Players across Major League Baseball have begun reporting for spring training. There have already been plenty of videos of Pittsburgh Pirates players starting the long journey of an MLB season. With the third base situation currently up in the air, some unexpected Pirates players have started taking ground balls at the hot corner. One of those players is an underrated name on the Pirates’ 40-man roster, Enmanuel Valdez.

Apr 19, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Enmanuel Valdez (48) slides into third base attempting to stretch a double against the Cleveland Guardians during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Enmanuel Valdez Could Be an Under-the-Radar Third Base Bat for the Pirates

Valdez was acquired last offseason from the Boston Red Sox. He only hit .209/.294/.363, an 82 wRC+ over a 102 plate appearance sample size. While he likely would have gotten more of a chance to prove himself in 2025, he suffered a shoulder injury and was forced to undergo season-ending surgery.

Now hold on just a second…

Enmanuel Valdez with a maybe no doubter to cut the lead to 5

104.6 MPH exit velocity, 405 feet, HR in 12/30 ballparks pic.twitter.com/xqCGaraSRv

— Platinum Key (@PlatinumKey13) April 19, 2025

While Valdez’s surface numbers were not great, he had some interesting peripherals. He only struck out 15.8% of the time with a whiff rate of 21.5%. The infielder wasn’t overly aggressive either, walking at a 10.8% clip with a solid 26.6% chase rate. Not only did he show off solid plate discipline and avoid striking out, but he also flashed above-average power. Valdez had an 89.9 MPH exit velocity and 8% barrel rate.

Of course, it’s in a small sample size. But Valdez has been a solid batter at Triple-A. In 825 plate appearances, he owns a .254/.345/.473 triple-slash. He has only struck out 21.1% of the time with an 11.9% walk rate. Valdez has also shown off good power, with a .204 isolated slugging percentage. Overall, he has a .358 wOBA and 109 wRC+ at Triple-A.

Valdez is a Legitimate Third Baseman

Valdez isn’t completely unfamiliar with third base. It is his second most familiar position. He has over 1,200 innings at the third base position throughout his minor league career. However, most of his time in the major leagues has been spent at first and second base. His glove work at the keystone is rather poor, with -11 defensive runs saved and outs above average in 844 2/3 innings. However, he put up +2 DRS and OAA in 190 innings at first base last year.

As of now, Valdez is one of the Pirates’ most experienced third basemen on the roster. Jared Triolo is currently slotted in as their third baseman. Fellow infielders Nick Gonzales and Nick Yorke have very limited experience at the hot corner. The only other player on their 40-man roster who has ample experience at third base other than Valdez is Jack Brannigan. Like Triolo, Brannigan is a strong defender at the hot corner, but he projects as a utility infielder. Even though he can be a fallback option at third base for the Pirates in 2026, he has played more shortstop than third base the last two seasons. Since the start of 2024, he has 674 2/3 innings at short, and 318 innings at third.

Valdez has more potential with the bat than some may think. He could be a solid, strong-side platoon infielder for the Pirates. Even if Pittsburgh acquires another third baseman, keeping Valdez around could make him an important corner infielder. The only player on the Pirates’ 40-man roster with more innings at third base throughout their entire pro career is Triolo. We shall see how the Pirates utilize Valdez in Spring Training, given his potential versatility and offensive potential.

 

Main Photo Credit: © Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images