 3.89 FIP, and 1.225 WHIP. He struck out just under a quarter of opponents with a 24.5% K%, and improved his walk rate from 11.6% to 8%. Dotel became far less home run-prone as well. In 2024, his HR/9 ratio at Greensboro was 1.78. This past year, Dotel had an HR/9 of only 1.00 for Altoona.

Wilber Dotel’s 18 strikeouts this month are the second-most among all pitchers at the Double-A level 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/HD4sZGIMdH

— Young Bucs (@YoungBucsPIT) May 12, 2025

After Dotel’s velocity spike, his fastball now sits in the mid-to-upper 90s. He can even top out at triple-digits. The young right-hander throws both a four-seamer and a two-seamer. Dotel’s mid-80s slider is an above-average offering with the potential to be plus. That would give him two plus offerings. Dotel started utilizing a splitter instead of a change-up, and it is another usable part of his pitch arsenal.

The Pirates already have another similar hard-throwing right-hander in the system in Antwone Kelly. Kelly had an even better year than Dotel. Both he and Barco are ranked ahead of Dotel in Baseball America’s rankings. His value is climbing in the right direction, and that is something the Pirates can take advantage of if they sign Valdez.

 

Main Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images