The Pirates’ farm system got a little bit of everything this week: a setback in the outfield, a milestone power breakout, and another thunderous reminder of Tony Blanco Jr.’s ceiling.
At Triple-A Indianapolis, Jhostynxon Garcia landed on the 7-day injured list Thursday with an undisclosed injury, trimming another option from Pittsburgh’s depth chart. Garcia had just been sent down to Indianapolis on Aug. 14 after spending more than two weeks with the Pirates, then got into three games back in Triple-A. In that short stretch, he went 3-for-11 with one RBI and no walks.
His major league work this season has been rough going. Across 20 games and 48 at-bats with Pittsburgh, Garcia hit .167/.200/.188. The team has not said what the injury is or how serious it might be, so there’s no clear timeline for when he could return.
While Garcia’s status turns into another question for the organization, Edward Florentino keeps answering plenty of them with his bat. The 19-year-old delivered the first grand slam of his professional career Sunday, giving High-A Greensboro a jolt in the 11th inning of its win over Bowling Green. It also pushed him to 23 home runs on the season, marking the first time he has reached 20 homers as a pro.
That total stands out even more because Florentino is doing it as a teenager against older competition. Among teenage prospects this season, only one player has hit more. The surge has helped propel him up to No. 35 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list and made him one of the more intriguing young hitters in the Pirates’ system.
Florentino’s rise is happening fast, and the power is starting to look real. Sunday’s grand slam was just the latest swing to back that up.
Tony Blanco Jr. is making the same kind of loud statement at Greensboro, only in a different way. The 21-year-old first baseman put together an eye-catching week, going 8-for-17 with four homers. That included back-to-back two-homer games Saturday and Sunday against Bowling Green.
Blanco now has 23 home runs in only 70 games with Greensboro, along with a .264 average, 54 RBI and a career-best .932 OPS. August has been even hotter: he’s batting .370 with seven homers and a 1.391 OPS in 43 at-bats this month.
At 6-foot-7 and 243 pounds, Blanco’s power has never been in doubt. What matters now is that it’s showing up in games with real consistency. He has actually hit more home runs on the road than at home, which makes the production a little harder to write off as Greensboro-friendly noise.
There’s still work to do. His strikeout rate, defense and durability remain areas to watch, especially after injuries limited him to 28 games at Low-A Bradenton last season. But staying on the field has given Blanco a chance to build momentum, and right now he looks like a prospect whose stock could keep moving up fast if this power keeps sticking.
In Other News...
Pirates Face A Telling Decision On A Power Bat They Need
The Pirates are once again staring at the kind of midseason opportunity that can alter a roster in a hurry. With the Reds reportedly putting Eugenio Surez on outright waivers, the market has opened for any club willing to jump in during a 48-hour window, and Pittsburgh is among the teams weighing whether the cost is worth the potential boost. Surez has shown better form since the All-Star break, and his right-handed power would fit a lineup that could use another dangerous bat.
Of course, claiming him would mean taking on the rest of his salary, which sits just under $3 million. That is not an enormous price for a club looking for offense, but it is still the kind of decision that can reveal how serious the Pirates are about trying to upgrade now rather than waiting for the bigger move later. [Read more 🡒]
Spencer Horwitz Has Become A Real Problem For The Pirates Lineup
Spencer Horwitzs return on Aug. 2 was supposed to give the Pirates a needed boost after he missed 33 games with a left hamstring injury and a concussion. Instead, his reentry has been part of the clubs broader second-half offensive slide, with the lineup looking increasingly short on consistent production as the playoff race tightens.
Horwitz has been candid about his own struggles, and the numbers back up the frustration. He has hit just .159 since coming back, with limited extra-base power and little run production, leaving Pittsburgh still searching for the kind of collective offensive rebound that can keep its postseason hopes alive. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Prospect Is Forcing A Tough September Decision
Mitch Jebb has spent this season making a case that the Pirates can no longer treat him as a long-term project only. After recovering from a thumb injury, the outfield prospect has shown more power at Triple-A Indianapolis, giving Pittsburgh a different look at a player whose value has always gone beyond one tool. With roster decisions looming as September approaches, Jebb has put himself on the radar in a way that can complicate the usual end-of-season shuffle.
For the Pirates, the timing matters. Expanded rosters create room for a look, and Jebb is also edging toward Rule 5 Draft eligibility, which raises the stakes of every call the organization makes over the next few weeks. If Pittsburgh finds itself further from the playoff race, the club could lean into evaluation mode and start thinking about whether Jebb belongs on the 40-man roster or in line for a chance to help in 2027 as a versatile option. [Read more 🡒]